This information is not meant to replace the advice of your regular veterinarian.

This information is not meant to replace the advice of your regular veterinarian.

Good Dog with Stanley Coren

Good Dog with Stanley Coren

Good Dog with Stanley Coren

Buddy the Surf Dog rules! Meet Buddy the Amazing Shredding Pooch, the Scourge of Ventura Beach. See Buddy shoot the curl! “I’m on a quest to find the perfect wave!” says Buddy, “Some gnarly breakers, my longboard, and my dude Bruce, what more do I need?” Buddy won the 2007 Surf Dog Championship in Del Mar, California. Find out how this modest Jack Russell Terrier discovered surfing and became a surfing champ!

Step 1: Ease Into It, Kahuna
Take it slow or you just might scare your pooch. Let him watch you in the water and then have him play with the board at the water’s edge.

Step 2: Paws For Effect
The dog needs to be positioned correctly on the board or it’ll wipe out for sure. Make sure your furry pal is two-thirds of the way back, with his tail above the fin on the underside of the board. Too far forward and the board will nosedive. Too far back and the board won’t catch the wave.

Step 3: Keep Fido Mellow
Avoid big surf. Remember, every wave is a big wave when you’re only a foot tall. Three to four feet is max, even for the best surfing dogs. Assure the dog that you’re there with it so he doesn’t go banzai. Keep your hands on it until it’s time for takeoff.

Step 4: Hang With The Right Pack
“We tend to hang with the less competitive surfers,” says Buddy the Surfing Dog, “Some shortboarders are way too manic.” Make sure the (human) surfers nearby are down with sharing their waves with the surfin’ dogs.

Step 5: Surviving Wipeouts
Even the best surfing dog bites it once in a while. The doggie life vest gives Buddy the extra floatation to make it to shore when he gets nailed by an epic pounder.

Step 6: Leashes: Dog And Surfboard
It’s the human who wears the leash when tandem surfing with a dog. Keeping track of the board and the pup after a wipeout is one thing too many. With the surfboard leash, you can grab the board right away, and get the dog out of the surf and back on board quickly.

Step 7: Chilly Dog
Riding the big ones can make a dog really cold, even with their fur. Buddy usually rolls on the sand for warmth until his dude Bruce comes with a towel and rubs him down. Humans wear wetsuits to keep them warm in the frigid surf but dogs generally don’t, so make sure your canine pal isn’t totally frozen after shooting the curl.

You will need:
A dog
A surfboard
A dog personal floatation device or pfd.
An ocean

Step 1: Doggie Paddle
If you can’t surf yourself, find someone who can because you’ll never be able to teach your dog to surf if you don’t know how. Get your dog used to the water first before having it hop on the board. This sport involves a lot of exertion in the water, and the waves can be rough, so be sure that you and your dog are both strong swimmers before attempting to surf. Surfboards have been known to cause a bruise or two when they’re bobbing around in the waves, so be careful.

Step 2: Safety Paddle
The dog pfd will allow your dog greater floatation when it wipes out in the surf. Many dog life vests have a handle on top so you can pull your pal back on the board or out of the water.

Step 3: Get Stoked
Let the dog watch you on a boogie board or surf board to get it fired up to join you. Get the dog used to the board on the sand before going into the water.

Step 4: All Fours
The dog should be about two-thirds of the way back, with its tail over the board’s fin. If the dog is too far forward, the board will nosedive under the wave. If the dog is too far back, the nose will come out of the water and the board won’t catch the wave.

Step 5: Paddle Out
On a longboard, get on the board with the dog and paddle into the waves. You should be behind the dog for best results when paddling through the breakers. On a shortboard or boogie board, put the dog on the board and push him out through the breakers.

Step 6: Catch The Wave
You should definitely start with small waves, roughly 1-2 feet. Even champion surfing dogs don’t tackle surf much bigger than 3-4 feet.

Step 7: Push Off And Shred
Catching the wave is a knack that requires both timing and finesse. It takes patience and lots of repetition.

Step 8: Endless Summer
Once your dog gets the hang of riding the wave, it will want to go right back out.

Step 1: Start To Boogie
Boogie boards have the speed and maneuverability that a dog make be able to maneuver better.

Step 2: Get A Soft Top
Hard resin boards are tough for a dog to grip. The foam soft top boards are much easier for the dogs to stay atop.

Step 3: Longboard Buddy
When Buddy is riding tandem with his best bud Bruce, they use their 11 foot longboard. Buddy navigates from the nose of the board.

Step 4: Rock On
The more curvature to the board, the easier it is for the dog balance on the wave.

Step 5: Dog’s Best Board
Buddy’s boogie board seems to be his favorite, both for riding and chewing.

Doggles
Accessorize with collars, leashes, goggles and shoes. For instance, your dog’s eyes need protection from harmful UV rays, too! Try on a few different styles of sunglasses and goggles to see which complement your dog’s look. Putting the goggles or glasses on the dog once you are outside is recommended so the dogs can see the difference they make.

Shoes
Dog shoes are not just a stylish accessory choice; their feet need protection from extreme elements, too. There are many different types of foot coverings for dogs, ranging in price from $5-$65.

Less Is More
If you don’t want to buy your dog a whole ensemble, the right collar goes a long way. Try leather with studs or a Swarovski crystal necklace. Use a tape measure to determine your dog’s neck size, then add two to three inches.