Mandan Student takes Training Dogs to the Next Level

Throughout Mandan High School there are many students who participate in extracurricular activities, but this sophomore at Mandan High School is not dribbling a ball or passing a puck. Jace Engelstad and his dogs Lyra and Sasha compete in Dock Dogs competitions where they have won many awards including taking third in high jump at the world championships in 2022.

Dock Dogs competitions is a sport that includes a dog jumping off a platform for either distance or height into a body of water. Lyra, who is only one year old, and Sasha, who is ten years old, are both Belgian Malinois dogs that Engelstad competes with throughout the country.

“I enjoy going to competitions with the dogs because of the friends you make along the way and the opportunities it gives you,” Engelstad said.

Engelstad sees a future in training dogs and is looking to either train working dogs for the military, police, or just pet dogs. Police and Military dogs are trained for similar purposes like detecting explosives and criminal apprehension, but all dogs are trained for different scenarios.

“I like training new dogs because of the problem solving that comes with each dog,” Engelstad said.

Engelstad feels competitions help draw a stronger connection between him and his dogs. He believes people can learn from their dogs just like dogs can learn from their handler.

“You can never stop learning, and no dog is alike in the way they learn either, each dog takes a different amount of time to train. Some dogs take 5 to 10 minutes, some take 5-10 months plus,” Engelstad said.

Competing in Dock Dogs sends Engelstad and his dogs across the country including Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Engelstad hopes to compete with Lyra and Sasha in more competitions across the country. He thinks students should learn more about dock dog competitions because of the benefits they bring.

“People should learn more about dock dogs because of the bonds you create with the dogs, and the scholarships you can earn along the way,” Engelstad said.

Competing with his dogs has become one of Engelstads passions that has stuck with him for several years. He hopes in his future he can work with dogs because of the fun challenge training each dog entails.