I have no opinion on this one because I have never given our dogs the opportunity to swim. Even when we go to the beach resort, the most I give them is a walk on the sand. But our first dog showed me that dogs can swim. We named her Jedi and she was about 5 months old when floodwaters entered our house. As my husband was gathering the furnitures in the living room which water is already past knee-high, Jedi was in the stairway and watching my husband. Without warning, she jumped into the water and swam to my husband. I was there in the stairway and was surprised with what happened. I was proud of our dog that she swam to my husband maybe a gesture of wanting to be of help.