Suzanne Diefenbach and her husband, Alfonso, have competed with NADD since 2014 when they only had one Belgian Malinois between them. They started training together at
Hunter Canine
in Cave Creek, Ariz., where they jumped their first event and were ultimately hooked on the sport.
Suzanne, of Wittmann, Ariz., has since become a dock diving instructor with Hunter Canine and now has five dogs competing: 9-year-old Kenzi, 8-year-old Pablo, 6-year-old Nikita, 4-year-old Daenerys, and 1½-year-old Cerberus. Among their many titles are Nikita’s and Daenerys’s Championship and Reserve Championship for the 2021 Southwest Regional Air Retrieve, with personal bests of 25 feet and 24 feet, respectively.
“One of my favorite things about dock diving is watching all the dogs and seeing how much fun they have,” Suzanne said. “You can’t help but smile and cheer for them all! We’ve met some of our best friends through the sport, too.
“My advice to first-time competitors would be to always have fun with your dogs and the others around you,” she added. “Your dog doesn’t care how far they jump or how fast they swim; they only care that they are spending time with you and having fun. And the community will always be there to support you and keep things positive!”
Outside of her dock diving classes, Suzanne is a retired stay-at-home dog mom and would like to thank her trainer, Sandy Bello, for being instrumental to her family’s success in Air Retrieve.
NADD will continue to feature its competitors and facilities based on a random drawing.
Suzanne, Pablo & Alfonso in background (Photo by Lisa Bates/K9Shots)