Dogs down under were riding high last weekend. Now in its 25th year, the Australian Noosa Festival of Surfing, which was held March 5 to 12, featured dozens of events for surfers and stand-up paddleboarders, both human and canine.

See the video here:

Interested in surfing with your dog?

Peter Noll of So Cal Surf Dogs offered advice on getting your dog started (originally published in AKC Family Dog):

Your dog should be comfortable swimming in ocean water and should always wear a life vest. 

Check with the lifeguard to make sure the beach is dog-friendly and that ocean conditions are safe. Ask about strong tides, and keep an eye out for the presence of jellyfish.

Don’t let your dog drink seawater. Instead, provide fresh water for him. And don’t forget to rinse out salt water at day’s end. It can be damaging to the coat.

Use a soft-topped surfboard with rubber fins that are not sharp. Never use a fiberglass board.

Provide a traction pad for the top of the board so that your dog has a soft surface to grip. Don’t use wax since it is slippery and can harm your dog’s coat.

Practice getting your dog used to being on the board using tasty treats and lots of praise on land first. Then progress to a pool, calm lake, or bay, and paddle around a bit, gradually increasing time.

If surfing isn’t your style, consider training your dog in dock diving, another fun (and impressive) water sport for dogs. Bonus: You can even earn AKC titles doing it.

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