Cedar Cross Diving Dogs

Cedar Cross Diving Dogs Cedar Creek Diving Dogs- New destination for training, events, classes, lessons, rentals & seminars.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DOCK DISCIPLINE?! If you could only compete in ONE for the rest of the season, which are you pickin...
09/17/2026

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DOCK DISCIPLINE?!

If you could only compete in ONE for the rest of the season, which are you picking and WHY?

Distance — Speed, timing, a solid pop and that BIG launch. There’s nothing quite like watching your dog absolutely SEND IT off the end of the dock.

Air Retrieve — The strategy makes this one addicting. Dialing in the approach, takeoff, pop and trajectory… then holding your breath every time that bumper moves another foot out.

Hydro Dash — FAST, chaotic and ridiculously fun. A good turn, quick bumper grab and strong swim back can make all the difference when you’re chasing hundredths of a second.

Extreme Vertical — Forget distance… we’re going UP! Watching a dog explode vertically and nail that bumper is pretty hard to beat.

Dueling Dogs — Because apparently racing the clock wasn’t enough… now your dog gets an opponent. Head-to-head racing definitely brings a whole different level of excitement!

Every discipline tests something a little different — speed, power, technique, drive, accuracy or teamwork.

So if you could only choose ONE:

Which one are you picking and WHY?

Bonus points: Drop your dog’s PB in their favorite discipline — we want to see those numbers!

CONDITIONING TIP: Teach Your Dog to BACK UP!Psoas and other soft-tissue injuries can happen in dock diving because our d...
09/16/2026

CONDITIONING TIP: Teach Your Dog to BACK UP!

Psoas and other soft-tissue injuries can happen in dock diving because our dogs are asking their bodies to do some pretty explosive things—sprinting, planting, launching, extending through the air, hitting the water and climbing back onto the dock.

One simple exercise that can be surprisingly useful for conditioning? Teaching your dog to back up.

Backing up requires your dog to use their body differently than they do when moving forward. Instead of simply driving off the front end, they have to engage the hindquarters, core and hip-stabilizing muscles while also developing better awareness of where those back feet are.

For a dock dog, that matters.

A strong, controlled rear end helps support the explosive acceleration and takeoff we want at the end of the dock. Backing also encourages proprioception—your dog’s awareness and control of their limbs—which can help them become more coordinated when collecting, adjusting stride and pushing off.

The key is slow and controlled. We aren’t looking for a dog scrambling backward as fast as possible. Start with a few straight, deliberate steps and gradually increase the distance. Once they’re comfortable, you can progress to backing between objects, backing up a slight incline or other variations appropriate for your dog.

And remember: conditioning isn’t just about building the muscles that make them jump farther. It’s about building a body capable of handling the forces required to jump farther.

A few minutes of purposeful conditioning off the dock can go a long way toward keeping our athletes strong for the season.

Does your dog know how to back up on command?

BUILDING A STRONGER DOCK DOG Dock diving is about more than speed and jumping. A strong, balanced foundation can help yo...
09/15/2026

BUILDING A STRONGER DOCK DOG

Dock diving is about more than speed and jumping. A strong, balanced foundation can help your dog move with confidence and stay prepared for the demands of the sport.

This week, focus on simple exercises that support body awareness and control:

Practice controlled sit-to-stands
Work on backing up a few steps
Add short, steady walks or trots
Use low cavaletti poles for careful foot placement
Reinforce impulse control and a solid stay

Keep sessions short, positive and appropriate for your dog’s age, fitness level and experience. Quality matters more than quantity, and conditioning should never leave your dog exhausted or sore.

The goal is to build strength, coordination and confidence now so your team is ready to make the most of dock season later.

What’s one training skill your dog is working on this week?

WHAT DOCK IS ON YOUR TRAVEL LIST? There are so many incredible docks and diving dog events across the country, and we wa...
09/14/2026

WHAT DOCK IS ON YOUR TRAVEL LIST?

There are so many incredible docks and diving dog events across the country, and we want to know:

What’s one dock you’d love to travel to that you haven’t visited yet—and why?

Maybe it’s a dock with an amazing atmosphere, a favorite event, a beautiful location, a legendary competition, or simply a place you’ve always wanted to experience with your dog.

Drop your answer in the comments! We’d love to hear where everyone hopes to dive next.

WINTER CONDITIONING — DOCK SEASON MAY END, BUT TRAINING DOESN’T HAVE TO!For those of us in the Midwest, winter means the...
09/13/2026

WINTER CONDITIONING — DOCK SEASON MAY END, BUT TRAINING DOESN’T HAVE TO!

For those of us in the Midwest, winter means the pools close and our dogs spend a few months away from the dock. But that doesn’t mean we want them going from full athlete mode to couch potato.

Winter is a great time to work on the things that help build a stronger, more balanced athlete for next season.

Strength & stability — controlled sit-to-stands, backing up, cavalettis, balance work and properly performed conditioning exercises can help maintain core and hind-end strength.

Cardio — walks, hikes, trotting and other low-impact activities help maintain endurance without the repetitive impact of constant jumping.

