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Shoreview Labrador jumping to new heights

Jim Gehrz, Star Tribune

Kristina Schaffhausen, with her yellow Labrador, Zeke, is one of the top dog handlers in the world of dock jumping. She says the competitions are pure fun.

Move over, Air Jordan. Zeke and his 11-year-old handler, Kristina Schaffhausen, from Shoreview are jumping to new heights.

By ALLIE SHAH, Star Tribune

Last update: October 13, 2009 - 5:38 PM

On a hot summer day, the Schaffhausen family took their new dog to the lake for a swim.

Out on the dock, Mark Schaffhausen whipped a tennis ball into the open water and waited.

The yellow Labrador took a running leap off the end of the dock, soaring some 20 feet through the air. That day, the Schaffhausens knew they had something special in Zeke.

Mark Schaffhausen soon discovered Dock Dogs, an organization that holds contests for dogs jumping off docks, and entered Zeke in one.

Now, Zeke and 11-year-old Kristina Schaffhausen -- who has taken over handling duties from her dad -- have distinguished themselves in the small, but growing world of competitive dock jumping.

Kristina, of Shoreview, is ranked third in the country in the 15-and-under division and she's ranked 23rd in the world among handlers of all ages in the "Iron Dog" category, based on overall performance.

She and Zeke will be in Ohio this month to compete at the national dock-jumping contest, where the top dog takes home a cash prize.

For Kristina, who likes to run alongside Zeke on the dock just before he jumps, the competitions are pure fun.

"I want to do it for a long time -- until my dad says I have to stop," she said. "I like to hang out with the dog."

There are three events in a Dock Dogs contest. Here's how they work:

• Big Air, the first one, is the equivalent of a long-jump contest. The handler throws out a tennis ball or other toy and the dog goes after it, jumping off the dock. Longest jump wins.

• Extreme Vertical is like a high jump for dogs. A bumper is placed at the top of a vertical rod in the water, just off the dock. The dog must jump vertically to retrieve it.

The bar gets higher until the dog can't reach the toy. Highest jump wins.

• The last event is Speed and Retrieve, For this one, the dogs are timed as they leave the dock in pursuit of a duck decoy, placed far from the dock, and bring it back. Fastest time wins.

The Iron Dog title goes to the canine with the best combined score from all three events.

Zeke's best event is extreme vertical, Kristina says, and it's also her favorite one. "Zeke's personal best on that is 6 feet, 10 [inches]," she said. "We like to try to beat our record."

At the national contest, she and Zeke are hoping to reach 7 feet.

Currently, the highest jump recorded at a Dock Dogs contest is 7 feet, 10 inches. And the longest jump in the Big Air event is 28 feet, 10 inches.

From Hastings to Bemidji to Ely and Chicago and Milwaukee, Kristina and her dog have traveled all over the region for contests. They even have a sponsor -- former actor Dick Van Patten, who now owns a pet food company called Natural Balance.

Zeke is 4 years old and has been with the Schaffhausens for three years now. They got him from a friend.

When he's not leaping off docks, he's usually playing tug of war with Kristina or trailing her as she rides her bike.

His talents -- outside of his jumping ability -- are pretty ordinary. He can sit. He can stay. Well, sometimes.

And while rolling over, playing dead and shaking hands aren't in his repertoire, Kristina says he does shake something awful when he wants to dry off after a jump.

Allie Shah • 612-673-4488

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