Bulldog Who Loves Swimming Holds Her Breath For An Impressive Amount Of Time To Find Her Ball

Few things are cuter than a dog who loves the water, whether they love frolicking or just fleeing from approaching waves. You might even know about this bulldog who fell in love at first sight when initially seeing the ocean. However, this British Columbia bulldog takes it to a whole new level. Meet Betty, who calls herself a "natural born swimmer" on her social channels. In a Facebook Reel, the mostly white pup with chestnut brown patches and one brown right ear paddles through a river in search of her underwater ball.

Betty's ball appears to have sunk near a giant boulder, and she has no intention of heading home without it. She zeroes in on the spot like a determined lifeguard ready for a rescue. Then, she plops her whole head completely underwater. While you expect her to pop right back up, Betty stays submerged (two seconds, three seconds, five seconds), keeping viewers hooked. After an entire eight seconds underwater (yes, we counted), she triumphantly surfaces with her beloved toy!

Ball secured, Betty prances proudly by her owner, who is videoing from nearby, and you can almost hear her saying, "Yeah, I did that!" Finally, she walks off-screen beneath some low-hanging tree branches, ready to head home for a victory nap.

Bulldogs have a knack for surprising people, from Betty the underwater adventurer to the English bulldog Petey, who howls like he's speaking his own language. These dogs certainly know how to keep us humans entertained! While Betty clearly has a talent for underwater retrieval, her impressive plunge leaves many pet parents wondering how safe swimming really is for this breed that isn't exactly built for water adventures. Even though many dog breeds love to swim and be around the water, including this German shepherd prone to nose-booping fish, bulldogs are a different story. With their short snouts, barrel-shaped bodies, and short legs, bulldogs are not generally considered built for swimming. Safety experts typically recommend life jackets and strict supervision around open water.

Fortunately, Betty's owner ensures her water sessions stay safe by keeping her in shallow river beds where the water stays below chest level. Followers of her social feed marveled at Betty's water talents and playful confidence, with one observing, "Who says Bulldogs can't swim! What a bundle of joy." Viewers also shared their amazement at how long she could hold her breath, with some noting that their own bulldogs refuse to even step foot in a puddle or wouldn't be able to do what Betty has done: "Omg, this is the best thing I've seen today! If my bulldog did this – he would 100% accidentally drown himself."

A look across Betty's social channels shows this river trip is far from a one-time event. Her pages feature a plethora of water adventures across scenic parks and rivers in British Columbia east of Vancouver and in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, proving her "natural-born swimmer" title is well-earned.