Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Comes to Boston for the First Time

Dogs of all breeds and sizes will convene at Joe Moakley Park to compete in "Olympic-style" events, including leaping from a 40-foot dock into a 19,000-gallon pool of water.

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While it remains to be seen whether or not Boston will host the Olympics in 2024, a different kind of athletic competition is coming to the city this weekend—but it’s not for humans.

On Saturday, July 11, top canine athletes from across the Northeast will convene at Joe Moakley Park for the Eastern Regionals round of the 18th annual Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge.

Dogs of various sizes and breeds will compete in several “Olympic-style” events. They will navigate obstacle courses, jump over hurdles, race head-to-head through weave poles, execute high-flying Frisbee routines, and—in a round that’s sure to be a crowd favorite—take a running leap off of a 40-foot dock into a 19,000-gallon pool of water.

This weekend marks the sporting event’s first time in Boston, and it’s extending an open invitation to all local dogs. Bring your pups out to Moakley Park on Friday morning, where they can participate in dog-diving, freestyle flying disc, and fetch-it competitions to qualify for the big event on Saturday. After lunch, they can practice their skills on the various courses, all in the hopes of becoming the Incredible Dog Challenge champion.

Following Saturday’s competition, the top dogs will receive an automatic invitation to the National Finals, which take place September 25-26 in St. Louis. Scope out potential competition in photos from the Western Regionals, which took place in California earlier this year, below.

Photographs by Carlos Delgado/ AP Images for Purina Pro Plan

Free, Friday, July 10, 9 a.m. for open qualifying rounds, Saturday, July 10, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for the Eastern Regionals competition. For more information and a live stream of the event, visit incredibledogchallenge.com.