The "Dog Days of Summer" were in full swing at the Bass Pro Shops at Patriot Place this past Saturday as dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes took part in the Regional Competitions of Big Air, Speed Retrieve and Extreme Vertical Canine Aquatics.

"Wilson," "Fenway," and "Addie" were just some of the dogs that enjoyed jumping into the pool, while "Teagan" and "Nova" put on the brakes at the edge of the dock rather than jump in to retrieve their floaty toy. 

All dogs were welcome to participate. Some were seasoned veterans while others were first-timers, but the spectators enjoyed watching each and every one of them.

Many dogs were able to compete in the Big Air with jumps ranging from two to over 20 feet. But fewer dogs competed in the Extreme Vertical (EV) competition. The stand-out dog for this event was "Yeager."

He is a Belgian Malinois, was found on Craigslist, and is the current 8-foot, 3-inch World Record Holder of Extreme Vertical. He and his owner/trainer/handler, Dave Skoletsky of Stoughton were at the event to compete and put on quite a show.

Last November, Skoletsky and 3-year old Yeager were featured on WCVB Chronicle to raise awareness about Yeager and his DockDog accomplishments, but also to raise awareness about Down syndrome. Skoletsky's seven-year-old daughter, Eve, has Down Syndrome, which is why he created www.GoTeam21.org. 

Through this organization he raises awareness and funds for the Down syndrome program at Children's Hospital Boston. Their slogan is "Jumping Up For Down Syndrome."

The competitions continued throughout the day on Sunday, with cash prizes for final winners and ribbons for all participants. 

Yeager and Skoletsky will compete next on Aug. 11 and 12 at Mansfield Crossing. 

For more information about these events and organizations log onto:  www.dockdogs.com, www.goteam21.org,  www.hudsonvalleydockdogs.com.