There are two kinds of pets in this world. The ones who see water and lose their minds with joy, launching themselves in before anyone has a chance to react, and the ones who look at you with an expression that says they are reconsidering the entire relationship. Both are equally compelling. Both are equally hilarious. And both have been thoroughly documented by pet owners.
Bored Panda has put together the most hilarious, most chaotic, and most unexpectedly wholesome images of pets encountering water in all its forms. Puddles, baths, lakes, paddling pools, and the occasional very ambitious garden sprinkler, it is all here. Prepare to get a little bit emotionally attached.
#1 Kanga Had His First Swimming Lesson. Totally Wasn’t Nervous
Image source: TheKrs1
#2 Took My Dog Swimming Look How Happy He Is
Image source: latenightlyssy
#3 I Am Born A Swimmer, See I Have Big Paws?
Image source: yayabao
Cats and water have one of the most dramatically different relationships to water in the animal kingdom, and there is actually a biological reason behind it. A cat’s coat is not designed to repel water the way a dog’s is, meaning it gets waterlogged quickly and becomes genuinely uncomfortable to carry around.
On top of that, cats are control freaks by nature, and there is nothing more destabilizing to a control freak than suddenly being wet. The betrayed expression every cat pulls the moment water touches them is not performance; it is a deeply personal crisis.
#4 My Dog Climbing Out A Lake
Image source: M-i-l-o
#5 This Is My Velvet Hippo And This Is Her First Time Really Swimming
She used to hate water, but today, when we went out with our other two dogs she actually chased her ball into the lake! She had a great day and I’m so proud of her.
Image source: LemonHazeShark
#6 Swimming So Happily
Image source: my_lo_la_i_bae
Before you write off all cats as water-hating drama machines, it is worth knowing that their bigger cousins have an entirely different relationship with it. Tigers actively seek out water in the wild and are powerful, enthusiastic swimmers who use rivers to cool down and hunt prey.
Jaguars are similarly comfortable in water and have been documented diving in after fish. Even lions will wade through water when necessary. Somewhere along the evolutionary line, the domestic cat looked at all of this and decided it was absolutely not for them.
#7 About To Go For A Dip
Image source: Intervention-Rhino
#8 My Best Friend, Leia, Enjoying A Dip In Her Pool On A Very Hot Florida Day
Image source: OhGawDuhhh
#9 Nothing Like A Dip On A Hot Day
Image source: anonymous20018
If there is one breed that needs absolutely zero convincing to jump into any body of water it encounters, it is the Labrador Retriever. Originally bred in Newfoundland to help fishermen retrieve nets and haul lines from the water, Labs have webbed feet, a water-resistant double coat, and what can only be described as a spiritual calling to be wet at all times.
They are consistently ranked as one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States, which means there is a very good chance someone near you has a soaking wet Lab right now.
#10 I Work As A Canine Physical Therapist, Meet Meatball, Here For Her Weekly Swim Therapy
Image source: Benevolentbea
#11 First Time Trying Water Therapy With S’mores
I’ve been wanting to try water therapy with S’mores ever since her accident but haven’t been able to work up the courage until now. (new things are scary!). The goal here isn’t for her to attempt to swim and kick her legs like you would expect from traditional water therapy. Rather this is only to make her wet so she engages in self groomin. The idea is that while grooming herself she’ll instinctively flex and move her legs to clean them. Eventually giving them more mobility over time. This method was developed by Peter Gurney.
Image source: VanquichedUncle
#12 I Didn’t Exactly Take To Swimming Like A Duck (Toller) To Water
But in my defense, the lake is busy so it was choppy with waves and big splashes that scared me. I did a few swimmies, mostly out of necessity, and we’re going to wait for calmer waters before trying again.
Image source: ShadowLakeDog
As funny as it is to watch a dog dramatically avoid a paddling pool, keeping pets cool in summer is very serious business. Experts at the Cornell Canine Health Institute explain that dogs cannot regulate their body temperature through sweating the way humans do, relying almost entirely on panting to cool down.
When that is not enough, heatstroke can set in fast, bringing with it excessive drooling, weakness, and potential organ failure that can turn fatal within minutes. A shallow pool, a garden sprinkler, or even a wet towel can be lifesaving on a hot day. The drama of bath time is nothing compared to the alternative.
