Chewy the Newfoundland may be more than 200 pounds, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less curious about the world around him.
In fact, when this enormous dog recently spotted a pod of dolphins swimming nearby, his first thought seemed to be, “Why aren’t we friends yet?”
Chewy was enjoying a day in the water with his family when he noticed the dolphins.
Wearing his life jacket, the giant Newfie stood in the water and appeared to seriously consider swimming out toward the pod.
For a moment, it looked as though Chewy might actually attempt to introduce himself to his new aquatic neighbors.
Thankfully, he eventually decided against making the long swim.
It was probably the safest decision.
Although Newfoundland dogs are famous for their swimming abilities, even a powerful swimmer can face serious risks in open water.
Currents, waves and fatigue can quickly turn a fun adventure into a dangerous situation.
Chewy’s family made sure he had a life jacket on before allowing him to enjoy the water, which was especially important given how far he seemed to be contemplating swimming.
The adorable adventure comes during an especially meaningful time in Chewy’s life.
The gentle giant recently lost his beloved grandmother, who had been extremely important to him.
But while Chewy was dealing with that loss, another member joined his family: a tiny Newfoundland puppy named Mabel.
Mabel is still small enough to look almost miniature beside her enormous big brother, but she already seems completely fascinated by him.
She follows Chewy everywhere, apparently determined to learn whatever she can from her much larger sibling.
That includes his love of water.
During their outing, Mabel stayed close to Chewy as he explored the water.
While Chewy may have been tempted to go meet the dolphins, the two dogs eventually spent their time swimming and playing closer to shore with the human children.
And judging by the footage, they had a wonderful time.
The sight of Chewy and Mabel in their life jackets is almost comically adorable.
Both dogs even wear life jackets featuring little shark fins, making the pair look like they belong in their own underwater adventure movie.
Chewy, in particular, looks like he could easily blend into a group of marine animals if he were a few shades lighter.
Of course, the biggest lesson from Chewy’s dolphin encounter is that dogs should be supervised carefully around open water.
Even dogs that are excellent swimmers can become tired, disoriented or caught in a current.
A properly fitted life jacket can provide additional buoyancy and make it easier to keep a dog safe during water activities.
Life jackets are especially important when dogs are boating, paddleboarding or swimming in lakes and oceans.
For Chewy, his life jacket allowed him to enjoy his aquatic adventure while keeping his family a little less worried about his apparent plans to become best friends with a pod of dolphins.
He may not have made it all the way out to meet them, but he certainly made the most of his day.
And with little Mabel following his every move, Chewy now has an eager sidekick ready for whatever adventure comes next.
Hopefully, next time, that adventure stays a little closer to shore.
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