Hearts Melt as Dog Gets to Swim With Mantas in the Ocean

Who wouldn't love to live on a tropical island and swim in the open sea with some of the ocean's biggest residents? A pup called Finn can be seen living the dream life in a clip that has recently gone viral on social media.

A post shared on Instagram in December by the pup's owner, under the username @freediversteph, shows Finn, who is just 2 years old, taking a boat ride with his owners in the clear waters of French Polynesia where they live. All of a sudden, a pair of giant manta rays approach them. As the fish get closer to the pup, he fearlessly jumps into the water to hang around them, having the best time of his life.

The heartwarming post comes with a caption that reads: "Finn went for a swim with some mantas! These mantas were so curious and seemed to love Finn! They swam right up to our dinghy multiple times and even seemed to be listening to his squeaks.

"Eventually, Finn got so excited, he decided to go for a swim with them! The mantas swam around with Finn for a good while before we made Finn come back to the boat. Such an amazing thing to witness animals interacting like this and such a fun experience for Finn."

Dr. Rebecca Greenstein, a veterinary medical adviser for the dog expert website Rover, told Newsweek that in stark contrast to their "cousins," sting rays, manta rays are not considered dangerous, because they lack stingers or barbs, and that despite their imposing stature, they are filter feeders and have no sharp teeth.

"While manta rays are the furthest thing from predators, we still want to consider everyone's safety here," she said. "Some dogs may be scared by anything unfamiliar...and that would certainly include gigantic sea creatures! And when you mix an anxious reaction with a dog who is treading water, there's an obvious risk.

"We also want to consider the safety of the rays as well, since some doggos can be overzealous, overly playful, or unnecessarily threatened by the situation, which can cause accidental injury to one or both of the animals involved."

She added that if you're not sure how your dog will react around wildlife or in the water, it may be best to leave your pet on dry land.

Some dogs, especially those breeds who were originally bred for carrying out water activities, are great at swimming and love a good dip in the ocean. However, other breeds, who were not bred for the same purpose, may struggle in the water.

But don't panic if your dog can't swim because, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), you can teach them. When training your pup how to swim, you should make sure they are wearing a vest, and keep a close eye on them.

The first thing you should do is entice your dog to get into the water on their own, maybe with a toy, or just by calling them excitedly. Avoid pulling them in, as it may scare them off. It is always best to start in shallow waters and go deeper only when your dog feels comfortable to do so.

The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across Instagram. It has so far received over 107,000 likes on the platform.

One user, outdoorcheflife, commented: "Pretty sure Finn thinks he's a sea creature! So cute." And callingdrp posted: "That's the most beautiful video on the internet. Hands down!"

User pontia8181 added: "These are just old souls finding each other in this chaotic world!"

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

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

Update 01/18/24 at 7:13 a.m. ET; This article was updated with comments from a vet.