By Greg Ellison

(Nov. 4, 2021) Bishopville resident Teresa Hastings and her high-flying 3-year-old German shepherd Halo captured top honors at the Dockdogs National Championship held from Oct. 12-17 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Hastings said Halo took first place in the extreme vertical jump category, along with finishing fifth in the “Big Air,” or long jump.

In 2007, Hastings joined the Delmarva Dockdogs club, and since then has attended a number of world championships.

“It’s so much fun,” she said. “Obviously, you have to love dogs.”

Also making the trek to Iowa as part of Hasting’s “Team Angel Wings,” was 8-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, Linen.

“I have four dogs, two of which did compete,” she said. “One of my dogs is retired [from] jumping and the other one hates water.”

Dockdog contests are held for three categories; big air, extreme vertical and speed.

Halo’s victory carried extra significance based on her breed.

“There are not a ton of German shepherds competing,” she said. “You’ll see more Labradors and Belgian Malinois.”

The dockdog competition was fierce, with canines from the U.S. and Canada converging to seek glory in Iowa.

“There were 700 dogs competing,” she said. “There are four pools active at the same time.”

Although not a top finisher this year, Hastings said Linen made another return visit to the national gathering.

“This was Linen’s third national competition,” she said. “She competed in a category called ‘Veteran Dogs.’”

In addition to “Veteran Dogs,” canines from 9-10 years of age are classified as “Legend Dogs,” with older ages falling into the “Hero,” category.

“We had a Hero Dog walk and there must have been a good 15-20 dogs,” she said.

Dockdogs earn a spot at the invitation-only event through qualifying competitions held throughout the year.

“Halo went … with an invitation to all three disciplines, which in itself is really incredible.”

After embarking on the dog jumping pursuit years ago, Hastings quickly adapted her home pool to serve as a proving ground.

“We have an indoor pool and took the diving board out to build a dock,” she said. “I can practice all three disciplines.”

Hastings’ most recent athletically inclined dog, Halo, has proven a quick study.

“She’s a good dog to work with, not to mention she’s beautiful and friendly,” she said.

By contrast to Halo’s first nationals, Linen’s return visit was a somewhat different experience, Hastings said.

“She’s active but for the first time in her life I noticed she’s starting to slow down a little bit,” she said. “It’s bittersweet.”

Regardless of diminishing energy levels, Hastings said Linen’s jumping technique remains a sight to behold.

“When Linen hits the water it’s bizarre, because she hits it a little flat,” she said. “There’s such a splash of liquid of each side of her that it looks like angel wings stretching out.”

The Iowa meet coincided with another Delmarva Dockdogs competition held in Rehoboth Beach, which Hastings husband, John, attended in her absence.

“We were sending pictures back and forth the whole time,” she said. ‘My husband was selling T-shirts for the club.”

After the couple shuttered both of their long-running businesses, Paco’s Paradise and the Krugerand in the Village of Fenwick, roughly five years ago, Hastings now has more time to devote to dog jumping.

“I’m doing a lot more traveling,” she said. “Way more than I used to.”

In fact, Hastings has already begun plotting the next dog adventure.

“We’re already planning next year,” she said.

Regardless of rivalries, Hastings said Delmarva Dockdogs members share a special bond.

“Our slogan this year is we are not a club, we are family,” she said. “You spend so much time with these people that you’re happy to see others winning.”