Dog from Cornwall in world record attempt to 'swim length of English Channel'

Toobs the collie could become the first dog to swim the 20 mile distance

Published 20th Nov 2020

A world record attempt is underway, where a dog from Cornwall could become the first to 'swim the length of the English Channel'.

Toobs the collie, who loves to swim, became famous after she went overboard her owner's boat near St Mawes back in the summer.

The 11-year-old pooch lives onboard a yacht with her owner in Falmouth and always wears a doggie lifejacket when on deck.

Somehow she had sneaked out from below deck, where she'd been safe, and tried to jump onto the boat's dinghy but had missed.

Owner Ian Wayne Booth hadn't realised and massive searches were then launched around Falmouth.

Toobs, who used to compete in dry land sled racing, was found the next day in a cave having swum over two miles back to land.

You can watch her story below...

Owner Ian Wayne Booth told Pirate FM it was a massive relief.

"I just crumbled, it was just such a relief, of course the adrenaline was going, the worry, the anxiety, I had had one hour's sleep, and it's one of the family, your dog is one of the family."

Ian Wayne Booth, Toob's owner

The world record attempt

Now Toobs is swimming 20 miles in the Falmouth estuary, in a series of shorter distances, which is the length of the English Channel.

Resting between swims aboard her floating home and support boat 'SV Stray', she will swim one or two legs each day until the distance across The English Channel is reached. It is likely to take well over a month to complete!

The route measured begins at the end of Admiralty Pier, Dover, England and heads for Cap Gris-Nez, (Cape Grey Nose!) Pas-de-Calais, France.

It is to help raise money for difficult-to-home dog rescue charities.

You can follow her journey and support her here.