Meet Italy’s Lifeguard Dogs

In the midst of Italy’s hot summers—when the beaches are full of swimmers—the lifeguards keeping everyone safe bring in some much-needed, four-legged assistance. We’re talking about water rescue dogs. Dogs make ideal lifeguard partners as they remain calm under pressure and instinctively choose the safest path through the water currents back to shore. They can even stay afloat while paddling multiple swimmers to safety. Through his Italian School for Lifeguard Dogs, Ferruccio Pilenga has trained more than 350 volunteer pups to execute water rescues. Now THAT’s a good dog! SUBSCRIBE: This story is a part of our Planet Earth series. From mammals to insects and birds to reptiles, we share this great big world with all manner of creatures, large and small. Come with us to faraway places as we explore our great big planet and meet some of its wildest inhabitants. Got a story idea for us? Shoot us an email at hey [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com Follow us behind th