A dog owner found 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 both amused and alarmed.
“My dog’s name is Milo; he is 1 and can be very naughty,” Abby, the video’s creator, told 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 couldn’t get him back,” 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 just went swimming in the Clapham Common pond, which is not designed for swimming, probably dangerous for humans to really 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 ducks and, for the first time in his life, he decided he was going to jump in the pond and refused to come back,” Abby told viewers.
For 20 minutes, Abby and her friend tried everything to lure Milo back to shore—calling him, throwing sausages, and even enlisting the help of another dog. 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 said. “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 also noted that Milo was “crying and shaking” after the incident.
Both Abby and Milo were checked by a doctor and a vet respectively and confirmed to be safe and well following the pond plunge.
Dion Studinski, a dog trainer and behaviorist, told Newsweek that, despite Abby’s bravery, in general, owners should think twice before jumping 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 said. “Instead, call the dog back to shore, using a loud, clear voice.
“If the dog is swimming but struggling, try to guide them toward a safer, shallower area. If they can’t get back on their own, look for help immediately … Never put yourself in danger, unless you’re trained for water rescues.”
Studinski also emphasized the importance of training before off-leash outings.
“You should never walk your dog off-leash, especially in high-distraction environments like hikes or trails, unless your dog has strong 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 basic commands are solid, I never recommend walking your dog off-leash,” the dog trainer added.
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