From puppy to hero

Since she moved in with her owner Werner Szanya and his wife Renate as a small puppy, Gamba has been training for her future role as a rescue dog. The pair look back on 24 years of experience and have already trained generations of lifesavers.

Gamba discovered the fun of being a working dog playfully and in small steps. At two and a half years old, she is now almost unstoppable. "She's full of beans and loves to train with us. Whether we're doing obedience exercises or working in the water, Gamba is always up for it," says Werner.

The fact that she throws herself into her tasks with a great deal of enthusiasm and motivation is an important prerequisite. After all, it takes a lot of practice to become a water rescue dog. Feeling comfortable in the water and being a good swimmer is not enough for this life-saving job.

"The training usually takes three to five years and covers various aspects such as obedience, endurance training, rescue techniques and working in difficult conditions," explains Werner. At the Österreichische Hundewasserrettung (ÖHWR), an organisation founded by Renate and Werner, the teams train two to three times a week. In addition, a water training week and around nine intensive training days are organised every year.

When things get serious and someone needs to be rescued from drowning, the brave canines don't hesitate for a second. They swim ahead to the victim, grab them and bring them to the lifeguard. The latter takes care of the person while the dog pulls them both ashore.

If necessary, water rescue dogs can also bring aids such as a stand-up paddle board (SUP) or a life buoy to the victim. Pulling a small boat carrying several people is another scenario that is regularly practised during training. 

The thought of this effort alone probably makes most of us sweat. But dogs can easily swim a kilometre. They have far more stamina than us humans. "And they're clever too," adds Werner, "because they only swim out as far as they can get back to land without any problems."

I love doing something good together with Gamba.

The great thing about water rescue dogs is that they bring calm and safety to people in distress. "I love doing something good together with Gamba. The connection we have cannot be put into words," says Werner, beaming.

Gamba is still in the middle of her training, but she will soon be joining her squadron colleagues to ensure safety on the waters of eastern Austria.