‘Ships’ dogs’ make a splash 
during lake training session

But Rufus was just doing it for fun when he took part in a session with the Northern Newfoundland Club.

The club, pictured on a training day at the Rother Valley Country Park in South Yorkshire, has 26 Newfoundlands – “ships’ dogs” which have also been used as pack animals, sled dogs and carting dogs.

The poet Lord Byron, a keen swimmer, had two Newfoundlands, and when he took a tumble from his boat, the animals would leap in “seize him by the coat collar, one o n each side, and bear him away to land”.

The dogs, which have webbed feet, can be seen in action at the Billing Aquadrome, Northampton, next Saturday.

Group co-ordinator Vin Whiting said: “This is what the dogs were bred for many years ago.

“We train dogs to go out to boats and rescue people. They will go under an upturned boat to see if there is anyone under the boat

“Historically they used to use the dogs in fishing, to pull the ropes in, and pull the carts up with fish and take them to market.

“Seeing them doing what they do best is a tremendous feeling.”