A dog and his board (Photo courtesy of Surfer Today).
Dog surfing is, in fact, a sport. There are world championships annually for surfing pups. The sport has been around since the 1920s, with it first appearing in the media in the 1930s.
Dogs have been documented as doing different types of surfing throughout history. They use surf boards, body boards, wind boards, and skim boards. They can either ride solo, with a human, or even in tandem with another dog.
Canines & Their Championships
Currently, the biggest dog surfing competition is the World Dog Surfing Championship, which is hosted annually in California. The event is free to participate in and view. Registration is currently open for the 2024 event in Pacifica, CA, on August 3rd from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST.
For more information on the World Dog Surfing Championship, check out their blog here. Be warned, there are really cute photos of last year’s winners.
There are many smaller championships available, particularly in California. These types of events are often used as fundraisers for great causes locally. If there’s a beach near you, there just might be a championship too. They’ve been around in California and Hawaii since the 1920s, after all.
What does a surfing dog get judged for in a championship? Their certainty on the board, the length of their ride, and the size of the waves they take on.
Dog Surfing In Media
Unless you’re a silent film buff, you likely haven’t seen Night Hawk take on the waves with actor Phillip K. Auna in ‘On The Waves in Waikiki.’ This cinematic masterpiece from the 1930s showed Night Hawk performing the ‘hang ten’ surfing move on his wooden surfboard.
National Geographic had a full-page photo of Rusty, the surfing dog, in the 1940s. Similar depictions of surfing dogs were seen in different forms of media, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s.
The most remarkable sighting? A Lab named Cam in Hawaii could surf and drink a bottle of beer at the same time.
Some Tips On Getting Your Dog Surf-Ready
It’s important to recognize that not every dog likes water or surfing. Some breeds are more predisposed to enjoy activities like swimming, but it’s a very individual situation.
Of course, it is important to remember that dogs can’t launch their own boards, and paddling is likely impossible. They also can’t see as well as humans can while surfing. Neither can a dog grip the board the same as humans with their feet, meaning it’s harder to stay on.
Dogs are not naturally designed to surf, so the key is always to introduce them slowly to the board with plenty of positive reinforcement. Balancing on the board (which depends on the size of the dog) is the single most important factor besides overall comfortability. Catch more tips here.
Ever hit the waves with your pupper? Or do you know someone who has? Let us know below.
Want to see more articles about dog sports? Catch my article on mushing here!
