Surfer, a Portuguese Water Dog (PWD), is the youngest member of the Baseball Aquatic Retrieval Korps (B.A.R.K.) of the San Francisco Giants The B.A.R.K. team consists of six water canines: Justy, Kyma, Rio, Shadow, Surfer and Topper. Each of them have been trained to do what water dogs do best -- fetch things from the water.

As home runs careen over the Pacific Bell Park wall, the dogs of B.A.R.K. dive into McCovey Cove to retrieve these "Splash Hits". The balls are donated to Pets In Need ­ a private pet adoption agency and no-kill shelter that auctions them off to raise funding and awareness for their organization. Each baseball will hopefully be signed by its hitter and come with a paw print certificate from the BARK dog that rescued it.

The B.A.R.K. idea came from Don Novello, a Bay Area comedian who is well known for his Vatican gossip columnist character, Father Guido Sarducci. Novello approached the Giants with his water dog retrieval plan in 1996 and has been instrumental in bringing the concept to fruition.

"What the BARK program is all about is combining America's favorite pastime with man's best friend'" he said.

The versatile water dog breeds not only play baseball, but have helped their human friends with water work for over a thousand years. The animal takes to the water like, well, a duck. Its paws are webbed and its tough coat of hair repels moisture while its muscled tail acts as a rudder.

Water dogs are robust, sturdy and obedient canines that can't get enough of the water or of working in it. They are excellent swimmers and divers and do not mind the coldness of the sea or the length of their workday. But, water dogs are also extremely spirited and they desire a high-activity life and owner. If you want a laid back pup that lies lethargically by the fire all day, then a water dog is not for you.

The Portuguese water dog is thought to have originated from the central Asian steppes around 700 BC where they were bred and raised for herding. Constant warring led to the capture of many dogs by outsiders who took the pooches all over the world. The dog found its niche on the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) in the 8th century where the local Portuguese fisherman put the robust animals to work.

In Portugal, these canines became known as Cao de Agua (pronounced Kown d'Ahgwa), which means, "dog of the water," and they maintained a coastal presence for centuries. (The Portuguese also called them the Sea Dog, the Diving Dog or the Fishing Dog). The dogs worked as couriers, bringing messages between ships, and between ship and shore. They also retrieved tackle or other objects dropped in the water, herded fish into nets, rescued drowning sailors, stood guard, barked their boat's position in foggy times, and also barked warnings of danger. Above all, they were dependable, tireless and loyal friends to their masters.

Theory has it that they were brought aboard the ships of the Spanish Armada as part of the working crew. When a number of the Armada ships were defeated and left to flounder in 1588, apparently some of the water dogs swam to the British shore. These new doggy arrivals to Britain are thought to have contributed their character and appearance to such breeds as the curly-coated retriever, the Kerry blue terrier and the Irish water spaniel.

Modern technology caused the Portuguese Water Dog to be steadily replaced by radar, radio communication equipment, foghorns, power boats, rescue equipment, and so on. Sadly, there were only 25 known PWDs in the world when the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America began in August, 1972. The founders and members of the club then rallied to increase the dogs' numbers and to create a fit and strong stock. By the time Water Dogs were admitted to the American Kennel Club Miscellaneous Class on June 5, 1981, there were over 500 animals in the United States.

A colleague of the Portuguese Water Dog is the Barbet, which also worked side by side with sailors, fishermen and hunters in its native France. The Barbet (female is Barbette) is thought to have descended from the original Water Dogs brought to Europe, and got their name from their "bearded" chin. This canine was cherished by the French throughout history for its gentle and sociable nature. The phrase "muddy as a Barbet" became a popular expression of the time and referred to the mud stuck to the animal's legs and body after a day of work in the marshes. In time, the Barbet's popularity was taken over by the Poodle that had much of the same qualities as the larger Water Dog but was a sleeker looking animal.

Another dog of the sea is the Newfoundland, which took its name from the Canadian province with endless coasts and icy waters. Icy seas are no problem for this canine; the Newfoundland is blessed with a double coat (a fine one underneath and a thick oily one on top) that repels water and keeps the dog dry and cozy. It also has a membrane between its webbed toes that helps it swim with ease while using its powerful tail to steer. All these characteristics make these large pooches feel right at home in frigid waters.

The Newfoundland has been doing his part for centuries, working side by side with his Native American friends. This powerful animal's jobs included pulling sleds, hauling heavy fishing nets, transporting a cart with the day's catch, and pulling heavy boats to safety. The dogs possess a keen rescue instinct and are still put to work as lifeguards.

In Italy, the Scola Cani Salvataggio is a school devoted to training canines in nautical rescue. Mas, a Newfoundland, and her trainer Ferruccio Pilenga, instruct their doggy pupils and human handlers in the art of water lifesaving including their own canine helicopter technique for dangerous, inaccessible waters.

The day's training begins when Mas, noticing the flailing of a swimmer simulating drowning, charges up her doggy students with her energy and eagerness to save him. One by one, her Newfoundland trainees overcome their puzzlement and shyness to bark energetically at the river's edge. Mas dives into the waters, tugging Pilenga along with her and heads confidently towards the struggling swimmer. To calm the exhausted and panic-stricken victim, Mas swims tranquilly in a circle around him. The swimmer grabs onto Mas's harness in relief and Pilenga then takes hold of the victim, keeping his head above water while both humans are pulled safely to shore. If the swimmer had been unconscious, the Newfoundland would have resourcefully and gently pulled him by the hand or wrist. Pilenga appreciates the valuable contribution Mas makes to their lifesaving efforts.

"We're a team and when it comes to water rescue, two is better than one. Having a friend to count on is very important," he says.

By "imitative learning," the canine students know what to do when the next "drowning" victim thrashes and cries for assistance. They dive in and use their impressive rescue abilities to save the swimmer. The hardworking rescue dogs in training also learn a great deal from observing Mas and Pilenga's pioneering and innovative canine helicopter rescue technique.

In emergency situations on the water, many locales are inaccessible by boat or may take too long to reach the victim, so using a helicopter saves precious time and lives. Pilenga would never ask his dog to do something he wouldn't do himself, so both climb up in the helicopter and dive in to rescue victims. As soon as Mas finds her master in the choppy waves, she swims to his side and together they head straight for the people in trouble.

One time, when a group of sailors couldn't keep control of their wind-tossed boat in the unforgiving surf, Mas and Pilenga jumped in to help. The sailors were frightened of being smashed against the rocks but were uncertain of trusting their lives to a dog. Finally, they threw their boat's line to Mas, who skillfully chomped down on it and pulled the young men away from the rocks and towards the safety of the open water.