Canines get air time at Okanagan’s first dog diving dock

Dogs are flying into the air off a new dock and making big splashes at the first dog dock diving facility in the Okanagan.

Called Hydrohoundz, the dock and pool are the newest additions to the dog training and boarding facility in Armstrong called The Canine Hub, owned by Florence and Kyle Hubicka.  

“The whole idea is to build a community and give a safe space for people to take on challenges with their dogs with a sense of support in a group setting,” Florence said. “It’s a fun thing to do where you can get competitive or just have fun.”

In the sport of dog dock diving, canines compete in categories that include long distance jumping and long distance jumping with a toy catch, with each category coming with specific rules.

At the inaugural opening of the facility last week, groups of dogs went through introductory workshops for the sport with some dogs taking part in competitive trials toward the end.

“It’s a super fun atmosphere, there were announcements and music and vendors,” Kyle said. “A whole community came together and that was quite the high. We’ve met so many new people… it has been really amazing.”

It took four months for Kyle to build the dock to the speculations of the K9Wave Association, a North American organization that oversees dock diving competitions. The dock has to be a minimum of 40 feet long and 8 feet wide, and between 22 and 26 inches above the water.

He relied on his skills as a red seal mechanic and carpenter.

“It was definitely one of the more exciting projects I’ve ever done, I loved it,” he said. “I’m pretty proud, it’s been a pleasure to see people are finally able to enjoy it.”

But the dock isn’t only training grounds for competitions, it is for all dogs of all breeds and experience levels to enjoy while bonding with their owners.

“Being in the Okanagan we’re surrounded by lakes so we a lot of dogs that love the beach and jumping off boats in the summer, so this is right up their alley,” Florence said. “For a lot of dogs, even the confident swimmers, it’s a context change as the pool is very different than a lake and we have a lot of different equipment.”

Dogs are first trained to use a ramp to exit the pool, then confidently swim after toys. They then go to a baby dock, or training platform, which is a foot above the water.

“This is almost always a challenge for new dogs because they don’t naturally have good depth perception so that foot can be a huge mental barrier,” Florence said. “It’s about getting a dog to take that one brave jump and discover they can go forward and succeed at something new.”

A big goal for the couple is to provide a safe place for reactive dogs to play and exercise.

“We have people with reactive dogs where their world becomes quite small because their dog doesn’t like other people or dogs,” Florence said. “We’re hoping to make safe place for owners and dogs to enjoy life rather than being frowned upon.

“Sport is a way to help the more intense breeds with characteristics that are not set up for most places get their confidence up and succeed. It’s great to see these dogs and their handlers flourish, have a good time and get support from others.”

Florence started The Canine Hub in 2022 after the pair moved from Victoria to Armstrong to a large, private property with fields, trees and a creek. Kyle soon joined the venture and the couple has been building up the business since.

Florence has more than a decade of working with dogs in various roles and became a trainer after shadowing professional trainers and attending numerous training seminars. She trains and competes with her own dogs in disc, agility, herding, racing, dock diving and scent work.

She aims to help people create lifelong healthy and happy relationships with their dogs by embracing dogs’ natural instincts.

Go here to find private training, boarding and dog adventure hikes through The Canine Hub.

Go here to see all upcoming events at Hydrohoundz.