welcome back everyone to st. petersburg, florida. before the break we asked true or false, it's important to match your dog's nutrition to his activity level. let's go to bryan with the answer. >> the answer is true. the riga diet of high fat and

proseen can help. find out more at proplan.com. >> lots of good information there for dog owners and you think about nutrition and wanting to make sure your best friend's doing well, proplan.com has a lot of good information. >> i spoke to bryan earlier today and he had a lot of mazing things that i didn't know about. i have two rescue dogs and he got me up to speed how the nutrition works. and here's dotcom, cracker, bailey and >> dotcom in the black first out of the start gate. first through the tunnel. all the way through the course. followed up by cracker. but wow, he just accelerate and

flips open and there you go. that's our camera we look at to see who goes through the tunnel first, second and third in order to advance. pretty clean race on that one of the we have our top three dogs going to the finals. >> thanks. who will join them >> all the dogs wanting to go after that lure. they don't know the finals are on the line. how the of the gate, who will it be? a fast start and he gets that lead over the first hurdle and keeps it all the way through the finish. look at that. a very strong lead and then trouble just barely edging out maverick as they go through the tunnel together. but as we keep talking about the one who makes it through first is how they judge the finish.

1, 2, 3, drako, trouble and maverick. we talk about getting in the top three to advance. now getting on top of the podium and they're off. >> it will be our champion and there you have it it's drako in yellow. this strategy works all the way through the finish. coming out of the gate and getting that sprint first and accelerating over the huddles and keeping that lead pushing it off the third hurdle to edge out maverick and trouble in second and third. some fast, fast jacks here today but the title goes to drako. >> and drako will be punching a ticket to the national championship finals with his victory today. we'll go down to our winners. >> darren, jack russell hurdle

racing, whacky and wild and insane and intense events. but these jacks were so fast. talk about your running through and getting the championship. >> usually we run a race about over 300 feet. this is a very short track for us so the dogs are very fast when they do this. they get very excited as can you see, he's watching the other dog doing his tricks outside and he wants to play with them. they thrive on this all the time. >> jacks are great and crazy as well. great running here today. >> thank you very much. >> all right. another champion crowd here in st. petersburg, florida. one more to go. who will it be, the incredible diving dog is coming your way. stay put. you're watching the "purina pro plan incredible dog challenge".

♪ we don't have a ten step filtering process for our water. we don't need it. because crystal geyser is made by nature, not by man. crystal geyser is always bottled at the mountain source.

everyone welcome back. we're in st. petersburg, florida for the 2013 eastern regionals of the "purina pro plan incredible dog challenge". a lot of champions crowned so far but now we're going to get into the diving dog competition. our final event and here are highlights from round one. jumped 21 feet and 6 inches and then dolly with the 24-foot 4-inch jump setting the pace there and nathan with 24 feet. >> next up we saw tahoe taking a run off the platform and a jump of of 25 feet, 7 inches. out into the proplan pool, 27 feet 2 inches and then story with a jump of of 25 feet 1 inch

>> getting over 27 feet. rider same thing, 21 feet 1 inch. but it was baxter who made the impact after round number one. our champions from last year in atlanta, georgia in a big jump 29 feet 6 inches. check this out. with a big jump and a huge lead after round one. >> that's a 40-foot sprint with a launch into the pool. the length of the jump is judged with the furthest part of the dog's body to hit the water. get toward get wet with diving dogs.

tony and baxter have been competing for years in diving dogs. one title that eludes them is the national championship in st. louis. they came into st. louis in 2011 and competed against some of the top jumpers from around the country taking third place and landing on that prestigious podium. and then the 2012 they travelled to the centennial olympic park and won the eastern regionals in atlanta, georgia, beating out nine other top dogs with a distance of 29 feet, 10 inches. and they were ex-sited with a second chance of a title. >> i think it was awesome we took third last year so i'm excited to get back there in our hometown of st. louis. let's go, baxter! >> they had to settle for third place once again. baxter is back defending his

eastern regional championship title. will 2013 be his big championship year? so far looking good. baxter in first with 29 feet 6 skpeupbgz we'll see if that can hold. you have been at this venue. what a beautiful venue >> it's a blast. spa beach park here in st. petersburg and the dogs love the beach. we've had them out there playing volleyball and soaking up the sun. there's so many things can you do to enjoy your pets. this was an awesome one. can you believe that? on the wakeboard and enjoying the surf and sun. >> coming up, round two will be

incredible diving dogs. can baxter defend his title. find out but first let's test your knowledge. your dog hea bed and does president move for hours. is he feeling muscle aches and pains, taking a break or relaxing. think about it.

>> welcome back everyone. before the break we asked after a vigorous day of exercise your dog heads straight to his bed and doesn't move for hours. is he feeling muscle aches and pains, taking a break or relaxing? let's check with bryan. >> the answer is a feeling muscle aches and pains. even a brisk walk increases the muscle breakdown metabolism in your dog's muscle. feeding key nutrients will accelerate recovery. >> of course for more facts and answers on nutrition you can go to proplan.com as we get ready for the incredible dog diving competition. baxter with a 29-foot 6-inch jump who owns the top of the

podium so far. your thoughts on what it's going to take to win this competition. you got to into that 29-foot, 30-foot range. >> what they need to have is the speed of the dock. they need to get as close as they can to the white line and the throw needs to be out in front of them. second one you're right increased 27 feet and 10 inches. >> that increase could have come at the edge. you could see maybe six inches back from the white line there. that's distance he could have been going into the pool and the throw had him turning his head so that throw means to lead dogs in the water to get the maximum uhm distance >> is story gets ready to jump. round 1, 25 feet and 1 inch.