Body awareness — rear-end awareness, foot placement and controlled movement can make a huge difference in how a dog uses their body when running and launching.

Work the brain, too! — winter is a perfect time to clean up obedience, impulse control, stays, recalls and directional cues that can carry over into your dock work.

And don’t underestimate REST. An off-season is also an opportunity for our dogs’ bodies to recover from months of running, jumping and swimming.

The goal isn’t necessarily to keep them at peak competition condition all winter. It’s to keep them strong, mobile and prepared so when spring rolls around, we’re building back into dock work instead of starting completely from scratch.

What does your dog’s winter conditioning look like? Are you hitting the gym, hiking, doing canine fitness, taking some time off… or a little bit of everything?

HYDRO DASH — HOW DO YOU CUT TIME OFF YOUR RUN? Sometimes getting faster in Hydro Dash isn’t about teaching your dog to s...
09/12/2026

HYDRO DASH — HOW DO YOU CUT TIME OFF YOUR RUN?

Sometimes getting faster in Hydro Dash isn’t about teaching your dog to swim faster — it’s about finding places to shave time off the run they already have.

One of the biggest opportunities? The approach to the bumper and the return.

Teach directions.
A dog that understands left and right can be directed toward the bumper instead of swimming past it, circling around or wasting strokes trying to locate it. A cleaner line to the bumper = less wasted time.

Get more out of the initial jump.
If your dog has the ability to jump for distance, use it! Every extra foot they cover through the air is a foot they don’t have to swim. Building a strong, confident launch toward the Hydro Dash bumper can help get them farther down the pool before they ever start swimming.

Teach the OUT.
The clock doesn’t care how pretty the retrieve is. Once the dog crosses the finish line, teaching them to immediately release the bumper can eliminate those extra seconds spent hanging onto it, playing keep-away or waiting for you to wrestle it out of their mouth.

Hydro Dash can come down to fractions of a second, so little improvements add up: a straighter line, a bigger launch, a cleaner turn and an immediate out.

Sometimes the answer isn’t “How do I make my dog swim faster?”

It’s “Where is my dog wasting time?”

For all of our Hydro Dash people — what have you worked on that made the biggest difference in your dog’s time?

Photo credit- Lucy owned by Kayla Thomas

IT’S FRIDAY! The weekend is finally here, so let’s hear it — what’s everyone getting into this weekend?! 👀Dock diving? T...
09/11/2026

IT’S FRIDAY!

The weekend is finally here, so let’s hear it — what’s everyone getting into this weekend?! 👀

Dock diving?
Training?
Dog show or trial?
Hitting the trails?
Or are you and the dogs taking a well-deserved weekend to do absolutely NOTHING?

Drop your weekend plans below! And if you’re heading somewhere fun with the dogs, tell us where you’re going!

Happy Friday from Cedar Cross Diving Dogs!

Thursday Trivia Air Retrieve- Your dog has already accumulated two total misses at different distances. They successfull...
09/10/2026

Thursday Trivia

Air Retrieve- Your dog has already accumulated two total misses at different distances. They successfully grab the bumper at the next distance. How many attempts do they have at the following distance before their turn ends?

We spend SO much time thinking about conditioning, nutrition, training, warm-ups, cool-downs, and recovery—but what abou...
09/09/2026

We spend SO much time thinking about conditioning, nutrition, training, warm-ups, cool-downs, and recovery—but what about the wear and tear that comes with asking our dogs to be athletes?

Whether your dog is launching off a dock, hitting the wall in Hydro Dash, twisting for an Air Retrieve grab, running agility, doing bite work, or competing in another high-impact sport, their bodies take a beating.

Some sport-dog owners choose to incorporate veterinary chiropractic care into their overall conditioning and recovery routine. The goal isn’t to magically add feet to a jump or replace proper conditioning—it’s to help address mobility and musculoskeletal issues that may develop with athletic activity.

And sometimes the little changes are what get our attention first:

🐾 Shortening stride
🐾 Hesitating where they normally wouldn’t
🐾 Consistently jumping or turning differently
🐾 Reluctance to stretch or move a certain way
🐾 A sudden change in performance without an obvious training reason

One important reminder: a chiropractic adjustment shouldn’t be used to push a dog through pain or an injury. A sudden performance change, lameness, significant pain, or neurological symptoms deserve a veterinary evaluation first. And when choosing someone for chiropractic care, I personally want someone appropriately trained to work with canine athletes.

For our sport dogs, I think the biggest takeaway is simple: pay attention to the dog in front of you. Their performance can sometimes tell us something about how their body is feeling before they can make it any more obvious.

SPORT DOG OWNERS: Do you incorporate chiropractic, massage, rehab, laser, stretching, or other bodywork into your dog’s routine? Have you noticed a difference?

Drop your experiences and chiropractor recommendations below!

09/08/2026

Check out this awesome reel Kayla Thomas created of her dog Lucy from her regionals journey! Love this so much. Let’s show them some love 💕

Address

1770 Stoneridge Lane
Wahoo, NE
68066

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cedar Cross Diving Dogs posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category