Bruno the Newfoundland has incredible strength and swimming ability
Owner David Alvarez noticed dog's natural skills during visit to the beach
Now he regularly helps the lifeguard on rescues in San Pedro del Pinatar
Bruno's incredible stamina means he can swim three miles without tiring
Can also pull plastic containers weighing one and a half tonnes to shore
Officials in Spanish resort now plan to hire more Newfoundland lifeguards
Although Bruno is making front-page news in Spain, he is actually following a long tradition of Newfoundland dogs being used for water rescue work.
In 1995 a 10-month-old Newfoundland named Boo saved a hearing-impaired man from drowning in the Yuba River in Northern California. Boo noticed the struggling man while he and his owner were walking by the river.
He instinctively jumped into the water, dragging the drowning man to shore by holding on to his arm. According to Janice Anderson, the Newfoundland's breeder, Boo had received no formal training in water rescue and simply showed a natural ability for both swimming and saving lives
***************************************************************************