2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals

Mark your calendar!  Set that DVR!  The 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals will be televised on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 4:00 ET on NBC.

Watch dogs of all breeds, ages and sizes from around the world compete in Olympic style events like hurdle racing, Frisbee catching.  Be sure to watch for Vhoebe, a Belgian Malinois from San Diego, California.  Vhoebe breaks a world record with a dock-diving leap of 31 feet, 8 inches!

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Final Results

Finally! Here are the winners at the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge finals held October 1, 2011 at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri.

Congratulations!

Small Dog Agilility

1. Roger Coor and Primo, a 5 yr old Papillon,Phoenix, from AZ
2. Donna Nolan and Baxter, a 4 yr old Jack Russell Terrier, from Whitestone, NY
3. Kim Simons and Slyder, an 8 yr old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, from Northridge, CA

Large Dog Agility

1. Jeannine Doepke and Jill, a 2 yr old Border Collie, from Glendale, AZ
2. Diane Allen and Bracken, a 5 yr old Border Collie, from Moab, UT
3. Teresa Rodney and Sprint, a 6 yr old Flat Coated Retriever, from Fountain Valley, CA

Diving Dog - Watch Vhoebe smash the Diving Record

1. Lise Ann Strum and Vhoebe, a 3 yr old Belgian Malinois, from San Diego, CA
2. Ashley Rietfors and Pyro, a 2 yr old Dutch Shepherd, from Santa Cruz, CA
3. Tony Lampert and Baxter, a 2 year old Belgian Malinois, from St Louis, MO

30 Weave Up and Back

1. Debbie Beam and Major, a 5 yr old Parson Russell Terrier, from Durango, CO
2. Amber Abbott and Joker, a 3yr old Border Collie, from Peoria, AZ
3. Jeannine Doepke and Jill, a 2 yr old Border Collie, from Glendale, AZ

Jack Russell Hurdle Racing

1. Bill and Joy Owens and Huntmoor Diamond from Springfield, MO
2. Wayne May and May Day Hitch from Dunnsville, VA
3. Angie Trumbo and Flashin' Bear from Olive Branch, MS

Freestyle Flying Disc - Watch Kouske and Jake's winning performance

1. Kouske Hirai and Jake, a 3 yr old Border Collie, from Gumma, Japan
2. Shunsuke Hirai and Shack, a 4 yr old Border Collie, from Gumma, Japan - Watch their performance here
3. Jonathon Offi and Ruby, a 6 yr old Pit Bull, from Big Sur, CA

Speed and Catch - Watch Karolina and Java demonstrate this new dog event

1. Mark Muir and Rocket, an 8 yr old Border Collie, from Williamson, GA
2. Karolina Nowak and Java, a 3 yr old Australian Shepherd, from Warsaw, Poland
3. Kouske Hirai and Jake, a 3 yr old Border Collie, from Gumma, Japan

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Finals Pole Weaving

Enjoy watching Dinah 30 weave up and back at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge finals on October 1, 2011 at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, MO.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Finals Diving Record Smashed

With a big jump, Vee-Bee, a Belgian Malinois dog soared right into the record books at the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge on Saturday, October 1 at Gray Summit, Missouri.  The jump was 31 feet and 8 inches. 

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Finals Flying Disc Runner Up

More results from the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge national finals held October 1, 2011 at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri.

This video features Freestyle Flying Disc second place winners Shunsuke Shaun Hirai and Shack at they compete this past Saturday.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Finals Flying Disc Winner

Finally, I have some results from the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge to share with you.  Check out this video footage of Kosuke Hirai and Jake, the winners of the Freestyle Flying Disc competition on October 1, 2011 at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Finals

The 14th annual Purina Incredible Dog Challenge national finals will return to Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 30 through October 1, 2011.  If you're planning to attend, Purina Farms is located at 200 Checkerboard Drive - 10 miles west of Six Flags, I44 west of St Louis.

Athletic dogs from around the world will compete in dog diving, freestyle flying disc, weave poles, Jack Russell hurdle racing and agility competitions.  In addition to the events being taped for television, fans call follow the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge action on Twitter throughout the weekend with #incredibledogs.  Fetch Bark Network for livestream coverage during the finals events.

Saturday, October 1 Events Schedule

• 11 am   Agility Course Inspection and Diving Dog Warm-up
• 11:15 am   Agility Forerunners
• 11:25 am   National Anthem
• 11:30 am   Incredible Agility Competition
• 12:30 pm   Incredible Diving Dog Competition
• 1:15 pm   Incredible Speed and Catch Competition
• 1:45 pm   Incredible Jack Russel Hurdle Racing
• 2:30 pm   Incredible 30 Weave Up and Back Competition
• 3:15 pm   Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Competition

Live in the St Louis Missouri area with a diving dog?  An open dog diving qualifier will be held for all dogs who want to dive for distance into a 19,000 gallon pool of water.  Top qualifiers win the chance to compete on Saturday, October 1.  Registration for the Open Dog Diving qualifier is at 9:30 am on Friday, September 30 with qualifying beginning at 13:30 am.  Click here to download a Qualifying Information Sheet.

