They are in training.

Millie and Stover compete in North America Diving Dogs.

Millie is one of the top-ranked distance-jumping dogs in the senior division and she is flying up the chart in Hydro Dash. She is tied for first among the dogs in the senior division in distance jumping.

The division includes dogs whose top 10 jumps average out to anything from 15 feet to 19-feet, 11-inches.

Millie launches herself after a toy thrown by Walt Stover during a North America Diving Dogs event.

Millie’s average is 19-feet, 11-inches.

In that event, she has been invited to compete in the National competition in Springfield, Mo., in October.

Convincing Millie to launch herself into water isn’t hard.

“If the dog is very toy motivated, it really helps,” Stover said. “She would chase a tennis ball anywhere. She’s absolutely crazy about them.”

And, “being a Lab, water’s not a problem,” he said. “She’s pretty much fearless on the dock.”

He recognized Millie’s talent early. “We got started when I realized how good she could jump when I was training her for duck hunting.”

They have some work left to do — in Iowa in August — to participate in the Hydro Dash at Nationals.

In that event, the dog starts at a point near the dock, jumps and swims out to a target 35 feet into the pool, and returns.

“She’s ranked 14th in the nation,” Stover said.

The top 10 get automatic invites.

“We won a qualifying event to attend a regional,” Stover said. “At the regional, we’re trying to get a national invite.”

While Millie isn’t competing against the best of the best, she is in the most hotly contested bracket.

“Millie’s in the Senior Division, which is by far the most dogs,” Stover said.

The divisions run from Novice through Junior, Senior, Master, and Elite, to Super Elite.

In distance jumping, the senior division is the right one for Millie if she and Stover want to experience some wins.

“If her average becomes 20 feet” Millie moves to the Master division. That group goes up through 23-feet, 11-inches. “Unless I shoot her out of a cannon, she’s not going to jump 23 feet,” he said. The World Record is 36-feet, 2-inches.

“With Hydro Dash, it’s 16 to 17.999 seconds,” Millie is right at the bottom end – an average of 16.158 seconds – and getting faster. The record in that event is 11.972 seconds.

She has an edge.

Stover has been able to train her not to do what comes naturally.

“We’ve shaved off two seconds of her time,” he said. “Millie is the only dog in the country that leaves the toy behind.”

The rules only require that the toy is pulled down from where it is initially affixed, not that it is brought back.

“When she turns and sees me, she lets it go, and beelines it back to me,” Stover said. Not having a retrieval toy in her mouth allows her to swim faster.

Her skill at Hydro Dash encouraged Stover to drop her out of the Air Retrieve event.

The events are unlimited.

Stover said he has seen Pomeranians and great Danes jumping.

“I’ve watched a 180-pound St. Bernard jump,” he said. “It’s awesome.”

As Stover’s experience in the sport grows, so does his involvement.

He is now a trainer and a judge.

“I’m not the type of person to just sit back,” he said. “I get involved. If I’m going to be there for three days, I just can’t sit in a lawn chair. I want to be right up there watching how the dog goes in the water.”

“I’m on staff at Rustic Lodge Diving Dogs in Mount Pleasant,” he said. “I pretty much go down every weekend. I help train other dogs there. I’m able to put Millie on the docks there when I’m done training.”

There aren’t fancy dock facilities in Tidioute, but there are training facilities.

“We walk five to six miles every single night in Tidioute,” he said. “This time of year, I walk the bike trail south of Tidioute. We hit the trail every night. It’s convenient.”

“All I’m doing is keeping her in shape … and me too,” he said. “I do every mile with her.”

He stays close, but she’s on her own in the water. “After that, I’ll let her swim, retrieving, 15 to 20 minutes.”

For those who would like to experience the sport for themselves, there is an upcoming event in Canfield, Ohio, Aug. 5 through 8.

And, anyone can schedule time — with or without a trainer — at Rustic Lodge or any of a number of training facilities in the region, by visiting online and making an appointment.