Meet Ricochet, the golden retriever bred and raised to wear the harness of a service dog. She excelled in her service training until the day came when her trainers realized that her retriever instincts were just too strong. Though she tried her best, Ricochet had to step down from the Puppy Prodigies program.
How Ricochet Became a Surfing Service Dog
Owner and trainer Judy Fridono had been teaching Ricochet to surf. When she won a few ‘Surf Dog’ competitions, her owner decided to have Ricochet help in fundraising for people with disabilities. But the best was yet to come.
Ricochet is the only SURFice dog® on the planet that interacts and surfs with kids with special needs, people with disabilities, wounded warriors, & veterans with PTSD.
At her first fundraising event, Ricochet loved sharing a wave with her fundraising recipient and spinal cord injury survivor Patrick Ivison. She even hopped onto Patrick’s board and used her gift for balance to help the pair cruise perfectly to shore. From that moment on, tandem adaptive surfing with a service dog was born. Her trainer describes the extraordinary moment in detail here.
Ricochet and Patrick’s relationship set the tone for her work and life. She has continued adaptive surfing and fundraising for special people, winning many awards along the way from the AKC, American Humane Association, and others. She still enjoying surfing in Surf Dog competitions and just for fun.
Featured image via: Ricochet’s Facebook
