Alfie the Cocker Spaniel puppy didn’t always look like a natural swimmer. In fact, his first swim had a nervous energy that a lot of puppies bring to brand new things, with wide eyes, anxious paddling, and a clear desire to get out of the water as soon as possible.
But an adorable Instagram video from @itsalfieandme captures the dog’s glow-up, showing how Alfie’s swimming style has changed from his first lesson at five months old to his current “natural swimmer” era at 1 year and 9 months.
Dog loves swimming now in adorable video
The video opens with the dog as a small Cocker Spaniel puppy going for his first swimming session, with his owner gently putting him in the water. He wears a little harness and paddles hard, trying to figure out what his legs are supposed to do.
Though he doesn’t sink or panic, you can tell he is deciding whether swimming is a good idea — but he actually does a solid job for a rookie. At one point, text on the video notes that “he constantly tried to leave the water” as he keeps aiming himself back toward shore, like, “OK, I’m done.”
But then the video jumps forward, and the contrast is adorable. Now older and fluffier, Alfie heads for the pool like he owns the place. He doesn’t need help getting in, just plops himself right into the water, and starts cruising around with smooth strokes. He looks genuinely majestic, proving that he has been training for this his whole life.
In the video’s caption, his owner admits it took “some encouragement” at first. In addition, the dog didn’t swim for a bit after that early try. However, everything changed when summer rolled around, and the owner started swimming in the pool.
Alfie began joining in, built confidence, and never looked back. Now, the owner says Alfie “won’t let me swim without him.” He will even “constantly cry at the gate” if they leave him out. Now, Alfie is having the time of his life in the water, and this video is proof.
