Although most dogs can play fetch and tug, have you ever seen one that can dive into the sea and capture a live lobster? Lila, a black Labrador, does just that, but now she’s utilizing her amazing swimming abilities to help her fur dad clean up the water.
While the two of them were out on the sea one day, Alex Schulze, co-founder of for-profit company 4Ocean, had the idea of teaching Lila how to capture a lobster. While the Lab hung out in their boat, he went free diving.
Of course, it wasn’t as easy as instructing the dog to join him in the ocean. Alex began by teaching Lila to fetch a toy that was floating in his pool at home.
Once the dog had learned this, the fur dad submerged the toy near the pool steps and told Lila to retrieve it. Alex then lowered the object more and deeper until the Lab felt comfortable diving to the bottom and swimming back to the surface.
Lila is so skilled at this activity that she makes it appear simple, but Alex advises other dog owners to work within their pet’s capabilities rather than pushing them further. Some dogs may take longer to master a particular talent, but it’s critical to make training enjoyable for them.
Lila is now putting her abilities to work for 4Ocean, assisting Alex with trash collection. The company sells bracelets made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and ocean plastic to raise funds to help clean up bodies of water.
In Florida, Bali, and Haiti, the corporation also employs cleanup staff that works seven days a week. In addition, 4Ocean constructs river barricades to prevent the trash from entering the ocean, as well as technology that collects debris from waterways.
The Lab’s efforts may appear insignificant in comparison to the rest of 4Ocean’s projects, yet even the smallest of actions can have a significant impact. In the video below, see Lila swim to the ocean floor to retrieve a discarded water bottle: