Golden Retriever Caught Escaping Into Neighbor's Pool Viewed by 22m

A golden retriever called Zeppole has left the internet in stitches after a video of him refusing to leave the neighbors' pool on a hot day went viral on social media.

In the video, shared on TikTok on Saturday by the dog's owner, under the username Errieting, Zeppole can be seen jumping out of his garden and into the next-door neighbors' pool, as his owner rushes to get him out of there.

No matter how hard she tries, the stubborn dog refuses to leave the pool and he can be seen splashing water instead of listening to his owner. The hilarious clip comes with a caption that says: "escaping into the neighbors' pool."

Zeppole's owner, Erin, told Newsweek that he is a year-old golden retriever with a "huge" personality.

"From the moment he came to New Jersey from Southern Maryland, he's been keeping us on our toes," she said. "He loves: elevated surfaces, retrieving items he shouldn't such as AirPods and hangers, waking his owner up at 5 a.m. every single morning (even the weekends), the local firemen/women and EMS workers, and most of all, water (clearly).

"We, fortunately, have the best neighbors, the Ganns, who find his trespassing adorable. His owner, however, doesn't approve of the 6 a.m. swims, tall-fence jump/non-graceful fall. All he needs to do is ask permission."

It turns out that while many dogs are afraid of water, golden retrievers are definitely not. In fact, they love a good swim, especially on a hot summer day. According to pet well-being experts at Pet Keen, most golden retrievers have a deeply inherited love of water and will try to get in it whenever they can.

"A kiddie pool in this dog's backyard will be put to good use on hot summer days. It's difficult to keep these dogs away from any water that they find. Some even love bath time. Let's find out more about this sweet dog's love of the water," the website says.

Their love for water originates from their creation. In fact, they were bred in 1868, crossing a yellow flat-coated retriever and a water spaniel, with the intent to create a dog that was efficient at hunting and could also retrieve prey from the water.

Their dense outer coat helps them repel water while their undercoat provides them with a layer of insulation, which ultimately protects them from the cold.

The video went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 22.6 million views and 3.3 million likes.

One user, Tiffany Smith, commented: "I lost it when he started splashing." And Ratmomma said: "At this point, you and your neighbors share custody of the dog lol."

ThePotaoto wrote: "I think there needs to be a doggy door installed along the gate for easier access." And Amy_Blizz850 added: "Mmmk. He needs a GoFundMe for his own pool."

Newsweek reached out to Errieting for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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