Dogs Compete at First Ever Dock Diving Event in Westhampton Beach

WESTHAMPTON BEACH — It was a dog day afternoon in Westhampton Beach recently as a pack of pooches competed in the first ever dock diving event held in the village.

The event, said organizer Terrie Bauer, was a fundraiser for the Kiwanis of Greater Westhampton and the Hurricane Educational Foundation.

The events are held in conjunction with DockDogs, a canine aquatics competition, where dogs face off in categories to claim the title in a variety of fun water events.

Dock diving events are held worldwide, but it was the first time the event, which included a pool for the dogs set up at Westhampton Beach High School, was unveiled locally.

Bauer's dog Hunter enjoyed the fun, she said.

"I had done an event in Virginia few years ago with Hunter and thought it would be cool to do in Long Island," Bauer said.

Dogs, she said, participate in three events, including distance jump, height jump, and speed retrieval, to see how fast the pups can jump in and retrieve a toy.

"I can't even begin to describe how awesome this weekend was," Ashleigh Campbell said, on Facebook. "Thanks to Terrie Bauer we brought DockDogs to Long Island and it was a hit. We introduced over 30 new dogs to the sport and many of them competed and brought home medals."

She added that she spent hours working with dogs and owners on the dock, and would love to see a DockDiving club started on Long Island, with future events planned.

Patch courtesy photos.