The waves were calling and the canines answered them for The World Dog Surfing Championships. A doggone good time was had by all at the second annual event held at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, California on August 6, 2022.
Surf Dawgs
For surfers who are pet parents, a “surf dog” or “amphibious canine” comes naturally. They believe that dogs who surf develop a unique attitude – besides being super cool — knowing they have something that sets them apart from other dogs. And dawgs love hanging with their surfer people.
The Event
Along with the surfing championships, the event includes doggy costume competitions, dog adoptions, a pet wellness fair, and a “yappy hour” to end the festivities. The event donates partial proceeds to dog-related non-profits. Surf awards are based on dog size and categories, including small dog surfing. They can go solo (just dog and board) or tandem, with either a person or with another dog.
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Surprising Talents
Skyler, an Australian Cattle Dog, won first prize in the Top Dog Final Overall Champ. Amazingly, an Australian Kelpie named Abbie Girl not only stayed on her board but maneuvered it, too. She surfed maybe 20 feet, lifting a front leg to balance and then landing on the beach. The judges took notice of her four-footwork.
Her pet parent, Michael Uy, said he started surfing with Abbie Girl after he adopted her from a rescue organization. He’d take her to the beach to mellow her out and socialize her. “One time we put her on a surfboard to rest. And she stood up on the board and we thought, well, why don’t we put her on a wave and see what happens, and she just rode it all the way into shore,” Uy told NPR. Abbie Girl took home the prize for top dog — for the second time.
“There’s a lot going on in the world and a lot of things that have people kind of riled up, and I think it’s important for some people to have something like this to look at and smile at,” he said.
“And nothing’s more fun than watching dogs surf, honestly,” said Sam Stahl, one of three judges. “Number one is stay on the board, and number two is looking happy,” Stahl explained, “No one wants to see a dog terrified at the end of a surfboard.”
Surf Dog History
The very first Surf Dog competition in history was conceived and proposed by Kevin Reed, who wrote The Dog’s Guide to Surfing. The book describes “how to really be a surf dog… From mounting a massive seven-footer to simply playing in the water.” The first event took place at the Loews Coronado hotel in San Diego 12 years ago, reported NPR. Its success grew to similar dog surfing events across the world, from Florida to Australia to the United Kingdom.
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