Washington, DC’s waterfront will go to the dogs next month when Chesapeake DockDogs hosts “Pier Pressure at the Wharf,” the city’s first-ever nationally sanctioned DockDogs competition, on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at District Pier, according to The Wharf DC.
The free event, held at 101 District Square SW, invites spectators to watch canine athletes leap, sprint and grab their way across three disciplines in pursuit of the coveted “Iron Dog” title. Admission is free for the public, though competitors must pre-register online, The Wharf DC said. There is no onsite registration.
According to DockDog, dogs will compete in Big Air, where jumpers can soar as far as 27 feet; Speed Retrieve, which challenges dogs to race the length of a 40-foot pool in under six seconds; and Extreme Vertical, in which dogs leap to grab a toy suspended eight feet above the dock. The Extreme Vertical world record stands at 9 feet, 2 inches.
The day opens with a 9 a.m. practice session, followed by Speed Retrieve at 10:30 a.m., Big Air waves at 1 and 2 p.m., and Extreme Vertical at 3:30 p.m., per the posted event schedule. An awards ceremony wraps the day at 6 p.m., where winners will take the podium for ribbons, medals and prizes.
Competitors can pre-register at dockdogs.com, with registration fees set at $39 per adult team per discipline. Handlers may enter multiple events, including the Iron Dog category that combines scores across disciplines. No onsite registration will be allowed.
