#79: The Pool Fence Break-In You'll Watch Again and Again

One determined Lab, one defeated pool fence, and a reminder that our dogs are always telling us what matters to them.

📝 Editor’s Note

Happy Friday!

A quick programming note: We won't be publishing a newsletter next week as we're taking some time off to be with family during the holiday weekend here in the United States. We hope those of you celebrating have a wonderful Fourth of July, and we'll see you back in your inbox soon.

If you’ve been loving what we’re building here, consider becoming a paid substack subscriber yourself! It’s just $8/month (less than your fancy coffee order) and helps keep this newsletter running. Take a look at our past articles to see what you’d get access to! Plus, yes, we absolutely do a little happy dance every time someone new joins. 💃

And as always, we’re so grateful when you share this newsletter with fellow dog lovers.

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🧠 Training Tip of the Week: The Paw Cross Trick

Sometimes training doesn’t have to solve a problem. Sometimes it’s just fun.

This week we’re featuring a tutorial from @my_tree_gsps on how to teach your dog to cross their paws. It’s adorable, surprisingly impressive-looking, and a great way to have a dialogue with your dog grounded in positive reinforcement.

Bonus: once your dog masters it, they’ll look incredibly sophisticated posing for photos.

If you give it a try, tag us—we’d love to see your dog’s best paw-cross pose.

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🌊 TOC’s Take: The Pool Fence That Never Stood a Chance

Meet Goose.

His family installed a pool fence to keep him from swimming whenever the mood struck. Unfortunately for the fence, Goose had other plans.

Watching him obliterate the barrier is funny enough. The bigger mystery? How did Finley, the Golden Retriever, get in there too?

The comments somehow make the video even better. One of our favorites:

“The added shame of having to unlock the gate to go chase him 😂”

I don’t know … the desperate “Goose!” right before he plows through the gate had me.

Some dogs love tennis balls. Some dogs love food. Goose loves swimming—and that’s exactly what makes this video so entertaining. It’s a reminder that when something is incredibly reinforcing like swimming and dogs are highly motivated, management strategies sometimes need an upgrade.

We’re pretty sure we’ve watched this at least four times already.

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🧠 Community Corner: The Vagus Nerve Goes Viral

Have you noticed everyone talking about the vagus nerve lately?

This week, The Washington Post explored the growing fascination with vagus nerve stimulation and its role in stress regulation. The vagus nerve helps connect the brain and body and plays an important role in regulating our stress response.

Jessica was especially interested because breath work has come up repeatedly during her flute lessons over the past several months. It was fascinating to learn that FDA-approved vagus nerve stimulation devices are already used for certain medical conditions, while researchers continue studying newer non-invasive approaches.

For most of us, the article highlighted more accessible practices that may support nervous system regulation, including:

• Exercise
• Meditation
• Breath work
• Cold exposure

Have you ever tried breath work, meditation, cold plunges, or another practice that helped you feel calmer and more grounded? We love that this article highlights tangible behaviors used to change conditions in order to change how your nervous system is responding, and we’d love to hear about your own experience in the comments.

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🎨 DIY This for Your Dog: Edible Bouncy Balls

This week we came across a whimsical and fun idea to make your dog DIY edible bouncy balls using a silicone mold*. We love how the ingredients are beautifully on display and can be customized with your dog’s favorite treats. For ball-loving pups, this looks like a fun way to combine enrichment, hydration, and a tasty snack.

Here’s the recipe that @dogishuman shared:

Ingredients

• ½ cup diced add-ins (dog-safe fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, or more)

• 1 cup bone broth

• 4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

Directions

1. Whisk 4 tablespoons of gelatin into 1 cup of warm bone broth.

2. Fill the mold with the diced add-ins (and, if desired, a dog-safe multivitamin).

3. Pour the liquid mixture into the molds.

4. Refrigerate for 2–3 hours, or until fully set.

We’re already imagining all the combinations our dogs would enjoy. If you decide to make these, let us know what ingredients you use—we’d love to see your creations! 🎾🐶

As always, supervise your dog during enrichment activities and choose ingredients that are appropriate for your individual dog.

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🌊 One More Thing: Why Is This Dog Sniffing Underwater?

We couldn’t stop watching this.

According to the creator, dogs investigating underwater may be gathering chemical information dissolved in the water itself. Dogs have extraordinary scent-processing abilities, and videos like this are a fascinating reminder that they’re experiencing the world in ways we can barely imagine.

It’s oddly soothing to watch—and it also made us wonder whether this is exactly the kind of sensory experience that made Goose so determined to get into that pool.

If you’ve ever taken your dog swimming, have you noticed them dipping their noses below the surface or investigating underwater? Let us know.

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We Love Y'all,

— TOC