Oceanside CA – Rex a seven year old Belgian Malinois and his handler, Lianne Shinton, have tied a World Record with their recent ‘Incredible Fetch It’ jump of 23 feet at the 2014 Purina Incredible Dog Regional Championship held in Huntington Beach, California on May 31st, 2014. In addition, Rex finished off the competition by winning the Western Regional Championship.
“We have been training for Fetch it for about a month prior to the competition.” said Lianne “There is a dock diving pool here in Oceanside which we rent to exercise and train Rex, usually once a week.” Rex is the first dog Lianne has trained and competed with in Fetch It. “He is a very athletic guy and has a lot of drive, so the sport was a perfect fit for him.”
In ‘Incredible Fetch It’, dogs take a running leap off a 40-foot dock into a 27,000-gallon pool of water to try and retrieve a bumper which is suspended 4 feet above the water, starting at a minimum distance of 16 feet out from the edge of the dock. The dog must fetch or dislodge the bumper within two tries in order to move on to the next distance. The bumper is moved out at 1 foot increments and the dog that knocks the bumper off at the furthest distance wins. The competition streamed live on the internet and shows will air on television throughout July and August.In addition to tying the World Record and earning the title ‘Incredible Fetch It’ Western Regional Champion, Rex qualified for the Incredible Dog National Championships in St. Louis in September, which will also be televised as well.
This Western Regional Championship event brings in the BEST canine athletic teams across the West Coast to put their heart and soul into competing and show off their dogs’ amazing gifts of talent, timing and athletic prowess. There were 5 dogs competing Saturday May 31st, from across the West Coast in the ‘Incredible Fetch It’ competition. Rex won the competition with a grab of 21 feet, earning him the title Purina Incredible Dog Western Regional Champion. With the win in hand, Shinton and Rex were allowed their victory jump and they achieved a grab of 22 feet. Encouraged by the crowd to continue on, Rex attempted 23 feet with a successful grab, earning him the World Record. Rex did make an attempt at 24 feet and knocked the bumper, but it did not dislodge.
“The sport is a blast for the dogs and very entertaining for the crowd,” said Shinton. “Rex grabbed the bumper at 23 feet in the finals, he really surprised me. It was great competing in a new spot for Rex and I. The other competitors were tremendous and they gave Rex a workout.”
In addition to tying the World Record and earning the title ‘Incredible Fetch It’ Western Regional Champion, Rex qualified for the National Championships in St. Louis in September, which will also be televised. “Rex loves to jump and he is such a water loving, athletic dog. We are hoping he will do well going into the National Championships and possibly have another attempt at 24 feet.”
About IQ K9
IQ K9 Training is a mobile dog training company located in Oceanside, California. Their goal is to educate dog owner’s about the science of dog training and communication. IQ K9 Training provides pet owners with the knowledge and confidence to maintain a well behaved, healthy and balanced dog, while shaping their dog into a respected animal that is a joy to be around. For more information, call (619) 777-6330 or visit www.IQK9Training.com.