How To Keep Your Dog Safe While Surfing
Dog surfing rocks!!! But there are things to watch out for while your pooch is learning to shoot the curl. Follow these rules and your four-legged pal will stay out of harm's way while chasing the perfect wave.
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.
