Dwayne Johnson Shares Adorable Puppy Rescue Story & Useful Advice For Dog Owners

Dwayne Johnson proved he’s as much a hero off-screen as he is in the movies. The 43-year-old American actor shared a picture of himself teaching his two new French Bulldog puppies, Brutus and Hobbs, to swim after one of them nearly drowned.

Dwayne Johnson at the premiere of San Andreas in Los Angeles, May 2015.

Johnson shared the image with his 26.2 million Instagram followers on Monday (7th September) and, in a lengthy caption, explained Brutus’ narrow escape. He also gave new dog owners some good advice about introducing their dogs to water for the first time.

Johnson explained how puppies Brutus and Hobbs were new additions to his family and they’d moved in to his Los Angeles home over the Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, their first time in his backyard did not go as well as Johnson had planned as Brutus made a beeline for the pool.

‘Bring them home and immediately take them outside so they can start learning how to "handle their business and potty like big boys",’ Johnson explained in the caption. ‘I set them both down and they both take off in a full sprint and fall right into the deep end of our pool. HOBBS immediately starts doggy paddling while BRUTUS (like a brick) sink heads first to the bottom of the pool.’

Fortunately, Johnson didn’t panic and took immediate action.

‘I take off into a full sprint, fully clothed, dive in the pool, swim to the bottom, rescue my brick, I mean BRUTUS and bring him back to the edge of the pool,’ Johnson continued.

Brutus apparently wasn’t too concerned about his narrow escape from the jaws of death and, after being placed safely on dry land, continued playing with Hobbs in the garden.

‘He was a little delirious…’ Johnson said of Brutus’ recovery. ‘Took a moment, threw up all the water he swallowed and looked up at me as if to say, "Thank God you didn't have to give me mouth to mouth!" and then ran off to play with his brother.’

As for Johnson’s advice for new dog owners, he included a short list which included not keeping your cell phone in your pocket whilst jumping fully clothed into a pool.

‘A few lessons I've learned today.. A) Not all puppies have the instinct to doggie paddle. B) Some puppies (like BRUTUS) will be so in shock by experiencing water they will sink extremely fast so react quick. C) While spiriting to save your puppies life, before you dive in, try and throw your cel phone to safety. Don't keep it in your pocket... like I did.’