If your canine companion can’t stay away from water and loves to fetch, you both might enjoy a sport that’s quickly growing in popularity: Diving Dogs.
What You Need to Know about Dock Diving
In the sport of Diving Dogs, handlers throw a toy into a body of water while your dog waits on a 40-foot-long dock. On your command, the dog leaps off the dock to retrieve the toy. The dog who leaps the greatest distance win the competition. Canines of all breeds, ages, and sizes can compete (except for females in season) and dock diving is also an excellent way to keep older and younger dogs active.
All you need to get started with dock diving is a water-loving dog with good swimming skills, training, and a well-made toy. If you’ve ever watched a diving dogs competition, you know that for many dogs, the toy is key to getting the dog excited about jumping.
When choosing a toy for dock diving, make sure to get one that is floatable and throwable with an eye-catching color. Remember that dogs can make out yellow and blue hues, and combinations of those colors — this means the best toys for your dog may be yellow or blue. In accordance with NADD rules, the toy can’t sink, dissolve, or be edible.
Ready to make a splash? Here are the six best toys we recommend for dock diving with your dog.
Best Dock Diving Toy for Competitions
Nerf Dog 10.5 inch Floating Bumper Toy
If you’re looking to seriously compete, Nerf’s floating bumper toy is worth checking out. It’s an official toy used during the North American Diving Dogs competition for Canine Aquatics Dock Diving Air Retrieve Training. The 10.5-inch length makes it big enough for two dogs to handle at once and dual rope handles make it possible to play tug-of-war. The bright yellow and blue toy is perfect for dog eyesight, and it is made of rubber foam and nylon.
The toy has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars and many reviewers wrote that it’s one of the most durable toys they’ve ever used. Others added that it’s perfect for dock diving, and the bright color makes it easy for dogs to see. Price: $15
Best Value Dock Diving Toy
Chuckit Amphibious Bumper Fetch Toys
The Chuckit’s non-slip knotted rope handle makes it perfect for throwing. The toy’s bumper fetch toy has been ranked in the top 20 for Amazon’s dog toy balls. It has an easy-to-clean exterior, is filled with memory foam, nylon, and rubber, and is available in small and medium sizes.
Reviewers say that while this lightweight toy is perfect for fetch, it doesn’t withstand sharp teeth and tugs. Price: $10
Best Dock Diving Toy for Large Breeds
Bull Fit 2-in-1 Floating Fetch Toy and Bite Tug
Created for medium and large breeds, this floatable fetch toy is handmade in Europe from non-toxic firehose material (but the seller cautions that the fetch toy should only be used in the pool and not as a chew toy). The nearly 10-inch-long toy comes with a full refund if needed.
Most reviewers loved the toy’s durability, though a minority noted that the toy didn’t work for strong chewers. Price: $13
Best Eco-Friendly Toy
Ruffwear Lunker Floating Dog Toy
The 100% recyclable toy is made out of abrasion-resistant materials and a recycled foam core that makes it lightweight and throwable. The attached rope handle makes it easy to throw and retrieve from the water. The toy must be hand-washed and air-dried.
Many users reported that the toy was easy-to-clean, well-made, and dogs love it. However, a small number of reviewers noted that it was quickly shredded. Price: $20
Best Squeaky Floating Toy
Scenereal Floating Snake Dog Toy
This set of two floating striped snake toys won’t make a mess because they’re stuffing free. Measuring nearly two feet long and three inches wide, they’re easy for dogs to hold on to and carry. One snake has one large squeaker, while the other has five small squeakers.
While most users loved the toys, a few indicated that they were easily torn up and that the squeakers didn’t last. Because they are thin, they may be a bit more difficult to throw far. Price: $11
Best Dock Diving Toy Made in the USA
Made in the USA with globally sourced materials, KONG’s Aqua Dog Toy is intended for large dogs (30 to 65 pounds). The neon orange fetch toy is filled with a floatable foam core and has an attached rope. It’s also one of Amazon’s top choices in the dog rope toys category and comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
Many Amazon users wrote that it’s perfect for large, active dogs. Though some reviewers report the attached rope makes throwing far easy, others indicated that the rope was quickly shredded. Price: $16
The AKC independently selected each product featured in this article. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale. While we do our best to update links often, please note that prices and deals are subject to change.