BOZEMAN - The bond between "man" and "man’s best friend" is truly special, a bond Rob Greger knows all too well.
Greger and his Belgian Malinois, Narbe’, traveled down to California to compete in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge, in the "Fetch it!" event.
Knowing ahead of time that the pair would be against stiff competition, Greger and Narbe trained hard.
“I know some of these dogs regularly jump farther than Narbe has ever jumped before,” Greger said.
Despite it all, the two competed, and not only achieved a personal best but won their event with a jump of 23 feet.
Although Malinois have competed in Dock Diving events like this before, Narbe’s story is unique.
“Narbe is a rescue—I’ll try not to cry—I got a call from my wife and she told me the story. They were scheduled to euthanize her in the morning,” Greger said.
At first, Greger assumed he would train the dog and re-home her, but after spending time with Narbe, a decision was made to keep her with him.
“She didn’t trust anybody, maybe I was the first person she kind of trusted. She had a pretty rough life, and it’s hard to know that,” Greger said.
Even though the first hand Narbe was dealt seemed dire, she found a new life, and a new job, with Rob.
“I believe most dogs are bred for work, and that’s what her love and passion is, the dock diving. We go all over the country to do it,” Greger said.
The popularity of the Belgian Malinois came after they were shown more frequently in movies, TV shows, and documentaries, according to Greger. He says similar to Dalmatians, they grew in popularity amongst people of all lifestyles.
Choosing a dog to fit your lifestyle is an important factor when going through the adoption process. A Belgian Malinois is commonly used in military and police work due to their fearlessness, sensitivity, and intelligence, according to Greger.
Allowing Narbe to bond with Greger’s other Malinois, Jack, gave her the chance to see how a job in Dock Diving might be up her alley.
“We were invited to go to [Purina Pro Plan ‘Incredible Dog’ Challenge] which was a big honor. She actually jumped father than she ever had before,” Greger said.
Both Narbe and Greger look forward to their next adventure: traveling to the National Championship for Purina Pro Plan, in hopes of getting on the podium.
