Forget ‘Shark Week’: ESPN2 has a dog-surfing competition, and you can stream all the ‘best waves’ tonight
While the old proverb “every dog will have its day” was not directly referring to surfing canines, we are going to ride that metaphor like a wave anyway.
The 2025 World Dog Surfing Championships Best Waves is an adorable television competition airing tonight (Friday, August 1) at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT on ESPN2. It’s part of the network’s larger “ESPN8: The Ocho” programming, which celebrates obscure sports. Let’s dive into all the details.
A brief history of surfing
The sport of surfing is said to date back to ancient Polynesian culture. The Polynesian people were masterful wayfinders who made their way to Hawaii. On these islands, the sport took root and was incorporated into religious ceremonies.
When did dogs start surfing?
While we will probably never know who first decided to put a dog on a surfboard, it is not a new phenomenon.
Film footage from the 1930s caught a terrier named Night Hawk who loved to ride the waves. The following decade, a good boy named Rusty from California graced the pages of National Geographic.
The organization behind the World Championships for Dog Surfing claims that the concept of the sport originated on the California coast. The act of seeing a furry friend hang 10 is so adorable that it’s hard to resist watching.
What is ESPN8: The Ocho?
Popular sports cable channel ESPN agrees and will air the 2025 World Dog Surfing Championships Best Waves as part of its ESPN8: The Ocho programming on ESPN2. Every August, ESPN2 turns into ESPN8: The Ocho to celebrate obscure sports such as dog surfing.
The genesis of the idea to feature unconventional sports came from the 2004 film Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. ESPN executives took the parody channel featured in the movie and ran with it. The tradition started in 2017 and is still going strong today.
What is the “best waves” special about?
The 2025 World Dog Surfing Championships Best Waves is a video competition hosted by Kylie Speer and A.K. Crump. Judges get to critique the pups’ finest moments—there are no wipeouts here.
Canines are divided into four categories. The first three are based on size, and the last one focuses on human-and-dog duos.
How can I stream the surfing dogs TV special?
To see all the canine athletics, tune into ESPN2 at midnight tonight ET (9 p.m. PT). If you’re a cord-cutter, several live-TV streaming services offer the cable channel. Those include:
If you find yourself in Pacifica, California, on Saturday, August 2, you could even catch some dogs in action. The live in-person competition begins at 9 a.m., with additional programming such as a pet wellness fair and pet adoptions scheduled throughout the day.
Visit the World Dog Surfing website for more information, then head out and get some sand between your toes.
Cowabunga, pups!