Beloved Surfing Dog Sugar Dies at 16

The five-time world champion canine surfer was the first dog inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 5:21am

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Sugar The Surfing Dog, a 16-year-old rescue dog from Huntington Beach, California who was a five-time dog surfing world champion and the first canine inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame, has died after battling cancer. Sugar spent her days outside the water comforting veterans as a dedicated therapy dog and was known for her natural talent and ability to balance on a surfboard, riding wave after wave back to shore.

Why it matters

Sugar's passing marks the end of an era for the sport of dog surfing, which she helped pioneer and popularize through her impressive skills and inspiring story. As a beloved local legend, Sugar's impact extended beyond the waves, as she advocated for rescue dogs and brought comfort to veterans through her therapy work.

The details

Sugar was found as a stray and over the years, her love of the waves and natural talent took dog surfing to new heights. Dressed in a life jacket, spectators would watch in amazement as the furry white canine balanced on her surfboard, riding wave after wave back to the shore, sometimes with her owner, Ryan Rustan, by her side and other times all on her own. In 2024, Sugar's paw prints were immortalized in concrete in Huntington Beach when she was inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame.

  • Sugar died on Monday, March 31, 2026.
  • Sugar was inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame in 2024.

The players

Sugar The Surfing Dog

A 16-year-old rescue dog from Huntington Beach, California who was a five-time dog surfing world champion and the first canine inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame.

Ryan Rustan

Sugar's owner, who often surfed alongside her.

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The takeaway

Sugar's remarkable life and career as a world-champion surfing dog served as an inspiration to both the surfing community and animal lovers alike, demonstrating the incredible capabilities of rescue animals and the power of the human-animal bond.