The Italian School of Rescue Dogs is training dogs to patrol waters along the coast of Italy and canine lifeguards could soon be coming to a beach near you as well.

Currently, Italy is the only country that recognizes the valuable role well-trained dogs can play in water safety, but that is likely to change soon.

So far, the school has trained over 350 dogs as lifeguards.

Every dog is assigned their own trainer and are stationed across 30 of Italy’s beaches.

The Italian School of Rescue Dogs trains pups to assist their human handlers with ocean rescues pic.twitter.com/x8ILleqQtm

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 27, 2020

How can dogs work as lifeguards? Dogs are brave, loyal, and hard-working animals. These traits also make them excellent lifeguards.

The school trains them to swim out to at-risk swimmers, and to swim into the surf to bring help to swimmers in trouble.

The dogs are even trained to jump out of helicopters to reach people.

The school estimates that their dog lifeguards save between 20 and 30 lives every year.

With more dogs being trained in the role, that number climbs annually as well.

A member of the Italian School of Rescue Dogs trains with her dog before patrolling the beach in Riva dei Tarquini, Italy, on August 25, 2020. pic.twitter.com/DI2Cc6YdZe

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Ferruccio Pilenga first had the idea to train dogs to be lifeguards back in 1989.

At the time, he had a Newfoundland dog named Mas. Mas was a very strong swimmer and gave Pilenga the idea that dogs could be trained to save lives.

“[Mas] pulled a water-filled dinghy with three people on board for half an hour. A human cannot do that,” Pilenga expounded in an interview with The Times.

https://twitter.com/doglovers2020/status/1333467979347062784

Canine lifeguard training program.

In order to graduate from the program, the dogs must go through an extensive training program.

The basic training program lasts 18 months and is followed by additional training in special lifesaving techniques. Only the most effective rescuers will graduate from the program.

“To be able to use a dog in a water rescue mission gives the rescuer a leg up. The rescuer who operates on his own is alone. We are never alone. We are always in a team with our dog so it’s a six-legged unit. I can conserve my energy and become a more effective rescuer,” Pilenga said.

Pilenga says that the dogs also have a calming presence for swimmers in need. This keeps them from panicking and making the situation more difficult.

“The presence of the dogs helps to lighten up the situation. The biggest reward is the emotion that the dog and the owner feel at the moment of the rescue, which further unites that special bond between dog and human,” Plienga explained to Great Big Story.

Earlier this summer, Italy’s lifeguard dogs saved 14 people, including 8 children between the ages of 6-12, after they were swept out to sea.

3 rescue dogs, Mira, Mya, and Eros, were able to help bring the group to safety.

“With the help of lifeguards at nearby beaches, the three dogs, named Eros, Mya and Mira, managed to bring the group to shore in approximately 15 minutes.”

A Trio of Lifeguard Dogs Rescue 14 People Swept Out to Sea Off an Italian Beach https://t.co/Sez1k73Qcm

— People (@people) August 12, 2021

The effectiveness of Italy’s canine lifeguard program is not going unnoticed. It might not be long until rescue dogs are patrolling beaches all across the globe.

Watch the video below to learn more about how dog lifeguards are helping keep swimmers safe.

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Source: Great Big Story/The Times