An Australian dog trainer and former surfing champion has taken to the waves with his rescue dogs to use the discipline of surfing as a way of teaching owners to build healthy relationships with man's best friend.
Chris de Aboitiz has been hitting the waves with his dogs for around 10 years and has since taken to using the sport as a method of teaching people to understand their dogs. He travels up and down the Australian east coast with his four dogs, all rescued from shelters, using this unique method to teach owners and encourage them to take a more disciplined approach with their pets.
"It's about disciplining,” Aboitiz said. “It's just like raising a child. When they're on here they are not allowed to move. He's looking for birds right now, see how he's looking around. He's allowed to be curious but not move. So, when we're surfing with the dogs, they're allowed to look around but not do what they want to do."
Aboitiz said that he finds people will sometimes choose euthanasia or give their pets away because they become too much hassle and they don't have control over them.
He said he has had a positive response from dog owners, some of whom had taken to the waves with him, while others have embraced his training but stuck to land.
