Does Michael Phelps have pets?

Since early 2000s, Michael Phelps has been the face of swimming in the United States, and some may even say across the world. Even after he retired, he's still the biggest name in the sport and has gone down as one of the all-time greatest athletes in any sport. His 23 gold medals stand above all others at the height of athletic competition.

He retired following the 2016 Olympics. Despite the rumblings of a return to the pool, he opted to stay at home for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

After retiring as an Olympic swimmer, Phelps turned his attention to a new endeavor: being a full-time husband and father. Family is his focus now.

However, that family is not restricted to just his wife and kids. Pet lovers will be happy to know that the legendary swimmer does have pets, multiple of them.

The Instagram post above showcases when they welcomed Onyx to the family, but he is not the only dog in the house. The Phelps family has had multiple dogs, including Legend and Juno.

The swimmer has long been an avid dog lover, as evidenced by the fact that his family has multiple.

When Phelps was still swimming, he adopted a dog named Stella and vowed to teach her how to swim. Many dogs, like golden retrievers, are natural swimmers, much like the Olympian.

Others need to be helped and taught, and who better to teach his four-legged friends how to do so than the greatest swimmer in history?

While the family was raising Stella and teaching her how to swim, they had a second dog, with whom Stella became fast friends.

The family also had a bulldog named Herman at the time. Unfortunately, for cat lovers, it appears the Phelps family is moreso a dog family.

How long was Michael Phelps active for?

The legendary swimmer had one of the best careers in sports. The fact that he was able to accumulate more Olympic medals than anyone else in history means two things.

Firstly, it meant he was arguably better at his sport than anyone else with their sport before or since him.

Second, it also means he played for a long time. Had he stayed retired following the 2012 Olympics when he initially walked away, he would not have had as many medals.

He began his career in 2000 by training for the Olympics. He then qualified, becoming the youngest male to make the United States team in 68 years. He did not medal that year.

He retired following the 2016 Olympics, which were his final athletic run. He took home five gold medals and one silver that year, a remarkable feat for someone who was past the prime of swimming. Phelps was 31 that year, and swimming prime is considered to be between 21 and 26 years old.

He did stay retired after that, even if there were rumors he'd do another round in Tokyo. In total, his career spanned a wildly impressive 16 years. Most swimming careers do not last that long.

Edited by Puranjay