Diving dog from Vancouver Island wows at North American championships

Hawkeye, a five-year-old lurcher from Nanaimo, B.C., has launched his way to a second-place finish in the elite division at the North American Diving Dogs championships.

"We are super proud of him," says Kim Lepoidevin, Hawkeye’s owner and handler.

"He seemed to in his element. He loves the crowd, he loves the cheering,” says Kim Sirett, owner of the Pooch Pool School near Nanaimo, where Hawkeye trains.

Held at an indoor facility in Missouri, Hawkeye’s best distance of 27 feet and 9 inches during the competition impressed onlookers.

"It was a hoot to see the crowd kind of get pretty wowed over this kind of new kid on the block," said Sirett. "[I'm] very proud of him that we have a Vancouver Island dog that’s second place in all of North America."

The elite division is one division below the top dogs of the premiere division who leap farther than 30 feet.

For overall distance, Hawkeye finished just out of the top 10 among nearly 1,300 competing canines.

Lepoidevin and Sirett’s goal now is to get Hawkeye jumping 30 feet, which is only 6 inches off his personal best.

Sirett’s golden retriever Gracie also competed in the championships and finished in the middle of the pack in her division of 110 dogs.

Gracie, the golden retriever, from Nanaimo, B.C. (Kim Sirett)