Anyone who has seen Scott Whitely’s dog Finley soar forward more than 27 feet in pursuit of a toy thrown by his owner is a believer.

The Rhodesian ridgeback mix, adopted from the Annapolis SPCA, first displayed his unusual talent at the family’s dock on the Severn River. The length of his leaps was so amazing that Whitely Googled “dogs jumping off docks” and found the Dock Dogs website. He and Finley have been competing ever since.

I become a fan of the phenomenon called Dock Dogs while attending the Waterfowl Festival in Easton. The canine competition is a popular feature of an annual celebration that draws thousands to Talbot County.

Among this year’s 160 entrants from around the region are Paul and Joan Gunby of Salisbury, who travel in an RV with Rain (a 2-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever) and Georgie (a 6-month-old chocolate Lab). In the past year, the Gunbys have traveled 10,000 miles to Dock Dog events nationwide. A semi-retired financial advisor, Paul serves as treasurer of Delmarva Dock Dogs, one of 20 local affiliates of the national organization and the sponsor of the Easton event.

It’s chilly and windy today, which doesn’t lower the fun factor or the quirky conviviality of the occasion. Think country music on the loudspeaker, barbecue grills, and dogs roaming the field while awaiting their turn to climb up to an Astroturf-covered platform jutting over an above-ground pool.

Emcee Art Emory announces each dog and its handler as they enter the staging area. When owners hurl their dogs’ toys into the water, most of the pooches go airborne, retrieving the toys while judges record their time in events labeled “extreme vertical,” “speed retrieve,” and “big air.” The crowd does its best to encourage the novice dogs, some of which refuse to jump.

Dock Dog events are family affairs—anyone over 8 years old can compete, as can all types of dogs. A pint-sized Pomeranian is the sentimental favorite of the event I attend, but big dogs rule the day. Rain ties for first place overall with Bella, a yellow Lab.

The fact that Finley has an off day (leaping just over 21 feet) doesn’t dampen Scott Whitely’s enthusiasm for the sport. “It’s all about having fun with your dog and meeting great people,” he says. “And, at the end of the day, everybody goes home with the greatest dog in the world.”

The 2009 Dock Dogs competition takes place during the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Nov. 13-15 (shuttle buses run regularly from downtown Easton to the competition). Register your dog on site or online at www.delmarvadockdogs.com. There is a $20 entry fee to compete.