In 2019, Misa was adopted by her owner from a local SPCA.
“I was searching for a lively puppy, and Misa was the third dog they presented to me. She formed an instant connection, making my decision easy,” her owner shared.
“When I took her for her first swim, she was terrified and clung to me, scratching my body for support. I kept bringing her to the beach to play on the rocks with her favorite toy—a stone. One time, I tossed a stone into a puddle, and to continue playing, she submerged her face to retrieve it. I was astonished since she had a fear of water. I decided to test her by throwing the stone into deeper puddles, and she consistently managed to get it back.”
Over time, her owner discovered the reason behind Misa’s water phobia.
«While visiting Gozo, where Misa was rescued, I noticed a man staring intently at her. He eventually approached me and explained that Misa had been rescued from his quarry. She was one of his dogs’ puppies, and during a winter flood, most of the puppies perished. He even recounted the day she was born, which helped me understand her fear of water when I first took her swimming.»
With her new owner’s support, Misa has been overcoming her fear, and he aims to set a world record for the deepest free dive by a dog. So far, she has successfully dived to a depth of 4.5 meters (14.8 feet).
According to Life Magazine, a German shorthaired pointer named Bellybutton swam underwater for distances of up to 20 feet back in 1966.
Check out Misa’s incredible swimming skills in the video below.