Poodle joins dog lifeguard team on Spanish beach

Reuters — Poodle Nilo has joined four labradors on a dog rescue squad at Las Lindas beach near Malaga in Spain, helping lifeguards tow people back to shore.

With his fluffy white coat, a life vest strapped across his chest, and sunblock slathered on his long nose, the two-year-old Standard Poodle cuts an unusual figure, as Spanish dog beach rescue squads generally use Labradors and Newfoundlands.

Nilo’s handler, dog instructor Miguel Sanchez-Merenciano, 45, told Reuters that he enters the water first to reach a swimmer in distress before calling Nilo or other dogs to help them back to safety.

Miguel Sanchez-Merenciano, 45, praised Nilo's work to improve his swimming skills. — Miguel Sanchez-Merenciano, 45, praised Nilo’s work to improve his swimming skills. – Jon Nazca/Reuters

Poodles, an originally German breed, were historically used for water rescue, he said, though mainly in hunting and retrieval work in northern European lakes, their lustrous fur protecting them from the cold.

Indeed, the name “poodle” comes from the German verb “puddeln,” which means to splash, Sanchez-Merenciano said.

Nilo tows Sanchez-Merenciano to shore. – Jon Nazca/Reuters

Poodles are also known for their superior intelligence and exceptional learning ability, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Nilo was once scared of loud noises and crowds, so his training had to be done step by step, Sanchez-Merenciano explained.

“He has gone from swimming vertically and incorrectly to swimming completely horizontally, with perfect strokes, using his tail perfectly like a rudder to turn and to move.”