Quick Take
- Dolphins sometimes approach boats on their own, though that curiosity cuts both ways in ways most boaters don't expect. Dolphin curiosity explained →
- What looks like a dog trying to 'play' with dolphins might be something else entirely, and the distinction matters more than you would think. Dogs and dolphins in water →
- Letting your dog jump in after wildlife seems harmless, and the risks hiding beneath the surface are easy to overlook. Hidden risks for pets →
- Dolphins are famous for being friendly, yet wildlife agencies draw a hard line that most people have never heard of. What NOAA actually says →
Dogs have a reputation for being endlessly curious, and the German shepherd in this video takes that curiosity to a whole new level. A boat ride with the family apparently wasn’t exciting enough once a group of dolphins showed up alongside them.
The video takes us out onto the ocean, where a family has brought their beautiful German shepherd along for the ride. Before long, several dolphins begin swimming beside the boat, occasionally breaking the surface as they keep pace.
The dog immediately locks onto the commotion. He paces around the boat trying to keep the dolphins in sight as they disappear beneath the water and pop back up again.
Eventually, watching from the boat apparently isn’t enough. The German shepherd takes the plunge and jumps straight into the ocean. Whatever was going through his head, curiosity certainly seems to have won this round.
Are Dolphins Really Friendly?
Bottlenose dolphins are highly social marine mammals.
©Tory Kallman/Shutterstock.com
Dolphins are cetaceans, the larger group of marine mammals that also includes whales and porpoises. Most of the dolphins people picture when they hear the word belong to the family Delphinidae, including the familiar bottlenose dolphin.
Common bottlenose dolphins live in temperate and tropical waters around the world. According to NOAA Fisheries, adults can measure roughly 6 to 13 feet long and weigh anywhere from about 300 to 1,400 pounds.
They’re also highly social animals. Dolphins communicate with one another, cooperate while hunting, play, and engage in everything from gentle physical contact to aggression. They’re sometimes curious about boats and may approach them on their own.
That doesn’t mean they’re “friendly” in the same sense as a pet dog. Dolphins are powerful wild animals, and their behavior isn’t always predictable. NOAA specifically warns people not to swim with, touch, feed, pursue, or deliberately interact with wild dolphins.
If dolphins approach your boat, the safest move is to enjoy the show without chasing or trying to engage them. NOAA generally recommends keeping at least 50 yards away from dolphins and porpoises, although specific rules can vary by species and location.
Is It Normal for Dogs to Swim With Dolphins?
Not really. Dogs occasionally end up in the water near dolphins, but that doesn’t make it normal behavior or something owners should encourage. Some dogs are confident swimmers and may impulsively jump after wildlife simply because they’re excited or curious.
We also can’t know from a short video whether this German shepherd was trying to “play” with the dolphins. He clearly noticed them and chose to jump into the water, but assigning a specific motive goes beyond what the footage can tell us.
As entertaining as the moment is, keeping pets aboard the boat is the safer choice. A dog can become exhausted, encounter currents or boat traffic, and unintentionally disturb marine mammals. Dolphins may look playful from the deck, but they’re still wildlife, and sometimes the best seat really is the one on the boat.
