Despite all the skill of the Navy SEALs, they have been known to employ the help of other worthy members of the animal kingdom to help in their missions — and one of them is the Newfoundland breed of dogs.

According to a feature on GazetteXtra.com, the Newfoundland dogs – or Newfies – have been used by Navy SEALs and the Coast Guard in certain rescue missions. They can jump from helicopters to rescue people in the water and they are said to be tasked with patrolling beaches in Europe. The article even mentioned an interesting piece of information: that a Newfoundland on the Titanic had managed to swim in the icy waters for all of three hours, and was able to alert a rescue ship by barking.

They are no small cutesies – weighing up to 150 lbs and standing 2 ft at the shoulders. But they are described as having “great strength, an instinct to save and a heart of gold.”

The Newfoundland dogs are best known as working dogs with “water rescue and pulling skills”. Their rescue instincts are said to come naturally, and they have been known to jump off boats to save people who are in the water. They are also physically equipped to be in the water: they have webbed feet and have water-repellent coats, which make them buoyant and, hence, good swimmers. They are also strong; a Newfoundland can reportedly tow a boat with 30 people on board.

Aside from their skills in the water, the Newfoundland is also favored as a therapy dog for nursing homes, hospitals and children. In Janesville, Wisconsin, a local group has expressed plans of starting a therapy dog program.

Owners of Newfies who have grouped together train their pets for water rescue competitions. Newfies showcase their pulling and rescue skills in these competitions, retrieving boats, oars and life jackets; swimming under capsized boats to retrieve victims; and tow a life ring to a struggling swimmer, circling around him or her to allow the victim to grab hold of its fur.