Meet Spitfire: The Michael Jordan Of Dogs

Last updated on March 20th, 2023 at 05:37 am

Reading Time: 5 minutes

What Did Michael Jordan Do To The Dog?

This question is being asked across the internet and we can’t answer it, but BarkMind likes to feature cool pets.

Michael Jordan, an NBA great and legend, has left a legacy that extends far beyond the sport of basketball. Because of the high regard with which he is held, people have begun referring to other influential figures in their respective industries as “the Michael Jordan of.” In the year 2020, a Hound earned the nickname “The Michael Jordan of Dogs.” Here is his story.

The Michael Jordan of Dogs

There is a whippet in the neighborhood that is five years old and goes by the pseudonym “Spitfire.” He is the center of a lot of attention right now. Spitty, as he is lovingly known, is not the pompous type of dog who stands rigid on a block during a kennel club contests while the judges evaluate the angle of his stifle. Instead, Spitty is a dog who is full of love and affection. In addition to that, you won’t find him running through the snow to pull people out of the rubble left behind by an avalanche.

Jumping Is Spitfire’s Strong Point.

He is quite good at this.

How high can Spitty fly when he’s airborne? Spitty will descend a dock and perform a long jump that is equal to the size of a luxurious Lincoln Continental 1979 Mark V. After a jump of more than 22 feet, while he is still flying above the pool, he will catch and gnaw toys that dangle suspended several feet directly above the pool of water. At long last, Spitty is going to take a plunge into the pool.

His skills aren’t only horizontal, either. Moreover, he has remarkable vertical leaping ability, allowing him to snag a cookie above LeBron’s head, that he dangles tantalizingly.

He’s been compared to Michael Jordan, @TomBrady, and Babe Ruth. @SpitfireWhippet is the GOAT of dog diving. #InternationalDogDay pic.twitter.com/wNpQSXfGHR

He’s been compared to Michael Jordan, @TomBrady, and Babe Ruth. @SpitfireWhippet is the GOAT of dog diving. #InternationalDogDay pic.twitter.com/wNpQSXfGHR

— E60 (@E60) August 26, 2019

— E60 (@E60) August 26, 2019

A legendary figure once reigned supreme in the sport of dock diving, long before the global COVID pandemic. Spitfire and Sydney, who served as Spitfire’s trainer, are the ones responsible for continually setting new world records. They are now ranked first and second in the world in the odd sport of dock diving, in which they have broken five world records between them and are considered to be among the best in the world.

It’s possible that not everyone is familiar with the sport of dock diving, but it’s basically a competition in which dogs try to make the highest and furthest jumps into pools. Spitfire is unrivaled when compared to other canines in this way. Between the years of 2016 and 2019, he broke 21 world records in dock diving, establishing himself as the all-time great of the sport by leaping longer and higher than any other dogs in the sport’s history.

How It All Began For Spitfire

In 2013, Spitfire was officially welcomed into the Mackey family as a new member. He was simply a lovely puppy when Sydney first saw him, but he has always had a natural flair for athletics. Sydney fell in love with
him the instant she lay eyes on him. Even though he was produced by a heritage breeder and had great genes from both of his parents, everyone was surprised when the whippet dove from the dock for the very first time.

After learning about the sport for the first time in 2016, the family decided to give it a shot after becoming interested in it. And after a couple of months, they were aware that they possessed something that was genuinely one of a kind. One of Spitfire’s early trainers had nothing but praise for the dog.

The coach for Sydney’s Spitfires recalled the player’s first dock dive, saying, “He just humped into the water. He wasn’t scared, terrified, or reluctant about it.” When the trainer first laid eyes on the dog, he had the distinct impression that he possessed some unique quality that set him apart from other canines. He continued by saying, “Just hang on, because this is going to be spectacular; that dog is going to take you to places that you would never dream.”

After completing their first dive together, Sydney and Spitfire established quite a name for themselves in the community of dock diving. In a way that has never been seen before in the history of the sport, this squad traveled across the United States while winning championship after championship. Spitfire and Sydney were unbeatable due to the fact that they did not have any rivals. In just three short years, they broke no less than 21 world records.

Spitty Begins To Break Records

A record-breaking four of Spitty’s accomplishments were set and surpassed. During the North America Diving Dogs contest, he won the Air Retrieve championship, certified by the American Kennel Club, by making a leap of 26 feet, 6 inches. And during the DockDogs Championships last 2017, Spitty set a new world record in the contest of Speed Retrieve. The owner of a dog competing in a “Speed Retrieve” must let their pet loose at the exact right moment in order to win the race. Under timed conditions, the dog dashes
down the dock, leaps into the water, and swims to the far end of the pool to retrieve a toy that has been suspended there. The previous record was 5 years old, but Spitty smashed it in 4.347 seconds. Also in the same year, he set a new record for Iron Dog points, which recognizes the most adaptable canine.

Spitty earned the title of “Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Fetch-It National Champion” in 2018 after jumping further than any other participating dogs that in the tournament. By becoming the very first young person in the history of Purina competitions to ever become victorious, Sydney made history.

On the other hand, Spitfire wasn’t finished just yet. It wasn’t until 2020 that he leaped over 31 feet into a pool and set a new world record. The world’s finest dock diver, spitfire, speeds up to roughly 30 miles per hour just before he launches himself into the air; while in the air, he travels 31 feet before plunging into the pool, or an astounding 8 feet, 6 inches when he’s aiming for height. There’s a good reason why people refer to him as “the flying dog.”
The majority of dock diving professionals agree that despite Spitfire’s athletic prowess, he would never have attained his full potential without the training of his youthful handler, Sydney. The value that she possesses as Spitfire’s handler is greatly acknowledged.

Spitfire has been keeping himself busy by continuing to rack up championships and world records despite the fall in participation in dock diving as a sport, despite the fact that the pandemic had a devastating impact on dock diving. Even though he is not quite as youthful as he was in the past, he continues to be at the top of his game and has already established his status as a legendary figure in in dock diving.