A Dog Who Knows the Tides
There’s a different kind of energy in the house on a Saturday morning. My other two dogs, the girls, stretch and greet the day with a familiar, lazy contentment. But Mylo, my wildly energetic and far-too-smart-for-his-own-good pup, knows the difference. He can sense the weekend in the very air he breathes. For him, a Saturday in Hawaii doesn’t just mean a break from the work week; it means the promise of the ocean. It means he gets to surf all day.
Our morning begins with a familiar routine: a shared breakfast, a sunny walk to stretch our legs, and the quiet thrum of anticipation. While his sisters are content with a simple walk, Mylo’s mind is already at Portlock Beach, already tasting the salt spray and feeling the rhythm of the waves. He is a creature possessed by a single, all-consuming passion: surfing. It’s a love that he initiated, a passion that he demanded we explore together, and one that has come to define our incredible bond.
He’s not a dog who was trained to do a trick for a treat; he is a true, soul-surfing waterman who just happens to have four legs and a tail. And when Mylo wants to surf—which is most days—it’s my job, and my absolute joy, to be his partner on the waves.
The Art of the Shared Wave
We like to get to the beach early, before the Hawaiian sun gets too hot for the dogs. Beach safety is always our top priority, and we keep a close, constant eye on how they’re doing, ensuring there’s always shade and fresh water available. As soon as his paws hit the sand, Mylo is ready to go. The sight of the surfboard sends him into a frenzy of joyful, spinning circles. But before we can hit the waves, I like to start the day with a group activity, so his sisters don’t feel left out.
For some strange and wonderful reason, Mylo is obsessed with chasing the splashes made by rocks hitting the water. So, for a while, I’ll throw stones into the gentle surf, and he’ll bound after each splash with a ferocious joy, a game he could play for hours. His sisters will chase after him for a bit, but they soon get bored and switch to their own games of tag on the sand. But Mylo never tires. He is a dog of boundless energy and incredible focus, a combination that makes him the perfect surfing companion.
Finally, the moment he’s been waiting for arrives. I pick up the surfboard, and he knows it’s time. We paddle out together into the calm, turquoise water, past the initial break, to where the real waves are forming. He instinctively knows where to be on the board, positioning himself near the front with the confidence of a seasoned pro. It took a few months for him to get comfortable on the board, and a few more to master the art of riding the waves from the nose, but this was all his idea. I never pushed him; I simply followed his lead. He was the one who was always demanding to ride along, and now, he’s completely and utterly addicted to the thrill.
A Rhythm of Sun, Salt, and Splashes
Once we’re out on the water, we fall into a familiar, beautiful rhythm. We wait patiently, bobbing in the gentle swell, our eyes on the horizon. Mylo gets a little impatient between sets, so I always come prepared. I keep a few small, smooth rocks in my pocket, and when the wait gets too long for him, I’ll toss one a few feet away. He’ll leap off the board, chase the splash, and then hop right back on, satisfied and ready for our next ride.
When the right wave comes, a perfect, rolling swell, the feeling is pure magic. As the wave begins to lift us, I paddle hard, and in the moment we catch it, we are in perfect sync. We glide across the face of the wave, a silent, coordinated dance between man and dog. I can feel the power of the ocean beneath us, and I can see the pure, unadulterated joy on Mylo’s face as he feels the wind in his fur, his body perfectly balanced, his spirit completely free. This is our happy place, a shared sanctuary in the middle of the mountains of water.
We usually surf for about an hour at a time. If it were up to him, we would stay out there all day, but I don’t like to keep him in the water for too long. As we paddle back to the beach, he is a picture of contentment. He greets his sisters and my wife with a happy, full-body shake, showering them in salt water, before coming up to me to deliver a barrage of grateful, happy kisses. It’s his way of saying thank you after a perfect session.
An Encore in the Evening Glow
After a long nap and a late lunch back at home, the familiar itch begins again. By late afternoon, Mylo can sense that the day isn’t over yet. He starts to follow me around, his eyes full of hopeful expectation. As I start to pack up the car for a second time, he is thrilled, trying to “help” by nudging the surfboard with his nose, his entire body quivering with excitement.
We head back to the beach for our second session of the day, Mylo’s home away from home. The evening light is different, softer and warmer, casting a golden glow over the water. We repeat our sacred routine: paddle out, ride the waves, chase some rocks, and do it all over again. Even though we literally just did this a few hours ago, for Mylo, it’s like Christmas morning every single time. The joy is just as pure, the excitement just as intense.
As we finally paddle back to the beach for the last time, the sun is beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in fiery shades of orange and pink. Mylo comes up to me and showers me with another round of salty kisses, his thank you for a day spent doing his favorite thing in the world. As we head home, he looks back at the ocean, a silent goodbye until tomorrow, his body tired but his spirit soaring. He’ll sleep well tonight, dreaming of the waves, ready to do it all over again the moment I ask, “Wanna go surfing?”
