It looked like a scene from “Lassie” or some other fanciful tale of dogs enacting heroic rescues. However, these stories have a basis in the reality of dogs’ devotion to humans and their instinct to dive into the fray when someone is in trouble. The case of Nico the Bernese Mountain dog was a radical demonstration of this.
He was not a trained rescue dog. In fact, the three-year-old pooch had just recently been adopted by Californian Dan Clarke, who decided to take him to the beach for the day. Despite his lack of experience, when Nico heard the panicked cries of two swimmers caught in a riptide in the ocean, he immediately sprang into action.
Without anyone specifically addressing him or prompting him at all, he jumped into the water and followed the voices. Once he reached the swimmers, they grabbed onto him, and he paddled furiously until all three of them were free of the current. At that point, he was able to return them to shore.
Nico’s owner was stunned to witness this heroic behavior by his furry friend, and the swimmers were deeply grateful. Nico has certainly demonstrated his courage and proven himself a truly vigilant companion.