Boat Dogs to the Rescue!

Found this great photo (and article) on Yacht Pals.  Couldn't resist sharing these adorable pooches with you:-)  And you guys thought 2 German Shepherds were "too much" - lol these guys have at least 50-75 lbs on mine!

Is there anything as cute as a dog in a boat?  Well, how about a dog pulling several other dogs in a boat?  These are no ordinary canines, either.  These powerful pooches are working in public service in Italy, specially trained to bring aid to those in the water, and to rescue people from drowning - sort of like aquatic Saint Bernards.  Actually, as you can see from the photo, some are trained, and some are still puppies in training.  When they're done with their schooling, these furry four-pawed athletes can pull a boat with as many as thirty people aboard for up to two kilometers.

These adorable "lifeguard dogs" are from Scuola Italiana Cani Salvataggio, the Italian School of Canine Lifeguards, and are shown here performing a rescue drill.  Though any dog over 30 kilos can join the force, you can see that the Newfoundland is the breed of choice (Labradors coming in a distant second).  Newfies are incredibly powerful swimmers, so powerful in fact that beside being able to tow a loaded boat, they can actually provide enough support to allow their handlers to resuscitate drowning victims while still in the water.

At the risk of sounding like a television infomercial for these H2O K9's:  That's not all!  These hirsute heroes are also trained to jump from speeding boats and even helicopters.  The dogs and handlers are volunteers, and make themselves available to multiple rescue agencies.  Many lives have already been saved, and many lifesaving agencies around the world are looking at the possibility of employing Rescue Rovers in service themselves.  Saving lives in exchange for love and kibble?  Now that's a Good Dog!