Meet the poodle that's part of a lifeguard pack in Spain

BBC News

17-06-2025

Poodles are some of the most pampered pooches and certainly don't look out of place at dog shows like Crufts.But now you might see one on a beach, as he's just joined a dog rescue squad in Spain.Nilo the poodle has joined four labradors in the team, paw-trolling Las Lindes beach near Malaga.Miguel Sanchez-Merenciano, who is Nilo's handler, says he enters the water first to reach swimmers who have got into trouble, before Nilo and the others help them back to safety.
Nilo certainly looks the part, with a life vest strapped to his chest and suncream on his nose.However, you're unlikely to find many other Poodles working on the beaches in the country as other breeds tend to be used there - like Labradors and Newfoundlands.Poodles are thought to have originated in Germany and were historically used for water rescue in northern Europe, where their fur would protect them from the cold.According to Miguel that their name comes the German verb "puddeln" which means 'to splash'.
Poodles aren't just known for their fluffy fur, the American Kennel Club says they are very intelligent and are great learners.Miguel says Nilo at first was scared of loud noises and crowds so his training had to be done a step at a time.But he says it wasn't long until he was out there swimming with "perfect strokes" and "using his tail perfectly like a rudder to run and to move".One thing's for sure, if someone got rescued by this super pooch, they'd certainly have a tail to tell!