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Huntington Beach Today
By the People, for the People
Sugar The Surfing Dog, Hall of Fame Inductee, Dies at 16
The pioneering canine surfing champion was also a beloved therapy dog.
Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:18am
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A beloved canine surfing champion and therapy dog is memorialized through a vibrant, energetic painting that captures the thrill and athleticism of her time on the waves.Huntington Beach TodaySugar The Surfing Dog, the first canine inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame, has died at the age of 16 after battling cancer. The rescue dog from Huntington Beach, California was a five-time dog surfing world champion known for her natural talent and ability to balance on a surfboard, often riding the waves alone or alongside her owner Ryan Rustan. In addition to her surfing accomplishments, Sugar spent her days outside the water comforting veterans as a dedicated therapy dog.
Why it matters
Sugar's induction into the Surfer's Hall of Fame in 2024 was a landmark moment for the sport of dog surfing, which she helped elevate and popularize through her impressive skills and charismatic personality. As a therapy dog, Sugar also made a meaningful impact on the lives of veterans in her local community of Huntington Beach.
The details
Sugar was found as a stray and over the years developed a remarkable talent for surfing. Dressed in a life jacket, she would balance on her surfboard and ride wave after wave back to 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 alongside renowned human surfers in the Surfer's Hall of Fame.
- Sugar was inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame in 2024.
- Sugar died on Monday, March 31, 2026 after battling cancer.
The players
Sugar The Surfing Dog
A 16-year-old rescue dog from Huntington Beach, California who was the first canine inducted into the Surfer's Hall of Fame. She was a five-time dog surfing world champion known for her natural talent and ability to balance on a surfboard.
Ryan Rustan
Sugar's owner who often surfed alongside her.
The takeaway
Sugar's remarkable life and career as a pioneering canine surfer and beloved therapy dog left an indelible mark on her local community of Huntington Beach and the broader surfing world. Her induction into the Surfer's Hall of Fame was a historic milestone that celebrated the sport of dog surfing and the special bond between humans and their canine companions.
