Here’s how to teach your old dog new tricks!
A while ago I met an older couple on the Higher Ferry in Dartmouth. There we were, foot passengers, and my dogs were sitting waiting for their favourite ferryman to give them a biscuit. Today Otto and Barbara felt it was worth the effort for this particular guy – not every ferryman has the necessary pocket treat, they’ve found.
And today Jeff and Eileen were also on board with their little terrier crossbred, Pippa. Jeff and Eileen were retired and staying in a a holiday home in Brixham.
Eileen was petite in stature, under 5 ft tall, a lady in her60s, a kindly face and unassuming nature.
Just chatting, I found Eileen had an interesting story to catch my imagination!
Eileen was an avid coastal swimmer and Pippa, the trusty terrier, was fanatical about Paddleboarding.
It had all started to innocently – Eileen in the water, floating on her body board. Then Pippa wanted to join in. All change, Pippa happily balanced on the board and Eileen pushed her around.
Well, that was it – the little dog decided she quite liked being all aboard and became obsessed with every outing.
Stage two – and Eileen had the Paddleboard out. Pippa wanted to be there, sitting on the front.
So, Pippa is an avid Paddleboarder now – and Eileen even said the dog even board hops onto neighbouring peoples’ boards if she gets the chance.
I wondered whether it is easy to teach your dog to paddle or surf? I’d spoken with Clients in my Vet days whose dogs regularly sat on the Paddleboard nose. And I remember reading stories of dogs surfing and riding the waves in Miami and Honolulu.
Well may be if you don’t feel you can take a softly approach teaching your dog, I found something to help..
Bring on the Reef Dogs Canine Surfing School
These guys are located at Saunton Sands in North Devon and is the first Surf School for dogs in the UK. It was founded in 2017 and makes training your dog a fun and positive adventure. And rewarding for both you and your best friend.
Since the 1920s there have been Surfing dogs documented in competitions and films in both the USA and Australia. But its relatively new in the UK.
So come on! Sign up to ReefDogs courses and teach your dog, like Pippa, to surf. Most importantly the dogs have fun with reward based training, with the dogs’ well-being the primary concern. So much so that your dog chooses whether it wants to get involved.
The programme sounds great – starting with small steps into full blown surf dudes.
There is an introduction to the board and simply standing and floating on it, progressing to ideal positioning and being able to stand and not be distracted.
Your dogs get confident in the water, strengthen their balance and start to ride calm waves to shore. And then the possibilities are endless!
Your dog even gets to the use of the board and a life jacket within the tuition fee.
I’m not sure if Pippa, our terrier friend, ever went to this Surf School, but I certainly wish I’d heard of these guys and taken mine to enjoy the waves.