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Hundreds Pay Tribute To Beloved Surfing Bulldog Named Tillman

OXNARD (CBSLA.com) — A paddle-out tribute was held for Tillman, a Southern California dog that skateboarded and surfed his way into fame until his passing last week.

The tribute off the coast of Oxnard for the English bulldog that also made his mark on social media was held Sunday afternoon.

"Tillman, you know, he's a special dog. And a lot of people, he put a smile on a lot of people's faces and the world is gonna miss him, I think," Ron Davis, Tillman's owner, said.

Tillman was known around the world and liked to ride through life riding the wave. The dog died last week at the age of 10.

On Sunday, about 200 people and their pets came to say "goodbye," while Tillman's beloved board carried him for one final ride out onto the ocean where Davis spread his ashes.

"I can believe the crowd because this dog brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people," said Kim Murphy, a friend.

"Tillman would be so, so thrilled. He loved seeing old friends and loved the ocean," Davis said.

"I'm really sad for Ron. I mean, you know, that dog, he was just a special dog. He snowboarded. He skateboarded. He surfed," Debbie Metlow, another friend, said. "He just lived to be on that board."

Tillman also loved to perform in front of large crowds and was even on television shows. Tillman had his own Facebook page with 370,000 followers.

"You know, born into the social media era," Davis said.

For five years running, Tillman was the prized pooch in the Rose Parade and millions marveled at his remarkable skills.

"He'll live in my heart and you know, he's out there," Davis said.

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