A 6-year-old English Bulldog named Chowder has become a social media star because of his skateboarding skills. According to his social accounts, “the cool guy living his best life” has 1.6 million followers on TikTok and 175,000 on Instagram.
@chowderthebulldog A fun ice skating game at Chowder’s new favorite ice skating spot. It’s great to see him happy and doing what he loves😎. NOTE – he is an experienced professional and we take MANY safety precautions. NOT for dogs new to skating. Please see important dog skating safety notes in the pinned comments. #ice skates #dogtok #weekend #skateboarding #surf #family #petsoftiktok #family time #weekendvibes #skateboard boy #Friday #bulldogsoftiktok
Another type of Bulldog
Chowder lives with his family on Fox Island in Washington state. His mother Jani Delperdang adopted him when he was 8 weeks old. She had previously raised Bulldogs and expected Chowder to become a cuddler like the others.
“He was really different,” she said. “We’ve never had a dog like it before, not super affectionate.”
But Chowder always wanted to play.
“He has to be physically active a lot,” Delperdang said.
Because she works remotely, Delperdang takes Chowder out several times a day to play with toys, but even with all that activity, Chowder still seems bored.
“He doesn’t seem to like making dog things,” Delperdang said. “Honestly, for the first two years, we really didn’t know what to do with him.”
She worries that Chowder is depressed.
“I was really looking for neighbors to play with him, because, again, he just looked bored. You know, you can tell a happy dog to an unhappy dog, and it just isn’t. “
Chowder as a pupa. Photo: Jani Delperdang
Chowder’s Chance Encounter
When Chowder was about two years old, he was at the beach in Oregon with Delperdang and her daughter, and had a boy with skimming board.
“Chowder has never seen a board pass by,” Delperdang said. “We just happened to go for a walk when [the boy] threw it and Chowder snatched it, and he jumped on it and started riding. “
“It was just the craziest thing ever,” she said.
A crowd gathered on the beach to watch Chowder as he surfed for another 20 minutes.
“It’s just instinct, you know?” Delperdang said.
When she got home from that weekend trip, Delperdang immediately bought Chowder a skateboard.
“Within five minutes, I could tell he was just obsessed,” she said.
Chowder has found her passion.
@chowderthebulldog Hello TikTok friends! OH! Where have 4 years gone? So many special memories with the baby mice🥰. We’re so glad Chowder found her joy! Please see dog skate safety information in the pinned comments. #thisiswhatdreamsaremadeof #family #family time #joyous #love and cherish #skateboarding #skater #ice skates #dogtok #petsoftiktok #memory #weekend #shredding
“He completely changed, like he needed it,” she said.
Chowder begins by rolling in the driveway on the belly.
But Delperdang said he soon got bored with it.
“So we thought maybe we could get him to a parking lot or something,” she said. “So as soon as we did that, he just started to stand up and then ride the hill.”
On a roll
@chowderthebulldog A relaxing ice skating session with his hunters doing what Chowder loves best. #lifeisgood #chillin #dogdad #Brother #hooman #fyp #ice skates #createkindness
“He loves hills and he loves speed,” Delperdang said. “We have to be careful about that. We don’t let him ride anything too fast. You know that you can’t take your eyes off even for a minute.”
And he has the skill to adjust his body to choose the angle.
“He really enjoyed the filming, it was like his fun,” Delperdang said.
Chowder is now a skate perfectionist.
“If he had a run where he fell, we had to go back and have a good run before we left,” Delperdang said. “He understands the concept of practice.”
@chowderthebulldog Hello friends. Chowder lived for his skating time. A small vlog of our practice session today. Our focus is on making sure he’s safe and happy. Please watch our skating safety video and this video on how to stop Chowder. @chowderthebulldog Additional safety note in pinned comments. #ice skates #skateboarding #Practice #family time #adventurevibes #puppiesoftiktok #dogtok #weekendvibes #vlog
Safety is a priority, so Chowder skates only in empty parking lots and car-free areas.
“We’re really very limited in the places we take him,” she said. “And there’s a lot of fun places that we want to go to, but it’s not safe.”
Want your dog to skate? Do not push it
Delperdang said she doesn’t have any specific advice for people looking to teach their dogs to skate.
“I don’t want to tell people not to do that or anything, but we think it’s like [the dog] Like it or not,” she said. “I mean, we definitely helped Chowder improve and everything, but we were more like his assistants.”
Delperdang moved the board around Chowder to get him off to a good start and give him plenty of practice time.
“But we never had to encourage,” she said. “Our important thing is to try to achieve [the skateboard] leave him because he never wanted to quit.”
“It’s like don’t push them, make sure they’re having fun,” she says. “You know, keep the training sessions short, make it something special.”
Next: Surfing
Chowder was able to try skiing last winter and now his goal is to learn how to surf.
Delperdang said: “My daughter is a surfer and we were down on the Oregon Coast and Chowder was trying to track her down in the water. “And everyone who surfs is trying to follow in the water.”
So Delperdang ordered Chowder a wetsuit.
“And obviously his life jacket,” she said. “We’ll teach it this summer.”
Add shredded puppy
Due to its sturdy construction and low center of gravity, Bulldogs Very suitable for skateboarding. Walter and George are two other superstar Bulldog shredders, but there are other speedy breeds.
Walter & George
Alike: English Bulldogs
Age: Walter 2, George 8
Home: Bainbridge Island, WA
Instagram: @ skateboardk9
Interesting facts: Walter is one of the stars of the upcoming feature film “Pup Powder” about a sledding Bulldog and its friends, slated for release in 2023.
Darrel the Doge
Alike: Mix
Age: 3
Home: Edmonds, WA
TikTok: darrel_the_doge
Interesting facts: Darrel plays hockey and is an office dog and is an advocate for the Washington State Alzheimer’s Association. Darrel is also an ambassador for Walking to end Alzheimer’s disease.
Rowdy
Alike: Miniature Dachshund
Age: 4
Home: Hollywood, CA
TikTok: rowdy_dachshund
Interesting facts: Rowdy skates at the skate park and has been a competitive athlete since the age of 4 months, winning several Wiener greyhound titles.
Hilo
Alike: Dachshund
Age: 2
Home: Bay Area, CA
Instagram: @hilothedachshund
Interesting facts: Hilo loves hiking and adventure in the woods and on the beach.
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