Top Water Dogs 2026: These are the 14 breeds of adorable dog that love going for a swim - including the loving Labrador 🐶

If you’ve been thinking about welcoming a new dog into your home then you’re in good company – Royal Kennel Club (the new name for the UK Kennel Club) stats show that the number of people looking for puppies has surged to record levels.

Dogs come in all shapes, colours and sizes - there are 221 different pedigree dogs recognised by breeders in the UK, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).

So there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest four-legged addition – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or an easy to train dog.

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There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.

But if you want a pup that is equally at home in the water as on land, then there are certain dogs that should top your wish list.

These are the breeds that have been developed to carry out various water-based tasks, from collecting fishing nets at sea to scampering into lochs to collect felled game birds.

Even if they are now kept as family pets, the love of water is in their very DNA - some even have webbed feet to allow them to swim better.

Here are 14 breeds of dog that make the best swimmers.

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