TDBCR rescue dog Joey moved to Australia with her adopted mum a couple of years ago. Big changes for a shy little rescue that was pulled out of a kill shelter in Washington State! But it was a good thing, because it was proof positive that it is in fact possible to move house, across the country and even across the WORLD with your dog. Millions of dogs in shelters didn’t believe that, because their owners said “Oh we’re moving, guess we can’t keep you anymore.”

Kelly Ramirez decided to put that myth out to pasture when she moved to Australia with Joey, and then to really drive the point home, she turned around and made Joey FAMOUS!

From the Hornby and Upper North Shore Advocate:

How much is that doggy in mid-air?

MEET Hornsby’s newest national champion – Joey the jumping dog. And she could be about to take the world by storm.

The high-flying pooch has been raising eyebrows and dropping jaws since her owner, Kelly Ramirez, of Hornsby, entered her into a competition called “dock diving’’ just for a few laughs. Picture gallery of Joey in action, HERE

Dock diving is a popular event in the US and is spreading its tentacles to other countries, including Australia.

It involves dogs running along a flat platform, then launching themselves off a ramp and into a long pool of water.

It is like long jump for dogs and, incredibly, the best dogs in the world leap about 7m (although the sport is judged in feet, because of its US creators). Dock-diving picture gallery from around the world, HERE

Joey already sails that far – and she has only contested one event.

“Her results were totally unexpected,’’ a stunned Ms Ramirez told the Advocate.

“People said to me, `oh, you must have done this before’, but I was just as surprised as them.

“There were US judges there who sat up when she jumped.’’

Adding to the story is the fact Joey, a kelpie-cross-cattle, was rescued from a US animal shelter. Ms Ramirez picked her up two years ago, when “she was a complete mess’’.

“It is nice to think that Joey could go from death row to being a world champion,’’ she said.

Joey’s sole competitive performance was at a small event at Homebush Bay in July. Her 19-foot leap gave her the Australian title. She has since jumped 20 feet.

If Joey continues her form into the World Dog Games at Homebush Bay later this month, Hornsby could have itself the world’s longest-leaping dog.

Dock diving will be a demonstration sport at the Games, in the hope it takes off here. For a video preview of the World Dog Games click HERE

Ms Ramirez said the sport was tailor made for Australians.

“This is a sport with a huge following in the US, with prizemoney, professional training and plenty of attention,’’ Ms Ramirez said.

“I think its perfect for Australian conditions there is potential for it to really take off.’’

Joey’s fitness level was “frightening’’, Ms Ramirez said.

“She’s all muscle. She gets trained every day because, when you have a dog like this a dog that’s built to work you have to exercise them a lot. It’s the key to a happy dog,’’ she said.

The Games start on October 31.

* More dock-diving videos can be found by clicking (or cut-pasting) the following links – these videos are not Advocate creations:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-527_KG5iQQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Jw3DqrbEI

Congratulations Kelly and Joey!