Proprietor Lets Dog Swim in Pond—Then Realizes One thing’s Gone Horribly Mistaken

A canine proprietor discovered herself unexpectedly submerged in a London pond after her cavapoo leaped in and refused to return—sparking a viral TikTok story that has left viewers each amused and alarmed.

“My dog’s name is Milo; he is 1 and can be very naughty,” Abby, the video’s creator, informed Newsweek. “I took him for a walk in Clapham Common in London, England, took him off the lead like we always do.

“He then went rogue and jumped into the pond, and I could not get him again,” Abby said.

The July 26 post, shared to TikTok under @abbyb437, has since been viewed over 820,000 times. In the clip, Abby, who would prefer to keep her full identity private, recounts the misadventure, beginning with an incredulous admission: “I simply went swimming within the Clapham Common pond, which isn’t designed for swimming, in all probability harmful for people to essentially go swimming.”

What began as a routine off-leash walk quickly spiraled into an ordeal when Milo took off after ducks and dove into the large public pond.

“He clearly loves geese and, for the primary time in his life, he determined he was going to leap within the pond and refused to come back again,” Abby told viewers.

For 20 minutes, Abby and her pal tried every thing to lure Milo again to shore—calling him, throwing sausages, and even enlisting the assistance of one other canine. But the 1-year-old canine remained adrift.

“After 20 minutes, I had to jump into and swim fully clothed to him in the middle of the big pond and then drag him back to land,” Abby mentioned. “He was very tired and wet.”

In the video, she added: “I had to swim him back to the side … I’ve now disinfected my body, but God knows what illnesses I’ve got.”

She additionally famous that Milo was “crying and shaking” after the incident.

Both Abby and Milo have been checked by a health care provider and a vet respectively and confirmed to be secure and nicely following the pond plunge.

Dion Studinski, a canine coach and behaviorist, informed Newsweek that, regardless of Abby’s bravery, normally, house owners ought to suppose twice earlier than leaping in after their pets.

“If a dog jumps into a lake or open water while off-leash, the owner should stay calm and avoid jumping in after them, unless absolutely necessary,” Studinski mentioned. “Instead, call the dog back to shore, using a loud, clear voice.

“If the canine is swimming however struggling, attempt to information them towards a safer, shallower space. If they can not get again on their very own, search for assist instantly … Never put your self in peril, until you are educated for water rescues.”

Studinski also emphasized the importance of training before off-leash outings.

“You ought to by no means stroll your canine off-leash, particularly in high-distraction environments like hikes or trails, until your canine has robust recall,” Studinski said. He added that commands like “Stay,” “Wait,” and “Leave it” are critical to preventing incidents like Milo’s.

“Until recall and these fundamental instructions are strong, I by no means suggest strolling your canine off-leash,” the dog trainer added.

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