We have all heard of police and therapy dogs. We can now add lifeguards to the list of things canines can do. The Italian Coast Guard employs Newfoundland dogs as their water rescuers. These large animals may look intimidating but they are actually “gentle giants.”
Their calm and tender temperament makes them ideal candidates for the high-stress job. In fact, the Newfoundland dog loves the water and does not see what it does as work, but rather a game. Nonetheless, they are trained for at least three years before they jump into the ocean from helicopters, boats or run into the water from the shore.
Robert Gasparri, coordinator for the Italian School of Water Rescue Dogs says, “it is a buoy that goes by itself to a person in need of help, and comes back to the shore also by himself, choosing the best landing point and swimming through the safest currents.”
Currently, there are 300 canines working the Italian beaches. Every year, it is estimated the K9 lifeguards save about 3,000 people. Read More
