Your dog may bark at his own reflection and sniff other dog’s behinds, but he might be more talented than you think. He just might just be a surfer-dude in the making.
If you want to do something interactive with your canine this summer, consider surfing.
Dog surfing seems to have started out in — where else? — California, but it’s slowly building a following wherever the surf is good. If you love dogs and surf, there’s really no better way than to have fun in the sun, says Trisha St. George, spokesperson for the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Sante Fe, California, near the heart of the action. The Center holds an annual Surf Dog Surfathon, with the date this year set for Sept. 13. The Surfathon started four years ago with the help of world class champion surfer Guy Takayame, who makes surf boards just for dogs. It is a non-competitive event in support of the animal programs at the Helen Woodward Animal Center (www.animalcenter.org). Helen Woodward was an animal lover who purchased the 12-acre Sante Fe property near San Diego to educate people in the humane treatment of animals. She died in 1982, but the Center continues on.
“Classically, southern California is about beach, surf and sand,” says St. George. “ Throw in some dogs, and it’s like wow. What a great family event. How much fun can you have bringing dog to beach and surfing?
“And if a dog likes water you can train any dog to surf,” she adds.
There are a few basics before getting started. First off, make sure
your dog has the disposition required to get along with a beach full of
dogs and children.
“Some dogs don’t get along with other dogs … you’d be setting him up for failure,” says St. George.
Another precaution is that your dog has the right snout. According to St. George, dogs with punched in faces like bull dogs can drown if they’re not good swimmers. They make doggy life jackets to ensure safety if you’re not sure of your dog’s swimming skills.
Another safety
measure is to take a first aid course on mouth-to-snout resuscitation.
Such courses are gaining in popularity lately, what with the boom in
pet care.
“Know your dog’s limitations,” says St. George.
Once you’ve established your pet’s ability and safety level, the next step is getting the feet and paws wet. The Helen Woodward Animal Center offers training sessions to pets and owners. Foam surfboards specially designed for dogs come in different sizes and are soft so that they have some grip.
“The smaller dogs, like the Jack Russell terriers, have a tendency to do better than the larger dogs,” says St. George. “The Jack Russell terrier named Buddy would stand up and turn around, do different things. And a pit bull named Lucy surfs backwards. In truth, she is really just admiring her [owner] dad, she loves him so much.”
