Dock diving craze takes off in Australia, with Dockdogs Nationals at Gold Coast Pet Expo

A PET craze taking off in Australia has got plucky pooches taking the plunge.

DOZENS of dock-diving dogs have made a giant splash at Australia's biggest-ever pet expo on the Gold Coast.

The expo has events ranging from obstacle courses to pet manicures, but the real stars of the show are the dogs competing in the first-ever Dock Diving Nationals.

Dock diving, treibball come to expo

Some can leap the equivalent of tall buildings with a single bound.

Others slink home with their tail between their legs after spectacular failures.

Coast Pet Expo

The sport, which started in the 1990s, is huge in the US, but has only just taken off in Australia.

The rules are simple. Dogs have 90 seconds to chase a non-edible lure from a diving platform in to a specially-built pool. The longest jump wins.

Dock Dogs Australia CEO David Graham said the reason the lure can't be edible is simple.

"A guy turned up at an event in the US with a raccoon in a cage and said that was the only thing his dog would chase in to the water," he said.

Forget dog paddle, they'll take a dive

"We had to change the rules pretty much on the spot."

Dogs have 90 seconds to jump into the pool, but they can't be coaxed or pushed.

Competition judge Russ Ryder said it was all about animals having fun.

"They're like us in a lot of ways," he said.

Dogs including "Winston" compete in the Dockdogs Nationals at the Gold Coast Pet Expo at Varsity Lakes. Pic: Adam Head

"They could be having fun doing this or they could be sitting home on the couch all day."

The finals will be held today.

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Dogs including "Jasper" compete in the Dockdogs Nationals at the Gold Coast Pet Expo at Varsity Lakes. Pic: Adam Head