Family Catches Dog Taking A Secret Swim By Himself

"I never thought he would be able to climb a ladder, ever!" 😂

This adorable dog named Elliot has always been a fan of water — he loves nothing more than taking a swim with his family. Any time they decided to take a dip in their above-ground pool, Elliot would ask to join them.

"He would whine, until we picked him up and put him in with us," Abigail Rose, Elliot's owner, told The Dodo.

But as it turns out, for Elliot, having fun in the pool actually requires no company at all.

Abigail Rose

Since Elliot had always asked for their help to get into the pool, his owners never considered he might be sneaking in swims without them. But they soon learned that he was in fact quite capable of getting in all on his own.

Recently, after letting Elliot out for a bathroom break, Rose spied Elliot's hidden ability.

"We didn’t realize he could climb the front of the ladder!" she said.

Here's video of the pup in action, enjoying a refreshing secret swim:

Rather than wait for his family to decide it's pool time, Elliot had learned to take the initiative. Rose, however, wasn't too offended to not have gotten an invite.

"I was laughing," she said. "I figured he would like to go swimming with us, but I never thought he would be able to climb a ladder, ever!"

The water-loving dog found a way.

Abigail Rose

Fortunately, Elliot is a strong swimmer and has always known how to get out of the pool on his own, so his family isn't so concerned that he apparently likes to swim unsupervised. Still, they're always close by just in case.

"I definitely feel like he’s safe," Rose said. "We never have him outside when we leave the house, so I’m not too worried about that."

Next time Elliot begs to be lifted in to the pool, his owners will continue to give him a hand, not letting on they know the truth. He'll always be invited to join them. And even though that offer doesn't always go both ways, that's OK.

"He's like our child," Rose said. "He soaks it all up!"