No wipeouts here! The dogs that participated in the Ohana Surf Dog Competition rode the waves like pros, and the best part of all is that there’s photo evidence that we all get to enjoy.
The competition is part of an annual event hosted by the Galveston Island Humane Society in Galveston, Texas, and it’s the one time of the year when local dogs can enjoy the great outdoors and show off their major wave-riding skills. It’s $25 for dogs to participate, and all proceeds benefit the animal shelter.
This year’s event was held on July 19 and July 20, and based on the photos that surfaced online after, it’s clear that the event was an overwhelming success.
The advertising for the event would have been enough to convince dog-lovers to hit the beach over the weekend, as this post from the @ohana_gtx Instagram account proves:
The posts that followed the event showcased just how much fun the dogs had surfin’ the waves.
One of the participants, Atticus, is a very good beach boy based on this tweet from Twitter user @ClaireMonster3:
This is Atticus. He attended the Ohana Surf Dog Competition with TitosVodka last weekend. Would like to know how you think he did. 14/10 you were fabulous buddy #ad #vodkafordogpeople pic.twitter.com/0wwCTQ64Va
— cuteanimalvines (@ClaireMonster3) July 24, 2019
While we’d like to believe they’re all winners, Nalu took home the top prize for the day. The announcement of the pup’s win was captured on video and shared online by Twitter user @surebetkeenan:
Nalu is the overall top dog winner for the 2019 Ohana Surf & Skate Dog Surf Competition.#Surfdog #competition pic.twitter.com/ma4CPq605m
— Keenan Betz (@surebetkeenan) July 20, 2019
A video from @bebellanti shows some doggos cruising on their longboards. The post’s caption called this the “best day of the year,” and we’d have to agree:
Gunther the dog got some practice riding time in the pool, according to the post from Instagram user @guntherohmybarbet:
In a hilarious before-and-after moment, Gunther’s human posted again to show the dog after the surf competition. Let’s just say this pup was craving a nap after a full day riding the waves:
You can catch even more of the action in this video of the weekend’s activities from the Galveston TV YouTube channel:
Do Dogs Like Surfing?
While all of these dogs appear to be having a great time, you may find yourself wondering if dogs actually enjoy the experience of coasting on a surfboard. According to an animal trainer, dogs who love the water might actually take to the sport quite easily!
“You only attempt surfing with dogs that really love the beach and water,” Rob Kuty, animal trainer at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in San Diego, told Healthy Pets. “Dogs who fear or dislike either are almost impossible to train to surf.”
Of course, it’s always good to be extra cautious when training a dog to surf, and if you’re interested in seeing if your dog enjoys the water sport, Healthy Pets has a whole list of tips — including making sure your dog is wearing a life vest.
Not only did the dogs who participated in this competition appear to have a great time, but they can hang 10 with the best of ’em. Way to go, doggos!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
