B次元官网网址淲hereB次元官网网址檚 your ball?B次元官网网址�

Cheryl Johnson is face to face with Sync, talking into her dogB次元官网网址檚 ears as the whippet/terrierB次元官网网址檚 eyes lock onto a red sphere bobbing in the waters of Langford Lake. B次元官网网址淕o get your ball,B次元官网网址� Johnson says, as she lowers her dog onto the dock.

Moments later, without so much as a sound, Sync is in the air, legs fully extended as she sails towards her target.

B次元官网网址淗er furthest jump ever was 22 feet, 11 inches. Right now she is second in the world B次元官网网址� Number one in Canada, number two in the world,B次元官网网址� Johnson says.

The five-year-old dog is practicing for DockDogs, a canine aquatic sport requiring a dog to jump off a 40-foot dock into a pool. A laser camera records where the dogB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渢ailsetB次元官网网址� lands to measure the distance jumped. Another aspect of this canine sport sees one or more dogs run down the dock to retrieve a bumper suspended at the end of the pool as fast as possible. After two years of competition, Sync is already one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 best in her size category.

B次元官网网址淗er and I started this together two years ago and she never lets me down. I know how to get her revved up and if I whisper to her B次元官网网址榡ump 20 feetB次元官网网址� I know she canB次元官网网址檛 understand, but she will jump 20 feet,B次元官网网址� Johnson says. B次元官网网址淲e have a good relationship. I know when sheB次元官网网址檚 not feeling well and tired, but she is still so happy to make me happy. She is my little DockDog partner in crime.B次元官网网址�

Johnson discovered the sport after watching a demonstration at Pet-A-Palooza, a local pet festival. It was there that they randomly discovered SyncB次元官网网址檚 passion for jumping. Three weeks later, there happened to be a competition in Comox. Johnson decided to enter Sync and the pair promptly won.

They qualified for the world championships later that year, but almost didnB次元官网网址檛 go because  of the cost. Johnson found the money to go and it paid off when Sync won her category.

B次元官网网址淭ruthfully, I work for my dog sport,B次元官网网址� says Johnson, a hair stylist. B次元官网网址淚 work hard, make the money and pay for my way. ItB次元官网网址檚 the same as paying for your kids to play hockey. Parents donB次元官网网址檛 get a monetary reward for putting the time and money into their kids, but at the end they have the pleasure of having the kids have fun, work hard and succeed and that is why I do this.B次元官网网址�

Sync clearly loves the sport, practising on Langford Lake often in preparation for national and international championships, where she has taken home numerous titles.

To help navigate the costs, Johnson now has pet food company Petcurean sponsoring Sync, which helps cover the cost of food for all four of her dogs. Sync now even has her own blog and the B次元官网网址減artners in crimeB次元官网网址� will attend their third world championship in Dubuque, Iowa in November, when they will be gunning for gold again.

B次元官网网址�(Sync) is very driven and very athletic. She has a lot of energy, so she adapted to it really well. When she gets into the arena and sees the pool, she barks nonstop until she gets into the water,B次元官网网址� Johnson says. B次元官网网址淭o me, IB次元官网网址檓 not going to have (my) dogs in my life forever, itB次元官网网址檚 a short blip of time. ItB次元官网网址檚 worth it to me to make the most of it and have as much fun with them as I can.B次元官网网址�

For more information you can visit SyncB次元官网网址檚 blog at .

alim@goldstreamgazette.com