Dog Who Can 'Switch Gears' While Swimming Leaves Internet in Stitches

Internet users have become obsessed with the hilarious way one border collie will switch gears in the water so he can swim in different ways.

A video shared by TikTok user @adventureswithmase five days ago shows the incredible differences between Mason, the golden retriever, and his buddy Loki. Mason will happily use all four legs to paddle in the water, as his owner dubbed him "a 4-wheel drive dog."

Loki the border collie is a stark contrast, however, as underwater footage showed him swimming in "2 wheel drive," as he moved just his two front paws. But that wasn't his only skill, as Loki was also seen swimming using three legs, as one of his back legs kicked out to help propel him forward.

The hilarious video showing how Loki "can switch gears in the water" has generated plenty of attention online, already with more than 6.3 million views and over 590,000 likes on the social-media site. Alongside the viral clip, the TikTok user wrote in the caption that "Loki's gears are a little rusty, but they still work."

Border collies are known for their incredible work ethic and sporting prowess, which the American Kennel Club (AKC) says makes them perfect dogs for any agility, tracking, and obedience tasks. With their heritage as a herding animal, border collies are almost unstoppable on land, but they may not be the first breed that comes to mind when thinking about swimming ability.

Unsurprisingly, Labradors and retrievers have much-stronger swimming abilities, and Mason's four-wheel drive was the perfect display of that. The AKC notes that Labrador retrievers were bred to retrieve waterfowl, even in difficult conditions, so they are accustomed to the water.

Other breeds that can't get enough of the water include the American water spaniel, as the name might suggest, the English setter, Lagotto Romagnolo, Newfoundland, and the standard poodle. Many of these breeds were developed to work in the water, according to the AKC, be that for hunting, rescuing, or retrieving objects.

Mason and Loki's owners regularly share videos of the two dogs together, often highlighting the amusing differences between their personalities, with their swimming abilities being just another example of that.

Social-media users can't get enough of the footage showing the different ways the two dogs can swim. Since the video was posted on September 21, it has received more than 600 comments on TikTok, with many people praising Loki's apprehension towards the water.

One comment on the clip reads: "Loki swims like he's scared of something touching his paws."

Another person responded: "I've never seen a dog's legs when they swim, I'm so glad I have now."

Some TikTok users even shared tales of how their own dogs love to swim. One viewer commented: "One of my dogs have 5 wheel drive. Her tail goes too!"

Newsweek reached out to @adventureswithmase via email for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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