At The Hang 20 Surf Dog Classic, Pups Will Catch Some Waves For A Good Cause

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If you want to see dogs show off their surfing skills, you’ll definitely want to head to Carlin Park next weekend.

Furry Friends, a no-kill shelter and clinic in Jupiter, will be hosting its inaugural Hang 20 Surf Dog Classic on Aug. 29. The event will be filled with doggie yoga, food, live music, and yes, a surfing contest for dogs. 

The competition, which starts at 8:30 a.m., will feature four heats of about eight participants each. Spots for the contest are almost booked, and those that have signed up are taking the event pretty seriously. In fact, some have even been taking lessons in the weeks leading up to the contest.

Among those catching some waves will be an 8-month-old shepherd/collie mix named Bella. The pup is currently residing at Furry Friends and is available for adoption. 

“She’s ready to hop on your family’s surfboard,” Furry Friends president Pat Deschong said. 

Vendors such as Coffee Culture, Jersey Mike’s Subs and Burrito Bros will be selling food and drinks at the event. There will also be stations with clothing, jewelry and candles for purchase.  

Proceeds from the event (after expenses) will go to the shelter.

Deschong said she is most excited just to see families come out with their pets and enjoy the afternoon at the beachfront park. 

“Floridians, they love their water, they love their beach,” she said.

She’s not worried if there’s a bit of rain either—actually, some clouds would be preferable. 

“Surfers don’t care about that, you know, and dogs, they really don’t care,” she said. “[I] would love it to be a little overcast, so I’m not out there sweating so much.”

Furry Friends is already looking forward to a bigger Hang 20 event for next year, and they’ve even set a date: Aug. 27, 2016. Deschong said she hopes that next time the live music and festivities can extend through the early evening. 

The schedule for Hang 20 Surf Dog Classic is as follows. 

Beach Registration: 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Doggie Yoga: 8:00am – 9:00 a.m. (sign up here)

Small Dog Surf Heats: 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. 

Medium Dog Surf Heats: 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. 

Large Dog Surf Heats: 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 

SUP Dog Surf Heats: 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 

Navy SEAL Dog Show: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

K9 Services Unlimited Demonstration: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Awards Ceremony: 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

Food & Music & Shopping: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 

Music Schedule: 

Band 1: 11:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. 

Band 2: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Furry Friends website or the event’s Facebook page

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