We just assume all dogs know how to swim, but they aren’t born with the skill. Even they have to learn at some point.

And puppies get the “sink or swim” lesson that some of us got as kids: into the water and paddle for your life (that’s not recommended, by the way, just a recipe for trauma)!

Of course, not every pup is the same, so just like kids, some will be eager to jump in and others…well, not so much.

But swimming is an important life skill and if you’re anything like one yellow labrador retriever with 6(!) children to manage, you need to suck it up at some point, especially if you live near water.

Now, part of the reason this video is so cute is that we don’t know much about the story behind it. For all we know, a dog dad decided to take the kids to the pond one day to fulfill his duty to give them their first lesson – that’s sure what it looks like.

We hope he talked it over with mom first – especially since he’s bringing them all home soaking wet. And you just know she’s the one who is going to have to lick them dry.

Luckily, labradors are natural swimmers. That’s where the “retriever” in their name comes from – they were bred to retrieve waterfowl on hunting expeditions.

Now, if you were to look at dogs like dachshunds or bulldogs, you’d see that their bodies are not built for the water – uneven weight distribution and short paws are not paddling friendly! That doesn’t mean they can’t learn, but for the most part it’s going to be tough.

One puppy seems to have a great affinity for the water and dad takes him out a bit deeper for some practice.

Meanwhile, some goofball is off to the side drinking pond water and thinking “wait, IN the water?!”

But dad sets a good example – he gets his face wet, keeps his body in the pond so the kiddos know it’s safe, and gives them a nose boop on the shore to encourage the more reluctant one.

Your turn, he “says.”

And he’s such an amazing guide – it’s heartwarming to watch. Dad is walking/treading right beside his son or daughter as they take their first dip, just in case they need help!

We have to admit, we’ve never seen a doggy swim lesson before and we assumed it was humans that taught their pets how to swim. Of course, sometimes it is, but we should have given more credit to those active dog parents!

For the less enthusiastic puppies (which is most of them), dad runs in and out of the water, possibly trying to find a better shoreline from which to launch his lesson.

All of the pups are happy to run after him around the pond.

And it’s not clear if dad is trying to get in some exercise as part of the playdate or wear out his more rambunctious – and therefore less cooperative – puppies, but he takes them for a jog around the tall grass before heading back to the pond to see if he gets some more takers on this swim lesson.

It’s very cute to watch them all tail after him (no pun intended) as he bounds around in the grass.

[imgsrc caption="YouTube screenshot/Rumble Viral" link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tuQ_xiXNwc"]

Then, he tries to lead them back into the water, one by one. (And, of course, the straggler throughout the video is still straggling – he’s one to keep your eye on!).

He’s definitely turned one puppy into a swimmer by the end of the video! That’s got to be the first-born (eldest children know what I’m talking about here)!

And while he does manage to sell the swim lesson to some of the other siblings, you’ll have to scroll down below to see if they all get in the water or if our straggler watches from shore.

It’s a video bound to make you smile, so be sure to catch it down below.

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Source: Rumble Viral via YouTube, AKC.org