>> another lab tkor retriever. >> jump, one and little bit of improvement. 26 feet and 11 inches. >> pretty big improvement. imagine how much more they could have had onto the total length because he's looking back trying to catch that but a nice improvement for story. >> that was a lot bigger than the first one. >> a lot bigger. a little over four feet bigger. 25 feet and 3 inches. >> taking off way back on the dock there. there's only two feet he could have put in the pool had he jumped closer and he's in the water before it lands. it's about the timing of the

throw as much as the distance. >> the distance to beat factors 29-foot 6-inch jump. jump number one only 21 feet and 2 inches. >> that was nicely done. and a huge improvement for rider on that jump. >> wow, giant 28 feet pull into second place. >> he gets right up to the edge and leads him out but still behind his head. he's almost turned around sideways completely entering the water trying to grab his toy and that's feet that probably could have been added out into the pool had he been looking forward and that thrown out in front of him. >> it's all about team work. accurate throw as you mentioned so many times before. and here they are, tony lambert and baxter holding down the

number one spot with a 29-foot and 6-inch jump. the top five will continue on for a third jump, the best of three that count in this competition. >> very nice. >> 29 feet 7 inches, so just a small improvement but padding the lead. >> padding the lead. look at that completely laid out in the last bit him reaching and trying to catch that bumper, maximum mid the distance into the pool. they could have gotten a little closer to the edge of the dock however. probably 6 to 8 inches added on to this top length. >> baxter still holds down the number one spot with 29 feet and 7 inches. coming up, more incredible diving dogs, our final rounds. stay put.

>> the 2013 "purina pro plan incredible dog challenge" eastern regionals is brought to you by purina pro plan designed to help dogs excel from every day exercise all the way to performance competition. proplan it's nutrition that performs. a big crowd on hand remains to

see who will be crowned champion. so far it is tony lambert and baxter. 29 feet and 7 inches. rider with a big second round jump 28 and 6 inches. looks very strong. >> his third and final attempt. we talk about his focus and concentration and watch him here. he wants that duck and he needs to get out into the pool to get it. it's going to be on the throw. >> that's an improvement right there. >> improvement but not as fast. he's still looking back. >> 28 feet and 2 inches, stronger, but to get on top of that podium you're thinking the throws have to be stronger. >> have to be further out in the pool. these guys can really launch

themselves and that's all they're focused on. it was nice and obviously an improvement but could have done better. >> and this pool has been expanded to accommodate the progression in incredible diving dogs. here we go. >> wow, that was big one. >> 28 feet, 2 inches. so improving her story. >> massive improvement. right up to the white line on the edge which was great. the throw leading her out into the pool and she improved her jump almost two feet on that one and it's about the timing and those logistics that make the difference. knox had a 21-foot jump and 25-foot jump and the throw is out. that was a big jump. >> that was a huge jump for our border collie and no where near

him. >> she's a full-time college student, 29, 10. >> into the lead our border collie pretty close to the edge but look at this. the bumper not even near in front or leading knox out in the water but a fantastic leap and this goes to show you you do not have to have a water breed to excel. this is a border collie jumping. they just need to like the water. >> a lot of different breeds over the years but the primary lead for a long time have been labrador retrievers and here is rider. can rider pull it off? >> going to go for it. and rider way out there. 21 feet on jump one and hit a big 28 footer in jump two and another 28 footer. 28 feet and 11 inches. >> seeing that increase in the inches is what you want no matter what the distance.

he tucks his behind legs in and enters up and down but again nothing leading him into the pool. but nice, nice jump. >> getting the crowd all fired up. the final competitor just got pushed into the second place spot. pressure is on big time right now. 29-foot, 10-inch jump could win this competition. >> baxter, he just is so funny now excited he is. wow. >> getting out there. >> nice laid out position. >> and the kids on the side of the pool getting nice and cooled off. 29 feet, 11. >> takes the lead back, 29 feet, 11. that he going to put him in the first place spot. not quite up to the edge of the dock and not a good throw, but baxter is tistill nice entry in the water.

that bumper not even close to leading him. it's behind him and behind his tail as a matter of fact into the purina proplan pool. >> baxter top honors and winning the eastern regional championships. let's go with sean smith hanging with champs >> it does not get any better for this. we have the palm trees and ocean and beautiful crowd. >> once we saw it on the calendar, we are like, we are going to event. look at this place. it's beautiful and he was jumping fantastic >> you are defending your title. now you get a shot to get the national championship title >> we're going back home to st. louis. we won last year and this year. it's what we came to do. >> great job. back to you guys. >> thanks a lot, sean. get it done once again winning the eastern regional champi championshi

championships. tony and baxter. we'll see if they can continue that momentum when they head to st. louis it for the finals. in fact for our champions that's the next stop. good luck to all the athletes there and congratulations to all of our competitors here today in st. petersburg, florida. don't forget to drop us a note on pro plan's facebook page. big thanks. and on behalf of our broadcast team, i'm trace. thanks for checking out the eastern regional championships of the "purina pro plan incredible dog challenge". so long from st. petersburg, florida.

narrator: this is a battle against mother nature. against inner demons. and against your body. it is a chance to reach deep. where all the sacrifice finally pays off.