Coppertone, a rescue Miniature Dachshund, is already a star for her surfing prowess, but she received the national spotlight on New Year’s Day as part of the Surf Dog Float in the Rose Bowl Parade.
The float, at 90 feet long and 148,000 pounds, set a Guinness World Record for the heaviest and longest float ever featured in the parade. The Lucy Foundation, a pet adoption organization, created the float that featured an 8,000 gallon wave pool on which the dogs surfed back and forth as the float was pulled along the parade route in Pasadena, CA.
Coppertone was near death when California residents Heather & Lori Sims rescued her as a young puppy. They spent nights feeding her with an eye dropper because she was too weak to eat on her own. The veterinarian gave her little chance of survival, but the puppy pulled through. The Sims says that fighting spirit has made the now 4-year-old dog a fierce competitor in many sports, including dock diving and earthdog. But Coppertone is most famous for her amazing surfing ability.
The Today Show host Al Roker’s reaction to the float and specifically Coppertone made headlines and was featured on the NBC morning show:
Coppertone is enrolled in the AKC Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) program with the formal name of Coppertone Rock Stars Groupie JE DN CGCA CGCU. The PAL program is for purebred dogs who are not eligible for full AKC registration for various reasons, including being a rescue.