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By Liz O'Connell
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Dogs love to get dirty and messy, splashing in puddles every chance they get, but one small dog might not go near another puddle after underestimating the size of one.
This bulldog named Doug was out on a walk with his owners and another dog. They came across a big puddle in the grass that the other dog managed to jump right across easily, avoiding the water. But given that bulldogs are short and stumpy, this doggo's little legs most likely would not have made the leap.
Instead, Doug decided to walk through the puddle. But he miscalculated the depth of the puddle horribly and it backfired.
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The January 10 TikTok video captured the moment Doug went for the puddle, all full of confidence at first. But as soon as his paw hit the water, the rest of his body followed. He was completely submerged.
The caption reads: "Disclaimer: he had loads of cuddles after this."
Don't worry: The owner reacted immediately and pulled Doug up by his harness. He was drenched and probably a little shaken up. One cannot blame him for underestimating the puddle either. The puddle was misleading to many of the 5.7 million viewers who watched.
One wrote: "To be fair, so did I."
Another added: "I just know that scared the soul out of that pup for a hot second."
"Love how he's still trying to paddle after he's been rescued," commented a viewer.
The owner wrote in the comment section that Doug was "paddling for his life."
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Viewers are also applauding the owner for his lightning-quick response. While bulldogs can swim, they aren't known to be natural or strong swimmers.
A bulldog's build is one of the reasons. Their short snout means they have to tilt their head up while swimming. This makes it harder for them to float. Plus, their natural muscle is denser and heavier, which, again, makes it more challenging for this dog breed to swim.
Bulldogs also have short legs, with an average height of 15 to 19 inches. Now, it is important to note other small dogs are great swimmers, but a bulldog's small size mixed with their other physical attributes is why most bulldogs are not great swimmers.
But just because they are not known to be strong swimmers does not mean they all cannot swim. With time, patience and safety precautions, owners can teach their bulldogs to swim.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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