Newfoundland dog

The big dog of Newfoundland's fishing coast hauled nets and became famous for pulling people out of the water, and breed clubs still run water-rescue tests today. Webbed paws, a dense oily double coat and sheer bulk make it a powerful, unhurried swimmer for cold lakes and the Atlantic, but that coat holds water for hours: towel and blow-dry down to the skin to head off hot spots. Expect drool, a shorter life than most breeds, and insist on hip, elbow and heart screening, since Newfoundlands top American studies for hip dysplasia.