Kalani was riding waves before most pups have finished learning “sit.” A graduate of the “Puppy Prodigies” neo-natal development program, she caught her first wave at just 18 weeks old, and she never looked back. From 2009 to 2015, Kalani was a force in the water. She collected first-place titles in the large dog and tandem surfing divisions at big-name events like the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge and the Surf City Surf Dog competition, and she earned her place among the most accomplished canine athletes in the world.
But Kalani’s heart was just as big as her talent. A certified Canine Good Citizen and an official Love on a Leash pet therapy dog, she took her gentle, steady nature out of the surf and into the community. She brought comfort and smiles to veterans at the La Jolla VA Hospital and to students at UCSD Wellness clinics, proving that a good dog can change someone’s whole day.
In 2015, her impact on the sport and on the people around her was honored when her pawprints were enshrined in the Surf Dog Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach. Kalani set the standard for what a surf dog can be: skilled in the water, kind on land, and unforgettable to everyone she met.