Dachshund Swims in the Sea for the First TimeâThings Do Not Go to Plan
A miniature dachshund's first foray into sea swimming has left people in stitches after going viral on TikTok.
In a video with more than 2 million views, Otis the dog had a less-than-ideal first go at swimming in the sea in Wales, in the U.K.
In the brief, but hilarious, nine-second clip on TikTok, Otis' owner gently places the tiny pup into the shallow water. The caption reads: "Otis had his first sea swimming experience today, it didn't really go too well."
And indeed, within just five seconds of touching the water, Otis' tiny body unexpectedly flipped over, dunking his head under the water and leaving his owner scrambling to pull him back up.
Soaked and looking distinctly unimpressed, Otis emerged from the water, clearly not thrilled with his aquatic adventure. The video caption added: "Otis didn't think so much of his first sea swim."
@otistheminisausagedog Otis didn't think much of his First Sea swim at Oxwich bay today !! #lovedogs #doglove #swim #swimming #OhNo #dogswim #dogswimming #sea #seaswim #oxwich #Wales #uk #dach #dachshund #dachshundsoftiktok #dachshundpuppy #otis #sausage #dogsoftiktok #dogs #sunshine #sun #family #fyp #foryourpage #foryoupage #foryou#foryour#viral #funny #funnyvideos #viralvideo #tiktok #fyp #fypage
⬠original sound - OtistheSausage
The hilarious clip quickly went viral as viewers headed to the comments section to react and even offer advice.
"10/10 for effort though," said one enthusiastic viewer. While another quipped: "Oops, I capsize."
Other dog owners shared stories of their own dogs trying to swim and struggling. One viewer said: "It's a long-bodied, short-legged dog problem. My corgis were the same trying to swim, then they realized they needed to use their tails like a rudder to stop themselves from rolling."
Another commenter suggested a solution for Otis' aquatic challenges: "Awww, he has a flotation imbalance, get him a little rubber ring." While several other TikTokers shared how they had solved similar issues with their dachshunds by using life jackets.
"Our mini dachshund did the same thing. We got him a little shark life jacket, at first he still got a little sideways with it but now he's a pro! Too cute. This video made me chuckle," one user wrote.
In a follow-up post, Otis' owner explained that they have now got him his own life jacket, and after a few tries, he is now well on his way to becoming a confident sea dog, with no more unplanned flips.
Dachshunds, especially the miniature variety, are known to have a natural instinct to swim. But their unique body shape—long bodies and short legs—makes it more challenging for them to stay buoyant and balanced in the water. While some dachshunds can become strong swimmers with practice, many require the assistance of a life jacket to help them feel secure and avoid tiring too quickly.
Newsweek reached out to @otistheminisausagedog via TikTok for comment.
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