Panic As 14-Week-Old Puppy Jumps in the Pool, Then the Unexpected Happens

Newsweek

a day ago

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In a moment that caused equal parts panic and pride, a New Jersey man shared how he discovered that his 14-week-old puppy could swim.
Matthew Santiago, 34, from New Jersey, shared footage on Instagram showing his 14-week-old pup, Zoro, diving headlong into a backyard pool—completely unprompted.
The scene, filmed by a friend's security camera, captured the surprise moment the sprightly puppy sprinted across the yard and makes a splash without hesitation.
"He's never seen a pool before in his life," Santiago told Newsweek. "The kids were playing with him in the backyard when, out of nowhere, he sprinted toward the pool and dove right in, without a second thought."
The now-viral clip shows Santiago's panic—he instinctively tosses his phone in preparation to jump in after the young dog. But what followed stunned him: Zoro bobbed up, paddling with ease.
"The moment I saw him start swimming on his own, I went from panicked to proud," Santiago said. "It was honestly an emotional rollercoaster."
A picture of Zorro the puppy, left, and the pool moment that was caught on camera, right.
A picture of Zorro the puppy, left, and the pool moment that was caught on camera, right.
@mateo_c_santiago/Instagram
Teaching Dogs To Swim
While Australian shepherds are often strong swimmers, it is always a good idea to introduce your dog to water slowly where possible.
Experts advise starting by letting them stand in shallow water, where only their paws get wet, and supervising as they explore further.
Santiago posted the video online expecting a mixed reaction. "I thought people might criticize us—no pool fence, a puppy near water. But surprisingly, the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. People are proud of Zoro and said we handled it well," he said.
The post has been viewed over 800,000 times and prompted lots of comments on Instagram. "The all hands of deck to instant relief and praising him!" said viewer secondsora_.
While nikki_p83 joked: "He's just showing you what he learnt when you were asleep."
"I like how attentive and concerned you all were, that's a well looked after pup," said claire_anne87.
Others even dubbed Zorro a "natural-born swimmer," and while the pup's splashy debut into the aquatic world came as a shock, Santiago said it's a moment he won't forget.
"It turned out to be a really happy memory," he said. "Though next time, I'll be ready with a towel—and maybe a pool float."
This isn't the first time a security camera has captured a dog in a pool. Last year, a dog owner was caught on camera as she jumped into the water to save her English bulldog when he leapt into the pool.
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