Dogs to the Rescue

It was a hot summer day in 2021. The beach in Italy was packed with people. Families ate picnic lunches on the warm sand. Kids splashed around in the sea. 

Lifeguards watched the swimmers closely. The wind was strong, but the sea didn’t seem dangerous. Nobody knew that giant waves were coming.  

Suddenly, waves rose out of the water. They crashed into a group of swimmers. The wind and waves began pulling the swimmers away from the beach!

Soon, the swimmers were far from the beach. They were trying hard to stay afloat. They struggled to keep their heads above water. Their only hope was a group of lifeguards.

But these weren’t just any lifeguards. They each had four paws and two furry ears. They were dogs!

It was a hot day at the beach. Families splashed in the water and played on floats. Lifeguards kept watch.

One lifeguard, Michele (mee-KEH-leh), noticed a strong wind. But he didn’t know the sea was about to become dangerous. Suddenly, huge waves rolled in. Swimmers were swept far out into the sea. 

A mom on the beach saw her kids struggling to stay afloat. She rushed to the lifeguards for help.

It was a hot summer day in 2021, and a beach in Italy was packed with people. Families ate picnic lunches on the warm sand. Kids splashed around in the sea.

Lifeguards watched the swimmers closely. The wind was strong, but the sea didn’t seem dangerous. Nobody could predict that giant waves were coming.

Suddenly, waves rose out of the water and crashed into a group of swimmers. The wind and waves began pulling the swimmers away from the beach!

Soon the swimmers were far from the beach. They were trying hard to stay afloat, struggling to keep their heads above water. Their only hope was a group of lifeguards.

But these weren’t just any lifeguards. They each had four paws and two furry ears—they were dogs!

Lifeguard dogs are trained to rescue swimmers. They learn how to be lifeguards. In a lot of ways, dogs are perfect for this work. 

First of all, dogs are excellent swimmers. They also have great hearing. They can hear swimmers who are having trouble in the water, even when people can’t.  

Plus, dogs often stay calm during scary moments. They can help nervous people stay calm too. 

Finally, many dogs are strong. Lifeguard dogs can pull several people at a time through water! They wear life jackets with handles. Swimmers grab the handles, and the dogs pull them to safety. 

Some lifeguard dogs can even pull a raft with 30 people on it! 

Luckily, the lifeguards at this beach are part of a special team. They work with rescue dogs. The dogs, Eros, Mira, and Mya, are trained to help swimmers in trouble. That’s right! These dogs can save your life.

Michele the lifeguard blew his whistle three times. His dog, Mya, knew this was the signal for action. She sprang up and followed Michele as he raced into the water.

Lifeguard dogs are trained to rescue swimmers. They learn how to be lifeguards, and in a lot of ways, dogs are perfect for this work.

First of all, dogs are excellent swimmers. They also have great hearing and can hear swimmers who are having trouble in the water, even when people can’t.

Plus, dogs often stay calm during scary moments and help nervous people stay calm too.

Finally, many dogs are strong. Lifeguard dogs can pull several people at a time through water! They wear life jackets with handles that swimmers can hold while the dogs pull them to safety.

Some lifeguard dogs can even pull a raft with 30 people on it!

Not every dog can be a lifeguard though. Dogs, and their owners, have to go through about two years of training first. 

One of the dogs at the beach in Italy was named Mya. She trained at a special school with her owner, Michele (mee-KEH-leh). At first, Michele wasn’t sure if he and Mya would make a good team. They had a lot to learn! 

How did they start their training? They played games! They spent hours playing fetch and tug-of-war. Mya had a lot 

of fun. She didn’t know that she was training to be a lifeguard. Soon she would be fetching people instead of toys!  

The next part of training was in a pool. Mya and Michele practiced swimming in calm, peaceful water. Mya got used to wearing her life jacket. 

Finally, they were ready for the last step. It was time to train in the sea. Michele and Mya swam in all kinds of weather. They learned to work together. Mya even learned to leap off a speeding boat! 

After about two years, Mya and Michele were a real lifeguard team. Good job, Mya! 

By now, 14 people were struggling in the water. Some of them were panicking. Some of them were kids.

Michele and Mya swam into the massive waves. 

“The waves looked like walls to me,” Michele says. “Just imagine what they looked like to the dog.”

But that didn’t stop Mya and her puppy pals.

Not every dog can be a lifeguard though. Dogs, and their owners, have to train for about two years.

One of the dogs at the beach in Italy was named Mya, and she was trained at a special school with her owner, Michele (mee-KEH-leh). At first, Michele wasn’t sure if he and Mya would make a good team. They had a lot to learn!

How did they start their training? They played games! They spent hours playing fetch and tug-of-war. Mya had so much fun that she didn’t know that she was training to be a lifeguard. Soon she would be fetching people instead of toys!

The next part of training was in a pool. Mya and Michele practiced swimming in calm, peaceful water. Mya adjusted to wearing her life jacket.

Finally, they were ready for the last step—it was time to train in the sea. Michele and Mya swam in all kinds of weather. They learned to work together, and Mya even learned to leap off a speeding boat!

After about two years, Mya and Michele were a real lifeguard team. Good job, Mya!

Mya pulled her group through the rough waters. Luckily, she knew exactly where to go. Dogs use their paws to feel where the waves are safest to swim through. Mya found the easiest way back to shore. Without Mya, the group may have been pulled farther out into the sea.

The waves were massive. They were huge! But Mya kept going. Finally, she made it back to the beach. 

All 14 swimmers were now safe. People watching from the shore couldn’t believe it. The dogs were incredible! 

They had just made one of the biggest rescues in lifeguard-dog history.

Mya knew she had done a good job. “My dog was absolutely bursting with joy,” Michele says. “She was spinning around and kept barking!”

The rescued swimmers thanked the dogs. Children hugged them.  

Did Mya know she had been brave? Maybe not. But she did know that all the people on the beach loved her.

When all the swimmers were safe, Mya was happy!

“My dog was bursting with joy,” Michele says. “She was spinning around and barking.” 

The rescued swimmers thanked the dogs. The children hugged them.

Did Maya know she had been brave? Maybe not. But she did know that all the people on the beach loved her. 

Mya pulled her group through the rough waters. Luckily, she knew exactly where to go because dogs use their paws to feel where the waves are safest to swim through. Mya found the easiest way back to shore. 

Without Mya, the group may have been pulled farther out to sea.

The waves were massive, but Mya kept going. Finally, she made it back to the beach.

All 14 swimmers were now safe. People watching from the shore couldn’t believe it—the dogs were incredible!

They had just made one of the biggest rescues in lifeguard-dog history.

Mya knew she had done a good job. “My dog was absolutely bursting with joy,” Michele says. “She was spinning around and kept barking!”

The rescued swimmers thanked the dogs, and children hugged them.

Did Mya know she had been brave? Maybe not, but she did know that all the people on the beach loved her.