SUP, dog.
The underappreciated history of our furry (and occasionally not-so-furry) friends joining their human companions in the surf arguably begins in the 1930s, on the sunny shores of Waikiki. An obscure little travelogue film, titled "On the Waves at Waikiki", features one of the first recorded examples of tandem surfing with a pet - an ambitious terrier named 'Night Hawk' can be seen gliding along gentle Waikiki swells (even pulling off a "hang ten") with his human, beachboy Phillip K. Auna.
Though Hawaiians may have been inviting pets aboard their canoes, atop their boards, and into the waves prior to Captain Cook's arrival in 1778, Night Hawk and Auna are credited as the earliest and most undisputed example of a dog surfing with its human counterpart.
Film of Night Hawk and his human, beachboy Phillip K. Auna, begins at 2:38.
By 1944, National Geographic was already celebrating a "World-champion Dog Surfer" named Rusty. The 1950s saw "Scooter Boy" Kaopuiki and his dog Sandy become media sensations both locally in Hawaii and nationally, by charming audiences on TV's "You Asked For It!". Fast forward to the late 70s and 80s, San Diego's Dave Chalmers and his terrier mix Max were carving their names into surfing history, appearing together in movies and variety shows like "Amazing Animals."
Max, and his human Dave Chalmers.
While dogs are the most common pet one might see in any lineup, the idea of all kinds of pets accompanying us in our aquatic ambitions just kept growing. Over time, adventurous goats, alpacas, cats, and even a virally-famous surfing pig named Kama joined the lineup. Visionaries like Chris De Aboitiz - founder of the Dog Surfing event at Australia's Noosa Festival - helped champion this unique niche within the broader sport of professional wave-riding, proving that the thrill of surfing isn't just for humans!
Occasionally, figuring out how to integrate that unique love for one’s four-legged companion with the addictive pursuit of good waves becomes something of a natural progression. For Californian J Tyler Landon, that integration became an obsession. The obsession became a calling. And that calling evolved into a modest business located on O'ahu's North Shore. This is the story of SUPDog Hawai'i.
J Tyler Landon of SUPDog Hawaii, specialist in pet-friendly water acclimation training.
Born in San Diego, California, Tyler's mother raised a "pack" of boys and several loving dogs with her unique, can-do collaborative spirit. Tyler recalls that the beach was the favorite venue for family outings, and that his mother loved seeing her boys play. After her untimely passing, Tyler leaned into his deep connection with dogs to help process the loss and find direction in his new life chapter. For Tyler, dogs were never merely pets, nor just companions. They were reflections of his ideals; their effortless compassion had always inspired his personal sense of purpose and sense of service.
A pivotal time in Tyler’s life came in 2017. By chance, he came across a lost puppy in the middle of the Arizona desert. Taking it upon himself to rescue and keep the dog, Tyler successfully nursed her back to health. To honor the pup’s recovery, he named her 'Phoenix'. They became inseparable. Later, upon moving the island of O’ahu to pursue surfing, Phoenix often accompanied Tyler to the beach. The beach was, and always would be, sanctuary. The island life was starting to suit them both.
After Tyler found reliable work at a surf shop in Honolulu, he quickly discovered that he couldn’t stand the feeling of leaving Phoenix at home. He began bringing her everywhere - to work, on errands, and out on the ocean. They were a team in every sense. The experiences and adventures they shared, along with the bond they created as a result, convinced Tyler beyond any doubt that water training Phoenix wasn't just possible - it absolutely had to happen, no matter what.
This revelation became the genesis of Tyler's passion project and personal small business: SUPDog Hawai'i. Through his business, Tyler has made the process of acclimating your pet to surfing or paddling accessible and affordable. SUPDog prides itself on transmitting sophisticated animal training in a way that's healthy, holistic, and safe by providing group lessons, individual coaching and consulting services, along with guided tours and supervised training opportunities. Located on the Anahulu River in the heart of Hale'iwa Town, on O’ahu’s North Shore, new trainees and their humans are taught an exclusive step-by-step process, proven to put both dog and human ease while also getting both up and gliding with confidence. Tyler’s daily goal is to foster dogs and rescue people - one wave at a time. He’s an evangelist for the benefits of foundational water training, and is never short on enthusiasm to share his knowledge and passion for Stand-up Paddling, Surfing, and dog daddy life with friends and clients alike.
One day, while riding waves at "Queen's" surf break at Waikiki beach, Tyler and Phoenix shared their first of many waves with a beautiful and talented Japanese surfer, Machi.
Machi Landon
Born in Yokohama Japan, Machi also grew up in a family with loving dogs. The genuine experiences she shared with her four-legged friends inspired her sense of personal value and resilience. And like Tyler, she also dreamed of combining her love for animals with her love of riding waves. Their shared passion and purpose has led to a lifetime partnership, not merely as husband and wife but as loving fur-parents to a loyal pack of enthusiastic, wave-riding, fur-babies.
The SUPDog Hawai’i family: Machi, Tyler, & Phoenix Landon
Support Tyler, Machi, Phoenix, and the rest of their furry family at:
supdoghawaii.com
supdogfoundation.org
SUPDog Hawaii high contrast logo concept by KAIROU Waterman
