Ricochet is a golden retriever that started out her life to become a service dog. She started the training and that was to be her destiny. Well after some time it became apparent that she was just not quite cut out for a service position due to her interest in chasing prey, but she had great qualities and her owner knew she should do something with her. Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s pet-parent, wanted to let her do what she loved and that was surfing. Yes, Ricochet’s favorite thing was to get on her surf board and ride the waves. Judy utilized this skill and Ricochet’s role went from service dog to SURFice dog, and now she raises funds and awareness for charitable causes. Ricochet becomes another dog when out on the water, she truly loves it there.
With this ability, Ricochet has raised money for a Christmas toy drive that helped raise enough funds to help 630 children in various hospitals and women’s shelters have Christmas presents. Ricochet has also helped many children with disabilities realize they too can have some fun surfing. She helped a six year old boy, Ian, which lost both of his parents in a deadly car accident and left him with a damaging brain injury. The accident left him in the constant care of his guardians. This boy use to surf daily with his father before the accident and was having a hard time after the accident until he met Ricochet. Ricochet got on the board with him and surfed with him. The boy and Ricochet had a great day and it was a life changing moment for the boy’s guardian. It brought hope to them since the boy was trying to do new things, even though his brain injury has left him disabled and in total care of others. For just that day at least he felt normal again riding the waves with the beautiful golden retriever named Ricochet. They are continuing their efforts with Ian and helping to raise money for his therapies.
Ricochet currently just finished surfing in an event September 12, 2010 for the Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Dog Surf-a-thon. This event was to bring awareness for orphaned animals, help raise funds for them and to promote responsible pet owners. Ricochet was the top fundraiser for that event as she raised more money for that event than any other participant in the five years it has been going. Ricochet helped rise over $3000. Since Ricochet just loves surfing she also on September 19 participated in the Surf City Surf Dog surf contest in Huntington Beach. Chase Away K9 Cancer was her beneficiary. She surfed for her doggie friend, Chase, and all other dogs that have lost their lives to cancer. She helped raise $1,234 in funds for canine cancer.
Ricochet has her own Facebook page and has many members that watch for posts. She has her own website that shows all the amazing things she has done and is doing. She is an ambassador to the Pay it Forward Foundation for donating a year’s supply of dog food to a local animal shelter. Ricochet is a certified goal directed therapy dog through the Pawsitive Teams and a registered animal assisted activities therapy dog through the Therapy Dogs International as well as a canine good citizen. Judy is a certified professional dog trainer as well. The main message that Judy wants people to understand with Ricochet is that people need to change their focus to what they can do instead of what they cannot do and by doing this amazing things can happen.
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