In memory of Sugar, the surfing dog
Photo courtesy of Mikhael Mayim/Pexels
Dogs have got to be one of the most talented creatures on the planet. From tricks to dancing, a well-trained dog can do just about anything. One shining example of a dog’s talent comes in the form of Sugar, the surfing dog. Beloved in the hearts of many for her famous talent, it was a sad day when it was announced that Sugar had passed away on Mar. 20, 2026, according to a post made on Sugar’s dedicated Instagram account.
Sugar was born and raised in Oakland, California by her owner Ryan Rustan. According to an article from a surfing website, The Inertia, Sugar was first found as a stray “on the side of a road.” Rustan took in the poor pup that was living on the streets, and gave her all the love he possibly could. Rustan did not just save Sugar, it would seem—Sugar saved him as well. Rustan was attempting to break a bad habit of drug use when he first found Sugar, and “she helped him keep his priorities straight,” according to that same article from The Inertia.
According to an article on Edhat, Sugar’s destiny as a pro-surfer would be discovered after Rustan put her on a boogie board. Her natural talent was apparently made clear, and the next thing Rustan knew, she was riding the waves on a surf board. As time went on, Sugar reportedly even learned to lean and scoot forward and back in order to go faster.
Sugar would soon find herself entered in multiple surfing competitions, for talented pups just like her, and got quite the impressive amount of wins under her furry belt. According to an article on NBC New York, Sugar “has won multiple World Dog Surfing Championships, Surf City Surf Dog titles, and Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge titles.” Even in the face of all of these wins, her absolute highest honor came from being the very first dog inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame. She was inducted on Dec. 4, 2024, according to NBC New York.. This means that Sugar’s paw prints are forever cemented in the concrete in front of the Huntington Surf & Sport located in California.
If all this was not impressive enough, Sugar can be remembered for so much more than her surfing prowess. She was also a pup full of love who worked as a therapy dog. Further noted by NBC New York, Sugar provided therapy for both children and disabled athletes. Sometimes she would even ride out to sea on a surfboard with them. An article on NBC adds that Sugar would offer this same support to veterans as well.
When Sugar developed cancer, a great effort was made to save her. According to an article from KTLA, she “underwent surgery to remove her tumor,” and a GoFundMe was started to cover the expenses from her vet visits. Unfortunately, it would seem like there was nothing to be done. The same GoFundMe is still up to fund Sugar’s cremation, with nearly 18,000 dollars having already been donated.
According to NBC, Sugar was a whopping sixteen years old when she died—over one hundred in dog years! She lived a very long and very happy life. She was right by her owner's side, be it on land or at sea right up until her final moments. She will forever be remembered as the first dog to be inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame.