TAMPA, Fla. — To become one of the best athletes in the nation, surprisingly doesn’t take a lot of gear. 

You just need a couple of throws. A really good collar. And a sound holding technique.

What You Need To Know

  •  Beth Livesay saved Jackson from a shelter

  •  He began training and immediately took to the sport of dock diving

  •  Jackson is one of the top dogs in the nation in dock diving

Of course, it helps to become nationally ranked when you’ve got a guy like Jackson. He's one of the top dogs in the country.

In the sport of dock diving, he’s held a national ranking in the top 10. Not bad for a dog who has been competing in this sport for only two years. Jackson’s owner, Beth Livesay, and his coach, Monica Gobeli, play an integral role in his development. 

Livesay also played an important role in keeping Jackson alive. One video is all it took for Livesay to fall in love with Jackson. And that video saved his life. Hours from being euthanized, Livesay adopted Jackson and their journey together began.

“He was young. He had a zest for life. Very, just looked fun,” Livesay said. “And he was wanting to live. He would do rolls and play with his toys and run around the yard. He was just very cute.”

According to the ASPCA, an estimated 670,000 dogs are euthanized every year. Jack was on the verge of becoming another sad statistic. But Livesay, who has fostered dogs for 20 years, saw something in this pitbull terrier that made her want to give him a home.

“I didn’t think they should kill him just because he was hyper,” Livesay said.

Jackson just needed a loving home. And he needed structure and discipline. And that’s what he found at Keenan’s Magic. This is where Jackson trains. In addition to the dock diving, he’s taken up agility training. It’s a place where Jackson just gets to be Jackson.

“I just couldn’t believe that they were going to euthanize a dog like this,” Gobeli said. “And there’s so many more just like him. He’s just amazing and I’m really proud of everything he’s done.”

Jackson will continue his training in a quest to be the best. But no matter how he does in competitions, he will always serve as an inspiration for other dogs who are waiting to be adopted. The shelters are full of dogs, of other Jacksons looking for loving homes. Homes for dogs just like this good boy.

“They have a lot of baggage,” Livesay said. “You know, they’ve been in a shelter or they’ve been found on the streets. So they’re not perfect. You don’t get the dog you want. You get the dog you need.”