#13 Took My Dog Swimming For The First Time And He Was A Natural At Retrieving The Duck In The Water
Image source: snorpsTV
#14 I’m Cool
Image source: _fan.shu_
#15 Took My Baby Swimming
Image source: reddit.com
Not every pet on this list is a dog or a cat, and that is what makes these scenes so captivating. Ferrets, bearded dragons, pigs, and ducks have all made appearances, and each one has a completely different reaction to water that is worth documenting.
According to a 2016 estimate, 13.3% of households owned specialty or exotic pets, a massive 25.5% increase from 2011. As exotic pet ownership continues to grow, so does the internet’s access to footage of a bearded dragon experiencing a swimming pool for the first time, and honestly, that is a gift to all of us.
#16 A Kid Playing With The Dogs By The Sea
Local with his best buddies.
Image source: yamyamskie
#17 Island Boy Of Gigantes
Random dog entry: Kumpol, the island dog who adopted us. Met him on Gigantes Island, where he quietly followed us everywhere even into the sea! He swam with us, walked with us, and asked for pats like we’d known each other for a long time. There was a moment we wished we could take him home, but some souls belong to the island, and we’re just lucky to have crossed paths with this gentleman.
Image source: treblihp_nosyaj
#18 My Senior(Ish) Dog Can’t Swim By Himself Anymore So I Carry Him While He Takes A Dip
Image source: Tanimal15
Fish are the one group that nobody ever has to argue with about water, and yet somehow they still manage to be fascinating subjects in this conversation. Betta fish, for example, are so territorial that two males cannot share the same tank without an immediate and spectacular fight breaking out.
Goldfish, despite their reputation for having a three-second memory (which is actually a myth), can recognize their owners and respond to them. The pets we assume are the simplest to deal with are almost always hiding something quietly extraordinary just beneath the surface.
#19 Bella May Be Little, But Loves A Good Dip
Image source: Temporary-Pea-9054
#20 My Boi Just Dipping His Feet In The Pool
Image source: reddit.com
#21 Too Much Little Guy Shamus To The Pool For Their Annual Doggie Dip
Image source: reddit.com
There is an entire psychology behind why humans find wet animals so overwhelmingly endearing, and researchers believe it connects to the same instinct that makes us find babies irresistible. The vulnerability of a soaking wet pet, the flattened fur, the wide eyes, the slightly offended dignity, triggers a caregiving response in the human brain that is almost impossible to override.
It is the reason a photo of a drenched golden retriever shaking water everywhere gets millions of views every single time. We are biologically programmed to find this unbearably cute, and the internet knows it.
#22 This Is Einstein’s First Swim
Image source: BreakawayFL
#23 Someone Is Tired From Swimming All Day
Image source: ImpulsiveUser
#24 Our Little Pirate Pup
Dug got his eye removed 20 months ago (uveitis) and adapted so quickly with no issues!! Still plays fetch like a champ, swims, hikes, camps, chases birds, catches moles… life is good for this little pirate.
Image source: Slow_Strain_9535
Whether they leapt in with the unbridled joy of a Labrador who has just spotted a lake, or stood at the edge with the deeply offended expression of a cat who cannot believe it has come to this, every single pet on this list has one thing in common: they made it impossible to look away.
Water has a way of stripping away any pretense and showing you exactly who an animal really is. And who they really are, it turns out, is completely, hopelessly, unfailingly entertaining. We hope your screen survives the splashing!
#25 Hippo Loves Swimming
Image source: Skimper
#26 Swimming Piggies Norman And Apollo
Image source: Sieraaaxd
#27 Our Little Prince, Taking His First Dip In A The Pool To Cool Down This Summer After Playing With The Big Boys
Image source: thebigboobgoddess84
#28 10th Bday Pool Party
Image source: CarThick4662
#29 Sunday Swimming
Image source: treesntails.in
#30 Our New Family Member Is Exploring Our Pool
Image source: BreeLyn_25
#31 Scooty Cat In The Pool
Image source: astro_tuff
#32 Take A Look At This Action Shot My Mom Sent Of Her Cat Swimming For The First Time
Image source: Special_Drive_871
#33 Who Says I Cannot Swim?
