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Sugar the Surfing Dog has become the first dog to be inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame. During an induction ceremony last Thursday, Sugar’s paws were stamped into concrete outside the Huntington Surf and Sport shop in Huntington Beach. They now reside alongside icons such as Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Gerry Lopez and Duke Kahanamoku.
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame pays tribute to people who “have made an indelible mark on the sport, industry, and culture of surfing.” To earn her place in a lineup that most recently inducted Jamie O’Brien, Jeff Deffenbaugh and Ilima Kalama, Sugar has won five World Dog Surfing Championships, and five Huntington Beach Surf City Dog Championships.
In addition to competitive accolades, Sugar’s owner, Ryan Rustan, credits the 14-year-old-dog with helping him overcome mental health and addiction struggles, as he told NBC. Now, the animal helps others as well. “She does a lot of surf therapy for lots of kids,” Rustan explained. “It’s not just about surfing against people but also putting smiles on the little kids’ faces and the athletes that are disabled. She gets to ride with them.”
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