Florida Dog Mastered Her Pool’s Skimmer Basket, But A 10-Hour Trip To The Ocean Revealed Her True Power
This clever Jack Russell terrier spent years using her pool’s skimmer basket as a dog door. When her family finally took her to the ocean, her athletic surfing skills left everyone amazed.
An Unexpected Escape Route
When a little Jack Russell terrier in Florida first approached her family’s pool, they had no idea what she was planning. She went right to the skimmer basket, leaving her humans completely stunned.
“We were shocked,” her owner recalled. “We were just like, ‘Oh my gosh, what did she just do?'”
To the clever dog, the narrow skimmer opening looked exactly like a dog door. It was the perfect, albeit unusual, way to exit the water.
A Carefully Risky Routine
Over the course of seven-plus years, this unique exit strategy has become her signature move. She has squeezed through the skimmer basket hundreds and hundreds of times.
Despite the tight fit, the water level is just right for her. “The skimmer basket is barely in the water,” her owner explained, noting that she rarely even goes under.
This quirky behavior perfectly highlights the fascinating personality of Jack Russell terriers. As her family notes, they are “dangerous, but they’re carefully dangerous.”
The Boss Of The Pool
Her family has tried to modify her skimmer routine, but the headstrong pup refuses to change her ways. “She rolls her eyes every time,” her owner joked.
She is incredibly strong-willed, proving time and time again that she is the boss of the house. If she wants out of the pool, nothing is going to stop her.
Her intelligence shines through every time she navigates the water. She has a specific method, and she simply isn’t open to suggestions.
Trading Swimming For Surfing
Beyond her skimmer basket antics, BabyGirl has another aquatic passion: surfing. While she knows how to swim, she vastly prefers to glide across the water.
Her family loved watching her balance on her very own surfboard in the calm water of their backyard pool. She looked completely at home on the board.
But soon, they began to wonder how her skills would translate to a bigger body of water. They wanted to see if she could handle real waves.
A Ten-Hour Journey
Determined to see her surf for real, the family planned a massive road trip. They found a dog-friendly section of sand at Panama City Beach in Florida.
It took a ten-hour drive to get there, but the journey was entirely worth it for BabyGirl. The family packed up her favorite board and hit the road.
When they finally arrived, the vast ocean stretched out before them. To the confident little dog, it just looked like one giant swimming pool.
Facing The Waves
Armed with her favorite surfboard, the brave little dog paddled out into the surf. When a big wave approached, her family watched in awe.
She quickly adapted to the moving water, shifting her weight to stay upright. “I was just amazed at how athletic she is,” her owner shared.
However, the ocean proved to be a slightly humbling experience for the confident pup. She realized quickly that she was no longer in her quiet backyard.
Joy And Natural Instincts
Jack Russells love to be in charge, but as her family laughed, “she can’t dominate the sea.” Still, she took the challenge in stride.
Her family believes she looked at the massive waves and thought, “OK, that was interesting.” The beach trip was a massive success, giving her a thrilling new environment to explore.
Her family is thrilled they found a safe way for her to hone her natural instincts and get some exercise. Best of all, her incredible surfing skills continue to bring a lot of joy to everyone who watches her ride.
