PACIFICA, Calif. (AP) — Charlie the yellow lab likes surfing so much he'll grab his surfboard and run toward the water, so much so that his humans sometimes have to hide his board if they want to chitchat with friends on the beach.
On Saturday, Charlie is set to join about 15 to 20 other canine wave riders to vie for top dog in the World Dog Surfing Championships outside San Francisco. The annual contest draws thousands of spectators to Pacifica State Beach.
Participating pooches compete against similarly sized peers for a chance to appear in the finals. Additional heats feature multiple dogs surfing tandem on one board and dogs riding tandem with humans.
Judges scrutinize how long dogs remain on boards, how long they can hold their balance and whether they perform any tricks like turn around while riding waves.
Charlie, aged 10, is due to enter the extra-large single surfer heat. He'll also ride tandem with two other dogs, on what their owners call “The Dream Team.”
“He loves the crowd,” said his owner, Maria Nieboer.
In the ocean, Charlie and Maria's husband, Jeff Nieboer, prepare for waves together. When Jeff sees a good wave, he turns the board around and tells Charlie to “get ready.” At that signal, Jeff pushes the board forward and Charlie scrunches down and rides the wave as long as he can. He can even steer it, at times leaning on the board to ride toward Maria waiting on shore.
He doesn't have to be fed treats for any of this.
“Charlie does what Charlie wants to do once we’re in the water,” Jeff said.
Contest winners get medals and bragging rights.
Charlies “Dream Team” compatriot, Rosie, will be in four heats. The 4.5-year-old yellow lab's owner, Steve Drottar, said Rosie's “stoked” after they go surfing, which they do four to five times a week at home in Santa Cruz.
“It’s like, hey, we actually did something today, right? We did something together as a team," Drottar said. “And the fact that you can do something as a team with your dog creates a different bond than you have when you just take your dog for a walk.”
He can tell Rosie feels a sense of accomplishment after surfing because she's extra happy and wags her tail extra hard. She snuggles up to Drottar even more than normal.
“It’s like we go home on the couch and it feels like she’s saying, ‘Thank you,’” Drottar said.
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