Dogs have the innate ability to cause smiles and laughter, especially when they are wearing sunglasses and surf shirts! When the annual Surf City Surf Dog contest was held in Huntington Beach, California, it was a community affair of wagging tails, laughter, and fun for two-legged and four-legged attendees. And, according to Cronkite News, every pooch was a winner!
A few hundred enthusiastic spectators turned out to cheer on the competitors at Huntington dog beach on September 25, 2021, including pet parents and their excited dogs. This marked the 12th contest of this annual event, in which over 500 dogs have participated by riding the waves when the surf’s “pup.”
Each of the dogs had 12 minutes to catch five waves, according to the Los Angeles Times. This year’s event was judged by over two dozen canine surfer judges who scored the pooches on their confidence, plus the length and difficulty of the wave.
Surf fun for both small breeds and larger dogs
The day started off with the solo competition of smaller dogs who were towed out by their owners: no doggie paddling allowed! This included Miniature Pinschers and West Highland Terriers, reported Cronkite News. They were placed on a wave, then let go to surf back to shore.
As the day progressed and waves increased in size, larger dogs competed solo and in a double dog heat. The stars of the duo competition were Goldendoodles Derby and Teddy. Teddy’s parent, Daniel Royce, told Cronkite News, “He’s barking, yelling the whole way out until he gets on the board. I don’t have to put him on the board, he just jumps on.”
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The last competition of the day was the dog-human tandem. At the end of the event, every dog received a medal of participation, while the top dogs received trophies. It was all about having fun, being outdoors and appreciating dogs. There was also a pet adoption booth and canine play zones for the doggie attendees.
“It’s the smiles that matters,” said Donald Horn, who owns two surfing Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. “If you look at the beach today, everybody is smiling, and that’s because we all love our dogs.”
The popularity of dog sporting events
Sporting events for dogs is all the rage, with the American Kennel Club listing many popular events that are enjoyed by owners and dogs alike. These include tracking, dock diving, barn hunts, and fetching flying discs. All of these events, including the surfing dog competition, provide great ways to bond with pets. They foster deep companionship between owners and their pooches, and offer exercise as well as time spent outdoors.
“This is our favorite, literally our favorite event on the planet, right here at Huntington Beach,” one enthusiastic dog owner said on the Surf City YouTube video. There is nothing like sun, surf, and smiles to uplift a community, especially when this includes some super sporty surfing dogs riding the waves.
