Some dogs have an alarm clock. Zepp is one. Every morning at 6 a.m. sharp, he went off, by breaking into the neighbor’s swimming pool.
Caught In The Act
Erin would wake up, look outside, and there he’d be: her golden retriever, Zepp, happily paddling laps in a pool that very much was not theirs.
“Zepp, that’s not your house,” she’d call. He would not be moved.
Getting a determined Golden out of water he loves is, it turns out, nearly impossible.
He Just Loves The Water
This wasn’t a one-time thing. It became the routine, every single morning, the same 6 a.m. break-in.
It all started the summer before, when Zepp was still a little puppy and the neighbors first let him try the pool. He loved it instantly.
By this summer, there was simply no getting him out.
The Great Fence War
Erin decided she could fix this. She’d block his route, move the bins he used as a launch pad, set up obstacles along the fence.
Zepp studied the new defenses. Then he climbed over them anyway.
“It is his house,” she joked, admitting defeat. She had officially lost the battle to a dog and a fence.
The Best Neighbors In The World
Here’s the part that makes this work: the neighbors thought it was hilarious.
They caught Zepp on their security camera sneaking over the fence and only laughed. Great friends already, they didn’t mind the tiny trespasser, Erin’s biggest worry was just waking them at dawn.
Not every pool bandit lands such a forgiving jury.
One Last Swim
As summer wound down, the neighbors’ pool was closing for the season. Zepp’s favorite place in the world was about to disappear.
So Erin asked them a question only these neighbors would say yes to: could they throw Zepp a pool party?
A Send-Off Fit For A Golden
They said yes. Out came the pool toys and floats, and in came a few of the neighborhood dogs.
Zepp splashed through the whole thing in a pink flamingo floatie, absolutely beside himself. The little burglar had gotten the send-off of a lifetime, thrown by the very people he’d been robbing all summer.
Every morning for a season, Zepp broke into a pool that wasn’t his.
By the end, they threw him a party for it.
Some dogs just have a way of making everyone play along.
Watch Zepp’s pool heists (video by The Dodo, 8 million views):
Story and footage: The Dodo, follow Zepp (Zeppole) and Erin on Instagram.
Does Your Golden Live For The Water Too?
Zepp is proof of a Golden truth: this breed was built to swim. If your water-obsessed dog is anything like him, a few things help keep the fun safe:
- Not every Golden is born a swimmer. Most love water, but confidence varies, never toss a dog in; let them wade in on their own terms. More in our dog behavior guides.
- Rinse after every swim. Pool chemicals and lake water can irritate skin and ears, a quick freshwater rinse and an ear dry go a long way. See our health & care guides.
- Watch for exhaustion. Goldens will swim until they drop. Enforce breaks, especially for puppies and seniors.
DevotedToDOG’s guides are reviewed by our panel of trainers and veterinary professionals. We’re dog people, not a veterinary clinic, check with your vet about your own dog’s swimming.
