Lifeguards with a difference

What does your mind conjure when thinking of a beach lifeguard?

Ladies, are you dreaming about a handsome, bronzed young man, muscles rippling, just waiting to rush into the sea and rescue you as you swoon into his strong arms? Maybe your taste runs to not only strong and muscular but also hirsute. You ladies, depending on where you intend to take your holidays, could be in for a treat because strong, muscular and extremely hirsute might just be available. Sadly, swooning will only get you a very wet, sloppy lick!

And fellas, how about being rescued by Pamela Anderson, who played the fictional lifeguard C.J. Parker in the TV series Baywatch? Unfortunately, chaps the Pamela Anderson’s are in rather short supply.

So where are you planning to spend your holidays this year?

Doggy paddle

May I suggest Italy and Croatia? You need to check the lifeguard situation to ensure that the lifeguards are suitable and meet your requirements.

Visitors to Croatia and Italy may well be in for a surprise because if you get into difficulties in the sea in these countries, what you might see heading your way will neither be a bronzed bloke nor a Pamela Anderson look-a-like.

The truth is that you probably won’t care anyway because you are having difficulties, so you will be so relieved to see swimming in your direction by the lifeguard. Only this one will be large, very hairy and mute and won’t be using any swimming stroke recognised by World Aquatics. The breaststroke and the crawl have been superseded as these rescuers use the oldest swimming technique ever, the “doggy paddle.”

Quite simply, you will have met one of the most highly trained canines in the world. To put this into perspective, to qualify to undertake this task, the canine beach lifeguards can spend up to 3 years learning their task.

Like so many great ideas, it started with a small child getting into difficulties while swimming. The family pet, a Newfie named Massina, went without instruction and dragged the drowning infant to safety. The child’s father, Ferriccio Pilenga, was a retired Italian naval commander who had the idea that dogs could be trained as lifeguards.

After all Newfoundland dogs are already famous for their love of water, their almost unique webbed feet and their massive size which makes them a natural lifeguard.

So, along with Golden Retrievers and the Labradors, these three breeds form the basis for this highly talented group of rescuers. Just in case you are wondering why these particular breeds are used. Well, apart from their natural ability in the water and a coat that is impervious to water, they are ideal for the task as they are not considered to be intimidating. It’s just that if people see a German Shepherd or a Rottweiler heading in their direction, their stress levels are considered to be in danger of rising, and panic might set in.

Strangely enough, this venture started over 30 years ago, but it is only now that these dogs have come to the public’s attention.

How do they work?

Again, it’s so simple: Dogs are stationed on the beach and on boats. At the first sign of trouble, a dog, either from the beach or on a boat, is directed to the distressed swimmer and tows them back to the shore. Between the handler and the dog, they are able to rescue up to three at a time, assuming that they are conscious, with the dog able to tow two with the people holding the special handles attached to their flotation vest

Aside from working in tandem between the beach and on a boat, some even tow a specially designed raft.

Having spent time doing the standard lifesaving job, there is a chance for some dogs to join the elite, the “special forces” of the lifeguard canine community.

This final requirement requires an extraordinary test of courage from both human and dog and will take years to achieve.

To qualify, the human lifeguard has to jump out of a helicopter straight down into the sea. Yes you read that right. This activity is usually reserved for highly trained military personnel, naval search and rescue, frogmen and the like, definitely not civilians. I am sure that you will be comforted by the knowledge that before they leap out they are given a pair of flippers!! Not sure I would be persuaded!

Their canine partner has to follow but because of the noise of the motors they can only receive instruction by hand signals, the dog must obey without hesitation as this highly dangerous activity is only required in an emergency when time is critical.

This definitely rules me out as my distaste of large volumes of water is well known but jumping out of a helicopter as well. You have to be joking!!

In the film  Heartbreak Ridge, Clint Eastwood makes the comment.

“Jumping out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft is not a rational act,”

I am in complete agreement.

Using dogs is highly efficient as the dogs ability to reach a distressed swimmer is quicker but also reduces the risk to the human lifeguards and allows them more time to process the potential problems that are inevitable.

Tourist attraction

There are around 300 of these highly skilled canines who rescue about 3000 people every year.

Their contribution to our welfare doesn’t just stop with saving our lives, they are now a tourist attraction as people actually visit certain beaches to catch a glimpse and photograph the intrepid hounds wearing their very distinctive red jackets.

Please note, as with any working dog, you are requested not to interfere or distract in any way.

Unless there are signs to the contrary, taking photographs is acceptable if the dog is resting but it is considered polite to ask permission if the human lifeguard will be in the picture.