The California coastline is a famed destination for surfers. The birthplace of the Beach Boys and the setting for Frankie & Annette movies, it’s taken its place with Hawaii and Florida as a key American surfing spot.
It’s also the home of dog surfing competitions.
Begun in 2006 at Imperial Beach, the long established surfer trick of getting a water-friendly dog to ride a shallow wave was turned into a judged competition, with proceeds going to local animal shelters and assistance programs. The competition spread to nearby Huntington Beach under the banner of “Surf Dogs”. Then the San Francisco Bay area stepped in to form a rival competition, the World Dog Surfing Championships.
The basic competitions are judged in the same way that normal surf competitions would be: the competitors are given a block of time to catch waves, and their best rides are evaluated for form and distance.
In this case, though, the surfers are four-legged and furry.
For those curious to attend, the events are held toward the end of Summer. But for anyone who can’t wait that long to watch, here is some video from last years’ events:
Question of the night: What is the favorite method of play for your pets?
