Making a splash: Animal clinic creates pool, dock diving class

The staff at 280 Animal Medical Center work primarily with sick or injured pets all day. That’s why, Dr. Jay Crisman said, it’s nice to step out behind the clinic and see healthy and active dogs in obedience classes and at the facility’s agility course.

This summer, the clinic is adding to its dog sports with a new pool and a club for dock diving.

“It reminds you why we do what we do. I think it will be a nice lift,” Jay Crisman said.

Dock diving or dock jumping is a sport where canines run and leap off the end of a 40-foot dock into a pool, pursuing a floating toy thrown by their owner from the end of the dock. Dogs are judged based on the length of their jump. The most common participants are retrievers and other sport breeds, but North America Diving Dogs (NADD), the official organization, accepts any dog, including mixed breeds.

Jay Crisman’s wife, Jennifer Crisman, has participated in dog shows for six years and in agility competitions for three years. She prompted the addition of the agility course and classes at 280 Animal Medical Center about a year and a half ago, and her American Eskimo dog, Kailani, holds two Master Agility Champion titles.

“We have to train constantly so we’re good, and I’m competitive,” she said. She competes in shows in Birmingham, Huntsville, Decatur and Montgomery, as well as in Tennessee.

Jennifer Crisman first heard of dock diving at a dog show in Columbiana in April 2018. A portable dock and pool were set up for people to learn about the sport, and she and her niece, Hayley Gibson, got to check it out.

While agility requires a lot of running and physical fitness from both dog and owner, Jennifer Crisman said dock diving doesn’t require much activity from the humans involved — though they’ll probably get splashed.

“If you have to have something to do with your dog and don’t enjoy running, dock diving is the sport. The dog gets the exercise, but you don’t necessarily have to,” she said.

Whether diving, agility or another sport, Jay Crisman said he encourages pet owners to find an activity for their dogs. It prevents obesity and a number of boredom-related behavioral issues, and often an owner with a competitive streak finds as much satisfaction as the dogs.

“It just enhances that bond we have with them,” he said.

“Dogs need a job. If they’re not employed by you, they’ll be self-employed … and will get into things you don’t want them to get into,” Jennifer Crisman said.

The pool and dock were completed in June behind 280 Animal Medical Center, located on Shelby County 55, right off U.S. 280 in Westover. The dock and pool meet NADD regulations, and the clinic is registered as Wild West Diving Dogs. It’s the only diving facility in the state, Jennifer Crisman said.

The clinic planned to hold an inaugural splash and open house the last weekend of June to introduce those interested in the sport. Since it’s the only facility of its kind nearby, she expects to draw people from a large area.

Jay Crisman said they will call this side of the business WestRover Watersports. They will hold two NADD events each year and regular training classes, similar to their obedience and agility courses, to teach people and dogs about dock diving, no prior experience needed. For more experienced dogs and handlers, Jennifer Crisman said they’ll be able to rent the pool for individual training.

The pool will be able to offer much more than just diving, however. Jennifer Crisman said they want to provide classes in water safety for dogs, such as CPR and how to get a dog into a canoe or other boat without tipping it over. 280 Animal Medical Center also provides orthopedic surgery, and she said swimming is a good rehabilitative exercise.

“There’s so many advantages to have a pool besides dock diving,” she said.

The Crismans bought 280 Animal Medical Center in 2006 with partners and have owned it outright since 2013, and they have seen the practice grow from one doctor and a couple employees to three doctors and around 20 employees, including grooming, boarding and surgery. Jennifer Crisman said it has taken a lot of effort to build their practice up.

“Today’s his day off and he’s working, doing surgeries,” she said of her husband during a May interview.

While most veterinary practices don’t have dog sport facilities on-site, Jennifer Crisman said it’s ideal because people often come to them for pet weight loss and health tips, and the clinic is only a few steps away if there’s an injury. And, she said, people who tend to regularly engage in a sport with their dogs tend to take better care of their pets.

“I just like seeing people out doing things with their dogs,” she said.

Learn more about dock diving at northamericadivingdogs.com, or visit 280amc.com or call 678-8253 for more information about 280 Animal Medical Center’s classes in dock diving, water safety and other sports.