Incredible Dog Challenge 2011: Surf Dog Ricochet Wins Second Place

Surf dog Ricochet came in second place in the large dog heat of the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge surf contest on June 10 in California.


Ricochet is the only known dog in the world who surfs with disabled surfers and special needs kids for therapeutic purposes.  This Golden Retriever has raised almost $90,000 in the past 18 months which, along with a sponsoring Rose Foundation grant, goes towards physical therapy for spinal cord injured, Patrick Ivison.  Ricochet's SURFice dog initiatives are part of Puppy Prodigies, a non profit organization that focuses on early puppy develpment and service dog training for people with disabilities.  


Watch Ricochet compete:

Incredible Dog Challenge 2011: Watch San Diego Finals Live June 11

Tune into Barknetwork.com on Saturday, June 11, 2 - 7 pm EST to watch incredible dogs compete in Dog Diving, Freestyle Flying Disk, Hurdles and Surfing.  It's live coverage of the San Diego venue of the Purina  Incredible Dog Challenge!

This is the Western Regional and will be staged at the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, CA.  There will be an open qualifying session on Friday, June 10.  Competitors are invited to try out for Incredible Diving Dog and / or Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc.  You can download a schedule at Bark Network.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Atlanta 2011 in 3D

Wow.  Check out this 3D video of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Eastern Regional competition in Atlanta this year.  Truthfully, I don't own a pair of 3D glass, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this overview of events.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge 2011 Dates

We can't seem to get enough of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge and we've been on the lookout for 2011 event dates.  Information is scarce, but we've managed to find the following:

• Incredible Dog Challenge in San Diego, CA will be on June 10 and 11
• Incredible Dog Challenge in St Louis, MO will be on September 30 and October 1

The Incredible Dog Challenge National Championships will be held Sept 30 and October 1 at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, MO.

As soon as we have more information, we'll post it here at Talking Dogs.

Largest Midwest Dog Festival: Bark in the Park May 21, 2011

Bark in the Park

When:  Saturday, May 21, 2011    10 am to 3 pm - Walk starts at 11 am

Where:  Cricket Field in Forest Park  (St Louis, Missouri area)

Registration fee:  adults $25; youth $5; children under 3 are free 
More info: 314-951-1567

Grab a leash and lace up your sneakers because you don't want to miss the largest dog festival in the Midwest.  the annual dog walk and country fair is fun for the whole family.  Activities for adults, kids and dogs, too.  Have some fun whole helping homeless animals at the Humane Society of Missouri. Registration includes the dog walk, country fair festival and an Official Bark in the Park 2011 T-shirt.

Activities include:  bounce houses and inflatable mazes; interactive games and crafts;  tips, tricks and agility games for your dog;  Longmeadow Rescue Ranch animals; performances by the Purina Incredible Dog Team;  performance by the Cadence Drum Troupe;  face painting and balloon animals;  shopping at the Missouri Vendors Tent;  silent auction;  great food and treats;  dog and cat adoptions.


Schedule of Events:

• 10:15 am - Purina Incredible Dog Team Performance
• 10:35 am - Cadence Drum Troupe Performance
• 11:00 am - A Walk for Animals Kick-off
• 12:15 pm - Purina Incredible Dog Team Performance
• 1:00 pm - Silent Auction Closes
• 1:15 pm - Deadline to register for Pet Contests
• 1:30 pm - Pet Contest
• 2:15 pm - Purina Incredible Dog Team Performance

Want to bring your dog along?  Great!  However, no retractable leashes!


All proceeds from Bark in the Park go to the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty fund, dedicated to investigating, healing and preventing animal abuse.


For more information visit the Humane Society of Missouri on the web , call them at 314-951-1567 or email Bark in the Park.

Border Collie and Large Dog Agility at Purina Incredible Dog Challenge

Okay, if you read Talking Dogs blog, you already know that we're crazy about Border Collies and the Incredible Dog Challenge.  Here's a great competition video.  Watch Arie, a Border Collie, in her winning run at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in large dog agility.

Greyhound Competing 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in Atlanta

I am hooked on the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.  I never seem to be able to pick my favorite event;  it seems to be whichever one I'm watching at the moment.  Yesterday the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge kicked off in Atlanta, GA.  I couldn't be there, but I did manage to find this video gem.

This is Riley, a four year old Greyhound dog competing yesterday (April 2, 2011) in Atlanta.  This is the Weave Pole Challenge:  30 weave poles down, turn around in a tunnel, and 30 weave poles back.  Riley was a very good sport about having to do 180 weave poles in about 10 minutes.  They usually don't do that many in a week.  Riley won this brace.

2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Kicks Off Today in Atlanta GA

Photo: Bark Network

The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge kicks off today with some all-American baseball in Atlanta, Georgia.

