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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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4

Surf's Up for Rover, Too

Pooches put down the bone and ride the waves

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(Newser) – See spot run—not to catch a Frisbee, but to ride waves on a California beach. Surfing pooches are the latest trend in Southern California, where sunny skies and golden beaches gave birth to '60s surf culture, NPR reports. Dogs can take surfing classes and even enter surfing competitions. “It's a way for me to spend time in the water with my dog,” says the owner of a golden retriever.

“Now that my children are grown, I need an activity to use the surfboards that are left in my garage," she adds. More than 40 dogs were entered in one tournament held at Huntington Beach, where the competition was tough. “There's some serious competitors here today that we can't hold a candle to,” one bulldog owner admitted. “Now if it was skateboarding, that would be different.”

R.J., left, and Bandit the Biker Dog catch a wave together during a practice session at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach, Calif.
R.J., left, and Bandit the Biker Dog catch a wave together during a practice session at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
'Zoey' balances on the nose of his owner's board during their heat in the tandem division at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.
'Zoey' balances on the nose of his owner's board during their heat in the tandem division at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Syd Lovelace and his dog Booda ride a wave during the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.
Syd Lovelace and his dog Booda ride a wave during the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Scott Chandler hoists his daughter Tyler Chandler, 8, up onto his shoulders as his dog Zoey balances on the nose of the board during their heat in the tandem division at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.
Scott Chandler hoists his daughter Tyler Chandler, 8, up onto his shoulders as his dog Zoey balances on the nose of the board during their heat in the tandem division at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado...   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Bandit the Biker Dog gets a long ride during his heat in the solo division at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach, Calif.
Bandit the Biker Dog gets a long ride during his heat in the solo division at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
'Cody' gets a long ride on a wave in front of the Imperial Beach Pier during his heat in the solo division at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.
'Cody' gets a long ride on a wave in front of the Imperial Beach Pier during his heat in the solo division at the 2nd Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Kia, a russell terrier, waits on her surfboard before her turn at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.
Kia, a russell terrier, waits on her surfboard before her turn at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Kia, a russell terrier, rides a wave wearing a wig on a surfboard during the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.
Kia, a russell terrier, rides a wave wearing a wig on a surfboard during the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition held in Imperial Beach, Calif.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Dozer of San Diego competes in the Surf Dog Competition of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge at Dog Beach in San Diego, Calif.
Dozer of San Diego competes in the Surf Dog Competition of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge at Dog Beach in San Diego, Calif.   (AP Photo/Purina, Gus Ruelas)
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It's baby steps. What we really try to promote is the dogs wanting to get on the board and go have some fun. - Rene Bruce, dog surfing instructor

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Deebles
Jul 18, 09 11:07 PM CDT
My lab sits on the front of my kayak. When he was a pup, I had him on my lap. As he got older, I trained him to stand on the front. The first time, though, he flipped me and since I don't have an ocean kayak even though I was in the ocean, he and his life preserver swam to shore and me and my unzipped vest and tied off fins spent an hour retrieving the flipped thing. Stay close to shore until they really get the hang of it. Word. Reply
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riffran
Jul 19, 09 6:38 AM CDT
a kayaking pooch....hmmmmm....kinda cool idea
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kokuaguy
Jul 20, 09 1:31 AM CDT
;^)
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riffran
Jul 19, 09 6:37 AM CDT
surfing has gone to the dogs... :) Reply
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