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Carmelo & Titti: The Sheer Joy of Diving

Updated: Sep 10, 2022


Carmelo Abela and Titti


For nearly every day of her life, Titti, a Jack Russell terrier, and her human companion Carmelo Abela, dove together off a 12-foot cliff into the glittering azure waters of St. Peter’s Pool off the southern coast of Malta.


Abela, a worker for Malta’s traffic department, had always enjoyed his daily plunge from the white limestone cliffs and one day it occurred to him that his 4-month-old puppy might like to join in the fun. After a little gentle coaxing and a few practice dives together from gentle rises, Titti was smitten. According to Abela, every day when they would set out for the beach together, she could barely contain her excitement. “She is amazing. She is crazy about jumping!” he said in a 2015 interview for UK’s Daily Mail.


Their synchronized diving act quickly became a worldwide sensation, exemplifying the loving bond between dog and man and the exhilarating capers they can have together. Crowds began to gather at the beach each day to watch Carmelo and his “shadow” Titti execute perfect, gleeful dives together (see our homepage banner photo of them!). Videos of the duo have garnered millions of views on YouTube.


Sadly, Titti passed away in 2019, after 10 loving years of togetherness with Abela who was heartbroken having to say goodbye. “She will always be in our hearts.”


Months later, a new Jack Russell puppy came into Abela’s life. “Tina was donated to me by a very kind family from Russia,” he said. “Tina comes from champion pedigree parents with her owners travelling to Malta for a week to help her settle in with me and my family. We are so appreciative for their kind gesture and will forever be grateful.”


Carmelo Abela is now back swimming every day in the beautiful waters of St. Peter’s Pool. Tina is learning how to dive and loving it. When she gets tired, they take a restful float together, Tina riding on Abela’s back. Check out the fun on Tina’s Facebook and Instagram pages!

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