Service Dog Teaches Disabled to Surf: It's a Wonderful Life for Ricochet

DANA POINT, CA —There's an 8-year-old golden retriever who lives for helping the disabled...learn to surf. You might see this golden dog on the golden coast of Huntington Beach, or assisting Surfers Healing with their One Perfect Day for children with autism in Dana Point.

Wherever you see the Surf Dog, Ricochet, you'll know this dog is living and helping others live a wonderful life.

Puppy trainer Judy Fridono has changed the lives of many disabled southern Californians with her training service dogs, as well as her service dog, Ricochet.

If there was ever a dog born to serve, Ricochet is it according to Fridono. As a puppy, she was entered into the Puppy Prodigies neonatal and early learning program where dogs start learning how to serve others even before they even open their eyes.

"I focus on puppies from the time they are born until they are 7-weeks-old, that's my specialty," she said.

Ricochet was trained to become a personal service dog for a person with a disability but when the spirited pup developed a habit for chasing birds, something that could be detrimental to someone relying on her, it seemed her future as a service dog was in jeopardy.

"I tried for months to make her something she wasn't," Judy said."But finally I had to release her from the program and focus not on what she couldn't do, but what she could. Which was surfing."

Ricochet has surfed with people with disabilities since 2009.

Graduating from Service Dog to "Surf-ice" Dog

Ricochet and Fridono have helped many southern California residents cope with and rise above their disabilities from tandem surfing in her first fundraiser to raise money for a 15-year-old quadriplegic surfer, Patrick Iverson, to assisting children with autism learn to overcome fear of water and even fear of dogs. They initially raised $10,000 for Patrick's physical therapy program and their fundraising blossomed from there.

As of fall, 2016, Ricochet has raised close to $500,000 in support of over 150 causes, most of which come to her through her Facebook page.

Her viral video has been viewed over 6-million times which shows the puppy from birth to surfing. Ricochet continues to show her merit as a service dog, alerting to people's anxiety or pain and even to seizures. Her alert is to stop and plant her feet, according to Judy.

"Ricochet was assisting a female marine who suffered from seizures. While walking with her, Ricochet 'planted' and the woman was encouraged to sit down," Judy said. "A few moments later, that woman had a seizure. Ricochet knew the woman needed to sit down."

Ricochet recently surfed with a boy named West, affected by autism, who was afraid of both dogs and water.

"One day, they were riding a wave together and both fell off the board at the same time," she said. "Ricochet immediately turned to watch West, and didn't take her eyes off of him until they made eye contact."

Find out more on this special needs dog that is changing the lives of so many disabled across the state and the world.

For more information, follow: Facebook.com/SurfDogRicochet

Watch and learn more at www.So-CalSafari.com