Dachshund Who Loves a 'Skinny Dip' Every Morning Has His Own Lifeguard

Some dogs might prefer to lounge about in the morning, and others drag their owners out for an early walk, but this adorable dachshund loves nothing more than a quick paddle in the lake to start each day.

Kiro, whose nickname is Wee, is gradually overcoming his fear of the lake outside his home in Maine by braving the cool water for his "morning skinny dip." After jumping into the water, he paddles in small circles near the steps, which gives him an easy exit once he's done.

Wee's owner, Alex Fideli, loves watching the dachshund become more confident in the water, telling Newsweek that he is "determined to conquer" the lake each morning.

Fideli said: "He loves swimming, and it's the first thing he does in the morning. The problem is his long body and tiny legs which work against him. I'm his full-time lifeguard, so that he can live his best life."

After a few seconds spent paddling in the water, Wee climbs out of the lake looking incredibly pleased with his morning workout and latest accomplishment. Then, it's time for a rest until he's ready for the next morning swim.

Dachshunds are known for their long bodies and very short legs, and while they are adorable features on land, they make swimming incredibly difficult. Take a Labrador or a spaniel near a body of water and it's hard to keep them out of it, but dachshunds aren't natural born athletes by any standards.

Hill's Pet Nutrition explains that dachshunds are poor swimmers because of their short and stout frames, adding that swimming in shallow water can tire them out very quickly as it requires so much exertion from their small legs.

Thankfully, as 2-year-old Wee grapples with the water and steadily becomes less afraid of swimming, his owner stays nearby to help in case he encounters any difficulties.

Fideli explained that Wee isn't going to let his size stop him from taking to the water each morning for his quick paddle. Although, the response on social media since sharing the video has been completely unexpected, as Wee now has an abundance of new fans.

"Anyone with weenies knows that they have huge personalities and they truly are fearless, so we always have a side eye on each other," Fideli told Newsweek. "He would take on a moose if I didn't hold him back.

"This has been a very unexpected journey for us. I posted the video for a few friends of mine on TikTok and I woke up to many more. I'm so happy to share Wee's daily adventures with everyone."

Since the video was posted on June 22 to Wee's dedicated TikTok account @__..twigs..__, it has already amassed over 1.4 million views and more than 199,000 likes so far. The viral video has also received over 1,000 comments from people fawning over Wee's morning swim.

One person commented: "Omg I just realized every swimming dog is a skinny dipper."

Another person wrote: "bro goes swimming for 5 seconds and thinks he is Michael Phelps."

Another comment reads: "He didn't flip over once—good job lil man!"

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