Surfing with your dog
cani-paddle, cani-canoe, canyoning with your dog… I have already presented all these dog-friendly activities to you. In terms of water activities, one was therefore missing! It's all about surfing! Yes surfing with a dog is possible 😀 Riding a wave with your dog is possible.
I interviewed Al and Bastien, the French and European champions of dog surfing who usually go sliding on the waves in the beautiful seaside town of the Basque coast that is Biarritz. They tell us all about their favorite sport! Let's explore the Pays Basque with our duo and dog-surfing competitions.
Bastien picked up Al at 3 months from a farm. Living in an apartment, he knew he wanted a small dog. He was interested in the Parson Russel Terrier breed, it is from the same family as the Jack russel but larger. We can almost say that Al was born with his feet in the water! Immediately adopted by our surfer Bastien, Al already heard the call of the ocean. No time to visit his new apartment, it's at the beach that they will learn to get to know each other!
Like any good master who respects himself, Bastien has not overlooked the education of his dog. Training club and positive education with Gruyère cheese, socialization… Al very quickly became a doggy who feels good in his paws. Al had a good life but lately, with old age, his eyesight has been very bad. But don't worry about him, Al still has his unparalleled flair for feeling THE wave 😀
Surf or paddle with your dog?
I've been surfing for a long time, but I started with stand up paddle with my dog to begin. Since the board is bigger it is much more practical and more stable. Then I was lucky enough to meet a great surf brand who made me a surfboard specially made for dogs so that I could do some with Al without any problem. There's a non-slip coating and it's square-shaped at the end, not a point, so Al can grab on when starting.
Before going surfing with his dog
Yes, first of all you have to check that your dog likes water and the sea. He must be used to this environment and must be “like a fish in water”. You have to gently get him into the water, let it come from him. Go with him, quietly. You must avoid the waves for the first sessions if your dog discovers the sea! Once acclimatized, introduce him to the surfboard on the sand.
He must understand how you get on it, that you can sit or lie on it, he must be comfortable with this new object.
Once these first steps are successful, you can put the board in the water in very calm seas. Ready for the launch? Climb your dog on it and glide it around calmly. Once he is comfortable, join him on it and continue to sail quietly. After a few sessions, you can try tiny little waves, in the foam for example.
Musher and Sophie: It is crucial that these first steps are well validated by your doggie: if he does not want to, if he is not attentive, if he is afraid, ... Do not insist, you risk pointing him against this activity and farewell the dream of go surfing WITH your dog. You form a team, you have to respect your teammate. We all have our good or bad days… Take it step by step and enjoy each one. Encourage your dog. You share a special moment with your dog: enjoy it; have fun. If he feels that it makes you happy, he will be all the more attentive to what you ask him.
I strongly advise to already have basics in surfing to try this experience with his dog. There's no point in testing if you're a beginner yourself. You will chain falls and scare your dog. He won't like to fall down and drink the cup either. No need to disgust him from the start. I advise you first to try in small waves and even why not on a stand up paddle with your dog to start 🙂
Musher and Sophie: “I completely agree with Bastien, start with the paddle, the board is bigger, it will allow your pooch to get used to this sport Too W'ouf. I tell you about it in the article: Stand-up paddle with your dog – cani-paddle, the sport of summer"
When we do surfing with my dog, he is right up front on the board. When I see the wave coming, I shout “Al front, front!!” and he immediately understands that it's time to slide! If he ever falls, he goes back to the beach and waits for me quietly.
Musher and Sophie: "On a paddle, when Musher falls, she immediately comes back to me and asks me to get back on the paddle so as not to get caught in the next waves that are coming…. She doesn't like it at all and makes it clear to me. Be careful, when you fall, you have to be extremely vigilant on the board. You have to be able to prevent it from hitting your dog. Or that it passes over him and he finds himself below, under water... In paddle, you must also avoid throwing the paddle on his head. These are two magical sports to share with your dog, but with two on the board, you have to watch out for your teammate.”
Your dog's equipment
For me, my surfboard, a paddle sometimes and the leash to hang on the foot.
Al to his dog life jacket it is really very useful! It will allow your dog to tire less while swimming and float easily when falling off the board. It's also much easier to hoist him onto the board thanks to the harness handles. I also always take cani-bags just in case to leave the beach clean 🙂
Where to surf with your dog?
I just Biarritz with my dog about Landes, it is the ideal place for surfing, but unfortunately many beaches are forbidden to dogs. That's why I often go to do it in the evening (no one ever told me anything). Dogs are now prohibited on all beaches in Biarritz. Which is very unfortunate. If not during the day, I go to Le Pavillon Royal beach, you have to go along a campsite, then you arrive on a beach by a path, I go there all the time.
Before we did dog surfing competitions au Old Boucau. These competitions were organized by the doggie surfer association. They now organize caniathlon. Every time they organized cani-surfing competitions the weather conditions were bad… So it was too dangerous.
Al: a fearless dog
Nothing scares him! It is small but very sporty and resistant as a breed. He dives into the big waves, he swims… A real fish in the water, tireless! As soon as I put on my wetsuit and take out the board, he's like crazy because he knows it's time to go surfing 😀
For my part, it is a real happiness what I share with him. It's a new challenge every time. We always learn more new tricks, we take turns… We never go straight! :))
Bastien's story
People often come to see us, Al is a real star in Biarritz, especially since we are the French and European champions of dog surfing! He's kind of Biarritz's mascot now 😀
Surfing: a sport for all dogs?
I don't think snub-nosed dogs are made for water, although I've seen a bulldog that surfed really well! With a small dog of course it's much easier, the bigger the dog the more difficult it is.
Al' and Bastien's Too W'ouf Addresses
Unfortunately for the beaches no. But otherwise I take my dog everywhere with me. Biarritz is a very beautiful city to visit with your dog, there are cani-bag vending machines spread across the city. There is a bar restaurant that accepts dogs, etxola bibi, at the top of the Basque coast with a view of the sea which is very good and which I recommend.
Musher and I hope this article has made you want to try the surf with your dog! For amateurs, take into account the advice of Al and Bastien, do not embark on the adventure without knowing this sport well. If you want to know more about this Wouafement Bien duo, head to their Instagram account: @aldogsurfer