Surfing Dogs Compete for Bodacious Rides on California Waves

If you were in San Diego this past weekend, you might have noticed a different, ahem, ‘breed’ of surfer catching Pacific waves as they rolled into shore. Coronado Bay was overrun with wet dogs, out to win canine glory in the 7th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition.

For those of you who have ever tried surfing for yourself, you know how hard it can be to pop up and stand on a board with two feet. It seems some of our four-legged friends have no problem at all with that. It’s the paddling out into the water with their board that gives them the most trouble, but thankfully their owners lent them a much-needed hand.

The surf was definitely up all weekend for a lot of doggies, unless one of the pooches bailed early, and ‘dogged’ its ride. More than 50 dogs took part in this annual sporting event, which set several Guinness World Records, including the biggest number of dogs surfing on one board at the same time, the most dogs on one board at the same time with two homo sapiens and the biggest number of dogs catching a wave on one board at the same time with only one person along for the ride.

An Australian Kelpie took the top prize in the small dog competition, while a Golden Retriever won the surfing award for larger dogs. All in all, a grand time seemed to have been had by all, canine and human alike. And it was for a good cause as well, with proceeds from the event going to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Good cause or not, we bet there were plenty of homes plagued with that ‘wet doggy’ smell after the competition.