Friday, April 1, 9 AM - Open Qualifier Registration

Saturday, April 2 - 11:30 AM to 4 PM - Purina Incredible Dog Challenge

Centennial Olympic Park

265 Park Avenue West NW,  Atlanta, GA

Follow the action on Twitter throughout the weekend with #incredibledogs

Some of the most talented dogs from around the country will make their way to famed Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta to participate in the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.  This premier canine sporting event features dogs competing in a variety of Olympic style events including dog diving, freestyle flying disc, head-to-head weave poles, Jack Russell hurdle racing and agility.

Dogs will celebrate the start of the 2011 baseball season with an inaugural baseball game against local tee ball players this morning.

Local dogs have the opportunity to qualify to participate in two events:  dog diving and freestyle flying disc.  Top qualifiers win the chance to demonstrate their skills in Saturday's April 2 competition with the possibility of qualifying for the National Championship in St Louis in October.

Schedule:

 Friday, April 1
 9:00 AM         Qualifying Sign-Up and Registration
 9:00 AM         Purina Incredible Baseball Game Location
10:00 AM        Incredible Diving Dog Qualifying
10:30 AM        Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Qualifying
 1:00 PM         Incredible Agility Practice
 1:45 PM         Incredible Diving Dog Practice
 2:30 PM         Incredible 30-Weave Up-and-Back Practice
 3:15 PM         Incredible Jack Russell Hurdle Racing Practice
 3:45 PM         Incredible Fetch-it Practice Dog Diving
 4:15 PM         Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Practice


Saturday, April 2
11:00 AM        Agility Course Inspection
11:15 AM        Agility Forerunners
11:25 AM        National Anthem
11:30 AM        Incredible Agility Competition - Large & Small
12:30 PM        Incredible Diving Dog Competition
 1:15 PM         Incredible Jack Russell Hurdle Racing
 2:00 PM         Incredible Fetch it
 2:30 PM         Incredible 30-Weave Up-and-Back Competition
 3:15 PM         Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc

2011 marks the 14th year of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, which continues to demonstrate Purina's commitment to and passion for pets.  The even has become a national sensation known for attracting world-class canine athletes in a multi-city tour that culminates each year with the nationally televised championships.  For more information on the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge visit Bark Network.

Soaring Border Collie: Freestyle Flying Disc Purina Incredible Dog Challenge

We all have spring fever at For Love of a Dog.  The past few days have found us outside playing jolly ball and frisbe.  Well, Lucy and Tucker are mostly appreciate spectators.  However, Jeffie is trying hard to teach puppy Rudy how its all done.  If any of us needed some inspiration this video from the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge would do the trick.

This gorgeous Border Collie dog, Sienna, competes in the Freestyle Flying Disc competitions with her partner, Preston Dean.  This young Floridian trained his dog in the sport and they are now nationally ranked champions.  This is a terrific interview with Preston, interlaced with absolutely awesome video footage of he and his dog competing.

None of us will ever be this good...  but its good to have a goal, right?!

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals on TV January 15

Forget the NFL playoffs and watch some really hairy atheletes strut their stuff.  The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals will be shown on January 15, 2011.  Tune in to NBC from 3pm to 4:30 pm ET.  Grab a dog and enjoy events like Dog Diving, Freestyle Flying Disc, 30-Weave Pole race and more.

Here's preview to get your tail wagging.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in St Petersburg FL

The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge is coming to St. Petersburg, Florida on April 16-17, down at Spa Beach Park. With a variety of canine competitions on the waterfront, it’s an exciting local event for residents and visitors alike! Another cool reason to attend is that the 35th Annual Mainsail Arts Festival is also a part of the excitement in the park, kicking off on Saturday, April 17.

Dogs, owners and pet enthusiasts will journey to Spa Beach Park in St. Petersburg to compete in and watch the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge. This one-of-a-kind canine competition showcases the world’s most athletic dogs and their trainers. Events include agility, flying disc, Jack Russell hurdle races, head-to-head 60-weave pole and the crowd favorite, dog diving.

All events are free and open to the public. For more info visit www.purina.com.

Event Schedule Friday, April 16
9:00 AM Swim Race Registration
9:30 AM Swim Race Exhibition
10:00 AM Competitor Registration & Head Shots
11:00 PM Competitor Meeting and Lunch
12:00 PM Incredible Agility Practice
12:45 PM Incredible Diving Dog Practice
1:15 PM Incredible Jack Russell Hurdle Racing Practice
2:00 PM Incredible 30-Weave Pole Practice
2:00 PM Qualifying Sign-Up and Registration
2:45 PM Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Practice
3:15 PM Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc Qualifying
3:30 PM Incredible Diving Dog Qualifying

Event Schedule Saturday, April 17
11:00 AM Agility Course Inspection
11:20 AM Agility Forerunners
11:25 AM National Anthem
11:30 AM Incredible Agility - Large & Small
12:30 PM Incredible Diving Dog Competition
1:15 PM Incredible Jack Russell Hurdle Racing
2:00 PM Incredible Head-to-Head 30-Weave Pole Racing
2:45 PM Incredible Freestyle Flying Disc