Driving through the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield for the AKC Salutes the Troops celebration in early May, Navy veteran Kathryn Murphy took note of the tactical vehicles staged on the base.
Murphy, of Saint Johns, Florida, had come to Savannah, Georgia, to participate in the 2025 AKC Diving Dogs Challenge with her Weimaraner, “Layla” (Lady Bleu Layla). The timing of the event held deep significance for her. It came on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, where Murphy, as a young Naval nurse, was sent to Guam to assist with Operation New Life. There, she helped Vietnamese refugees medically clear to reunite with their families and settle in North America. Her brother, Nick Todoroff, had served in Vietnam as a Green Beret in the Army’s Special Forces seven years earlier.
Murphy describes the anniversary as an emotional week for her. “I didn’t think it would hit me like it did, but it did. So it was a very special time.”
At AKC Salutes the Troops, Murphy and Layla joined dozens of other teams in an exciting showcase of speed, agility, and aquatics — a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the armed forces by doing what they love most. “She brings me joy and a lot of fulfillment,” Murphy says, “and [it’s] just [an] honor that I’m in a country that I can do this, especially on a military base.”
The AKC Salutes the Troops events showcased dog-handler teams competing in Fast CAT, agility, and dock diving. The 2025 AKC Diving Dogs Challenge will premiere on Friday, July 4 at 7:00pm ET on ESPN.
Layla Makes Waves
Murphy had never participated in dog sports before Layla, but their mutual love of the ocean drew her to dock diving. “I love being in the water,” Murphy says. “Early on, I took her to the beach and realized she was pretty fearless with the waves.”
During the pandemic, Murphy was anxious to find a way to be active with her dog, away from webinars, remote work, and running her company. She found a dock diving pool in northeastern Florida and began taking Layla for weekly dive sessions. The Weimaraner took to it right away. So much so that the pool owner encouraged the team to compete in dock diving.
“She took me by surprise, and I really did it without any thought of competition,” Murphy says. “I didn’t even know what competing in the sport meant.”
Before long, the team was invited to North America Diving Dog regionals and nationals, sometimes traveling several thousand miles for these events. For Murphy, dock diving with Layla has been an unexpected, exciting journey — and she couldn’t help but ride the wave.
“Embrace the moment that the dog got you here,” Murphy remembers a NADD representative telling her. “Never in my imagination would I have ever thought I’d be doing what I’m doing now with her.”
A Life of Service
After serving 24 years as a Navy nurse, Murphy continues to devote her life to helping others and owns three home–health care franchises. As a registered therapy dog with Pet Partners, Layla works with Murphy every day. Layla has a unique role in the office: helping the health care providers get comfortable being around dogs, so they can support a broader range of clients.
“A lot of caregivers have not been around large, friendly, black dogs, and they are fearful when they come in the door,” Murphy says. Layla is part of the onboarding process for new hires — she eases their apprehension, and they learn how to interact with large dogs for future clients who have pets in the home.
“I’ve literally seen her turn people around in terms of their impressions of dogs,” she says.
Back on Base
At 9 years old, Layla is considered a “veteran” herself — in NADD events, dogs over 8 years of age compete in the Veteran category. Her favorite event is Air Retrieve, where she leaps to grab a suspended bumper at incrementally longer distances.
Back in Savannah at AKC Salutes the Troops, Murphy and Layla awaited their turn under the tents beside the pool, amid the TV cameras, boom mics, loud announcer, and roaring crowds. “She knew at that point that something was going on — this was a little bit different than practice,” Murphy says. “So then they tell us to go, and she wants to run up the ramp, almost uncontrollably!”
She placed Layla in a sit-stay while she walked about three-quarters down the dock. Then, right before her jump, a thunderous military helicopter began to descend.
“She’d never seen a helicopter close up, I could tell you that!” Murphy says. “And the first time we were on the dock in Savannah, here comes a helicopter in for a landing.”
Despite some initial apprehension by the novel noise, Layla did what she does best — make a splash.
The AKC Diving Dogs Challenge participants are making a splash! Catch all of the action on July 4th at 7pm ET on ESPN!