Dog Finally Brave Enough to Swim in Sea Makes Owners Proud—Then Terrified

A dog who finally built up the courage to take a dip in the ocean made his owners proud—until they immediately became concerned.
Copper the beagle took a trip to Rosie’s Dog Beach in California with his owners where he and other dogs are allowed to run freely and swim in the sea.
It took Copper a while to be brave enough to get in the ocean, but the moment he finally took the plunge was caught on camera as was his owners’ panic when he just kept swimming.
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In a clip shared to his dedicated TikTok account @iamcopperbeagle earlier this month, the pup is seen standing on the sand staring out at the other dogs and humans in the water, before cautiously walking into the waves.
His initial caution doesn’t last long as he then leaps over a wave and starts swimming. And his owners’ pride quickly turns to fear as they drop everything and run toward him to stop him from going too far out.
The video’s text overlay reads: “The moment Copper finally was brave enough to go into the ocean. & we freaked out.”
“We thought he was going to swim away,”@iamcopperbeagle added in the caption of the video, which currently boasts over 31,000 likes and 260,000 views.
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Newsweek has reached out to @iamcopperbeagle on TikTok for comment.
Copper’s owners weren’t alone in thinking the pup was going too far out into the sea as TikTok users flocked to the video, with one user writing: “Aww he likes the water…wait! Don’t like the water that much!”
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“How did he go from ‘I don’t think I like this’ to full sending it,” a second user asked while another one said Copper “was so proud” of himself.
“I’m sobbing, this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” one user posted.
Beagles are not generally known to be a water-loving breed, and do not make it on the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) list of the top dog breeds that can swim easily, which names the likes of English Setters, Labrador Retrievers and Newfoundlands as naturally drawn to water.
But regardless of breed, many dogs can learn to love the water if given time and patience. Owners should first bring their dog in as far as their paws, allowing them to splash around and get used to it, before gently bringing them in deeper when they are comfortable and you are right beside them, according to Purina in an article on its website.
Once your dog is comfortable in the water, their instinct may kick in to doggy paddle with their front and back legs. If they appear scared or anxious, owners should bring them back to shore and only return when they feel ready, Purina advised.
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