Local Attends Tufts Classes for Newfies

Every week, Beth Bennett of Northborough attends a training group for Newfoundlands with her own dog. She appreciates the one-on-one time in this class that brings the dogs to local waterways to practice water rescue.

"The connection and communication with your dog, you can't put it into words,'' she said.

Every week, these Newfoundlands jump off docks, swim in the water and drag small boats to the safety of shore with Susan Marino, instructor, and other fellow dog lovers.

For the dogs, the skill comes naturally. The dogs, which have large builds and gentle dispositions, excel at water rescue because of their muscular builds, thick coat, webbed feet and innate swimming abilties.

They are so loyal that one of the most challenging portions of their training is learning to swim to shore in parallel to the person they are rescuing. Their natural instinct is to herd the person.

These practices are held to prepare the dogs for competitions, said Marino, who works at

But the dogs have the instinct, anyway, she said. There have been numerous cases of Newfoundlands, or Newfies as they are called, that have rescued people from near drownings.

These practices are more for the bonding experience and for the dogs to do something they enjoy, she said.

"I love spending time with my dog,'' she said.