Image source: lostInSpace8_8
#34 My Dads Dog Enjoying The Steaming North Sea
Image source: WinningAllTheSports
#35 I Left Him Outside For Less Than 2 Minutes And He Decided To Take A Dip In The Pool. I Had To Get In The Pool To Get Him Because He Kept Swimming Around
Image source: i_eat_sharpies
#36 Just A Quick Dip
Image source: SternStare
#37 BMan Got Tired At The Dog Park So Took A Dip In The Communal Water Bowl
Image source: reddit.com
#38 Four-Pawed Geriatric Hiking Club’s First Dip Of The Year. 11 & 10 Years Young
Image source: FrostingDumpster
#39 Small Dog Taking A Dip
Image source: CapGingerBeard
#40 He Gets Tired Of Swimming And Needs Somewhere To Rest Sometimes
Image source: estifrumoasa
#41 This Is Holly, The 18-Pound Cat That Is Going Swimming To Lose Weight
Image source: Sjindig_
#42 I’ll Swim If I Want To
Our Newf was an excellent swimmer when he was a puppy. He even did the whole rescue thing, dragging people out of the water. Since he became an adult, he wants nothing to do with swimming. He will go into the water, but only at standing depth. He’s a letdown for the breed. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Image source: hoppyending
#43 Just Chilling On A Warm Day
This is Marlo, our girl just turned 11. She has loved the pool since she was a puppy. Huge paws give her great swimming skills. She’s a big girl, 120 lbs!
Image source: Equal-Personality-24
#44 Harold’s First Swimming Lesson, He’s A Natural
Image source: angelica_star789
#45 First Swimming Experience. Look At My Terrified Little Eyes
Image source: cappu.woofcamp
#46 It’s So Hot
Image source: lissyvonne
#47 Friday Fun In The Newly Developed Concrete Lake, A Flooded Parking Area
Image source: a_kitty_named_leo
#48 Enjoying The Sun In My Kiddie Pool
Image source: nevinsdamouseslay3r
#49 First Swim Tow
Image source: fitzcapades
#50 When You Go Camping, Bring Your Dog, Devils Lake, WI
Image source: FMbutterpants
#51 Just Dipping The Paws In
Image source: reddit.com
#52 Bradley’s First River Dip In His New Stomping Grounds
Image source: reddit.com
#53 My Husko Loki Enjoying A Dip In Our Pond
Image source: barnebyjones
#54 Gravy Train Taking A Little Dip
Image source: whyhellomichael
#55 He Likes To Take Dips In The Tub
Image source: reddit.com
#56 When You Walk Into The Back Yard And Find Your Little One Skinny Dipping In The Pool! The Guilt On His Face
Image source: sinskins
#57 Might Be 12 Years Old But My Black Lab Still Loves To Jump Into The Pool And Swim After The Ball
Image source: sai_what
#58 First Swim. Hated It For The First Hour And Screeched In Protest At Me Swimming. Now Look At Her
Image source: bodhijbd
#59 First Swim In The Pool
Image source: Freddie83
#60 5 Month Old Puppy Spent His Weekend Swimming
He got comfortable with the pool the last hour. It was a hot weekend and now he is sleeping in the air conditioning all day recovering.
Image source: stressm
#61 Happy Snoot Taking A Swim
Image source: coonass_dago
#62 First Swimming Experience
Image source: orca_theshiba
#63 Try To Learn Swimming Before Shower
Image source: dxfcats
#64 When A Cat Has His Own Swimming Ring
Image source: roma.dorian.gray
#65 My Cute Little Frankie Seal Went Swimming Today
Image source: frankie.the.dutchie
#66 French Dip
Image source: PlatinumRespect
#67 Nothing Like A Carrot And A Dip In The Pool
Image source: Jonkinch
#68 The Face She Makes When You Catch Her Swimming In The Pond Right After A Bath
Image source: kelleh711
#69 Every Time We’d Open The Door He’d Run Outside And Jump In The Pool, So We Started A No Swimming Without Permission Rule
He thinks he’s found a loophole.
Image source: reddit.com
#70 Matthew’s First Pool Party. Matthew Was Very Confused By The Concept Of Pea Fishing
Image source: fasttailsandtimes
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