During his first ever swimming lesson, a golden retriever puppy left everyone (including his instructor) absolutely speechless with his intriguing technique while doing lengths.
When dog owner Kali Flanagan, 30, took her 8-month-old puppy, named Duncan, for his first swimming lesson, she couldn’t wait to see him make a splash. Flanagan, from Boston, Massachusetts, had high hopes for Duncan, as she told Newsweek that the golden retriever pup “loves water” and knew he’d enjoy his first time in the pool.
That was certainly the case, as Duncan appeared to relish his first lesson, although his unique approach to paddling caught everyone by his surprise—including the swimming instructor. Indeed, as he was doing lengths, Duncan could be seen trying to eat the water as it splashed in his face. This led the instructor to tell Flanagan that she’s “never seen a dog try to eat their own splashes before.”
Flanagan, a professional hockey player for the Toronto Sceptres, said: “We wanted him to learn how to swim before the summer and while he’s still a puppy so he could get used to it and not be afraid of the water. That was his first attempt at swimming down the length of the pool, and I think he just got excited that the water was in the air in front of him.”
Duncan made sure his owner (and instructor) would remember his first swimming lesson, that’s for sure. Flanagan couldn’t resist capturing a video of her pup’s novel technique and shared it on TikTok (@kaliflanagan_), much to the internet’s delight. The footage has gone viral with over 739,600 views and more than 94,600 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
The caption alongside the clip jokes that Duncan’s “form needs some work.” Let’s hope he’s learned to stop eating the water by the time summer rolls around.
Flanagan may be an Olympic gold medalist, however it seems that her dog doesn’t quite have the same sporting prowess. She wasn’t sure what chaos to expect when Duncan got in the water, this undoubtedly wasn’t what she had in mind. Flanagan told Newsweek that the instructor’s reaction “made it even funnier” because it showed just how unique his multitasking was.
“It was so funny and cute, we were all laughing,” Flanagan said. “The reaction to the video has been awesome. Dogs are the best and make everyone smile and I’m so happy Duncan has been able to do that for people.”
In the days since the video was shared online, TikTok users have been quick to laud Duncan’s swimming, with many even joking that their own pups have a similar style.
One comment reads: “Golden retrievers ain’t living down their stereotype.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “Fighting for his life out there.”
Another person replied: “A dog can’t even multi-task anymore.”
While one commenter jested: “It’s thirsty work.”
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