Charlie the 10-year-old yellow lab loves surfing so much that he grabs his surfboard and runs toward the water, and his humans sometimes have to hide his board if they want to chat with friends on the beach. Charlie joined about 15 to 20 other talented canine wave riders at the World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacifica, California, where thousands of spectators gathered to watch labs, terriers, and spaniels in colorful life vests paddle out into the Pacific Ocean. The dogs competed in different size categories, with judges scoring them on how long they stayed on their boards, maintained balance, and performed tricks like turning around while riding.
Iza, a 5-year-old French bulldog, won the single surfer heat for medium-size dogs for the first time this year, with her owner David Fasoli finding “pure joy” in their partnership that began during the pandemic when he taught her to balance on a surfboard in their swimming pool. Fasoli, who has a disability and only one hand, said their success represents “defying the odds of what people think we’re capable of doing.” The competition showcased the special bond between dogs and their owners, with Steve Drottar explaining that surfing with his lab Rosie four to five times a week creates “a different bond than you have when you just take your dog for a walk.” As Charlie’s owner Jeff noted, “Charlie does what Charlie wants to do once we’re in the water,” proving that these surfing dogs are living their best lives riding the waves.