Surfs Up! Pets Who Love the Waves
Many dogs can’t be stopped from diving into the ocean when they arrive at the beach. Nowadays, some dogs love to surf the waves as well.
Dog surfing has become a popular activity amongst pet owners in coastal regions. Dogs can be trained to balance on boards by themselves or with their owners, or even with other dogs in what is known as ‘tandem surfing’.
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Another popular competition takes place on Huntington Beach, California called ‘Surf City Surf Dog’.
Dog surfing has become a popular activity amongst pet owners in coastal regions. Dogs can be trained to balance on boards by themselves or with their owners, or even with other dogs in what is known as ‘tandem surfing’.
Competitions take place annually in California and Florida. The Loews Coronado bay Resort Surf Dog Competition is the largest dog surfing competition in the world, with the first event taking place in 2006.
Dogs are judged on their overall certainty on the board, the size of the waves surfed, and their ride length. Entrants participate in ten minute heats where they attempt to catch as many waves as possibly.
Dogs are judged on their overall certainty on the board, the size of the waves surfed, and their ride length. Entrants participate in ten minute heats where they attempt to catch as many waves as possibly.
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Usually over 50 dogs partake in the tournament of all different sizes and breeds. At the 2012 competition three Guinness World Records were broken, including a new record of the most dogs photographed on a surfboard.
Another popular competition takes place on Huntington Beach, California called ‘Surf City Surf Dog’.
Dog surfing, whilst never as popular as it is today, has a long history. Surfing dogs were documented in California and Hawaii in the 1920s and in the 1930s. Night Hawk, a terrier, was captured in the silent film 'On The Waves in Waikiki' with his owner Phillip K. Auna surfing on a wooden board. Night Hawk was even able to perform the ‘hang ten’ surfing maneuver.
Dogs aren’t even the only pets who enjoy the waves. In Lima, Peru tortoiseshell cat Nicolasa loves surfing with her owner Domingo Pianezzi.
He discovered his kitten’s passion when she unexpectedly jumped on his board as he took off on San Bartolo beach. Since then, they have enjoyed many sunny days on the water together.