Olympic Gymnast Gabby Douglas Gets Back on the Beam for Obstacle Course Challenge with Her Dog
Gabby Douglas’ dog is following in her agile foot steps.
Douglas, 23, the first American gymnast to win solo and team all-around gold medals in one Olympic Games, recently stepped back on the beam, sort of.
She and her dog Chandler recently attended the 22nd Annual Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge.
A proud parent to three dogs, Douglas chose to take Chandler, her 9-year-old Yorkie and Maltese mix, to the Avon, Colorado, Olympic-style competition for dogs because Chandler is the most athletic.
“Chandler is the best at the jumping. He always likes to jump on and off my bed,” Douglas told PEOPLE. “He shocks people.”
Canines from all over the world came to this year’s Incredible Dog Challenge to show off their talents in events like the dog agility course, freestyle flying disc performance, and the dock diving event — where pooches sprint off a 40-foot stage and launch themselves into a 19,000-gallon pool.
Chandler and Douglas tried the agility course and the Incredible Dog Challenge mountain obstacle course.
“The mountain dog course is a lot of running and jumping and there was a beam, which is super familiar,” Douglas said.
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The athlete’s pup impressively soared through the challenges, thank to his training from Douglas.
“I was going around the house putting tape from wall to wall, and having him jump over the tape,” she said of her pre-Challenge training sessions with Chandler. “We were running around the house to get him ready.”
After seeing the dog’s top-notch performances, Douglas has continued training Chandler, so he can keep learning new, enriching tricks.
Douglas has also developed some new hobbies.
“I am enjoying my time off and keeping fit,” she said, adding that she has also picked up skateboarding and cooking.
“Hopefully, in the near future, I can share some new projects,” Douglas added.
To learn more about the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge, visit the event’s website.
