04:32Thousands of dog lovers and their furry friends gathered at a beach in San Diego's Del Mar on Sunday for the 19th annual Dog Surf-a-Thon event, the longest-running competition for wave-riding canines in the United States.
Footage shows dozens of 'pawsome' pups showing off their surfing skills as crowds of spectators watched from the Del Mar Dog Beach.
Around 65 dogs of all shapes and sizes took to the waves, competing in 10-minute heats where a team of judges rated them on the length of their ride, technique and confidence.
"They're actually looking for the ability of the dog to stand the board, their ability to catch the wave, their form, just like a normal surf competition," one of the organisers said.
"We have it categorised by their size. So we go extra small, small, medium large, extra large," she added. "Then we take the winner from each category, and they compete for 'best in surf'."
The event also hosted a costume contest, allowing dogs and their owners to get creative. Proceeds from the competition go to the Helen Woodward Animal Center, which cares for orphaned pets.
Paws-itively awesome! Surfing dogs make waves at iconic San Diego competition
Thousands of dog lovers and their furry friends gathered at a beach in San Diego's Del Mar on Sunday for the 19th annual Dog Surf-a-Thon event, the longest-running competition for wave-riding canines in the United States.
Footage shows dozens of 'pawsome' pups showing off their surfing skills as crowds of spectators watched from the Del Mar Dog Beach.
Around 65 dogs of all shapes and sizes took to the waves, competing in 10-minute heats where a team of judges rated them on the length of their ride, technique and confidence.
"They're actually looking for the ability of the dog to stand the board, their ability to catch the wave, their form, just like a normal surf competition," one of the organisers said.
"We have it categorised by their size. So we go extra small, small, medium large, extra large," she added. "Then we take the winner from each category, and they compete for 'best in surf'."
The event also hosted a costume contest, allowing dogs and their owners to get creative. Proceeds from the competition go to the Helen Woodward Animal Center, which cares for orphaned pets.
Thousands of dog lovers and their furry friends gathered at a beach in San Diego's Del Mar on Sunday for the 19th annual Dog Surf-a-Thon event, the longest-running competition for wave-riding canines in the United States.
Footage shows dozens of 'pawsome' pups showing off their surfing skills as crowds of spectators watched from the Del Mar Dog Beach.
Around 65 dogs of all shapes and sizes took to the waves, competing in 10-minute heats where a team of judges rated them on the length of their ride, technique and confidence.
"They're actually looking for the ability of the dog to stand the board, their ability to catch the wave, their form, just like a normal surf competition," one of the organisers said.
"We have it categorised by their size. So we go extra small, small, medium large, extra large," she added. "Then we take the winner from each category, and they compete for 'best in surf'."
The event also hosted a costume contest, allowing dogs and their owners to get creative. Proceeds from the competition go to the Helen Woodward Animal Center, which cares for orphaned pets.