Rescue doggy learns to paddle! A hesitant Chance takes to the water for the first time... and finds he quite likes it

Boxer dog is unlikely star of the heartwarming video

Confused dog paws at the water before taking the plunge

His owners have filmed him watching TV and playing fetch

A heartwarming video of a dog swimming for the first time has become an internet sensation.



Chance, a Boxer, is the subject of several videos on YouTube that have been watched by hundreds of thousands of people.



He stands on the edge of the swimming pool, in Florida, with his owner Robert Crume already waist-deep in the water encouraging him to dive in.



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Unsure: Chance paws at the water while his owner looks on

The perplexed hound paws at the water and sniffs it but his tail doesn't stop wagging the whole time.



When his owner wades out further, Chance starts to bark but then decides to take the plunge.

Although he seems puzzled by the waves, and even tries to bite them, the energetic dog is soon swimming laps around the outside pool.



In other videos, the happy dog is seen playing fetch with his favourite toy and watching himself on TV.

Taking the plunge: After sniffing and biting at the water, Chance decides to jump in and join his owner

Splash: Chance jumps in to the delight of his owner but is still a bit unsure about the waves

Named after the dog in the film Homeward Bound - a young puppy who is unfamiliar with the world -he has become the unlikely star of several clips that have gone viral.



The confused dog barks at his on-screen alter ego as his owner plays him back footage of an excited Chance running around the house.



He is also filmed playing with Rigby, a Shepherd, in a clip that his owner says is getting Chance used to toys.



Mr Crume said: 'Chance was a rescue dog we rescued at three years old and don’t know any of his history.



'He gets really nervous trying new things, but almost always ends up enjoying whatever new activity we introduce to him.'

