How ace are dogs?

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:55 am

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/16/usa1

Amazing.

Though I guess there was probably a button or something that the dog was trained to push, rather than it knocking the receiver off the phone then hitting 911 with it's nose. But still, dogs are great.

Bet my cat couldn't do that...

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:15 am

From Futility Closet:

An affecting anecdote was recently recorded in the French papers. A young man took a dog into a boat, rowed to the centre of the Seine, and threw the animal over, with intent to drown him; the poor dog often tried to climb up the side of the boat, but his master as often pushed him back, till, overbalancing himself, he fell overboard. As soon as the faithful dog saw his master in the stream he left the boat, and held him above water till help arrived from the shore, and his life was saved.

– T. Wallis, The Nic-Nac; or, Oracle of Knowledge, 1823

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:23 am

Innocent Bystander wrote:From Futility Closet:
An affecting anecdote was recently recorded in the French papers. A young man took a dog into a boat, rowed to the centre of the Seine, and threw the animal over, with intent to drown him; the poor dog often tried to climb up the side of the boat, but his master as often pushed him back, till, overbalancing himself, he fell overboard. As soon as the faithful dog saw his master in the stream he left the boat, and held him above water till help arrived from the shore, and his life was saved.

– T. Wallis, The Nic-Nac; or, Oracle of Knowledge, 1823

Hmm. The dog should have jumped in the boat and paddled it to shore, leaving the git in the water. Then it would be an impressive story, as it stands it's just slightly depressing.

dwest · Post by **dwest** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:33 am

A cat did the same thing here in the States and a dog preformed the Heimlich on it's owner.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10663270/Has to be the water.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:05 am

dwest wrote:A cat did the same thing here in the States and a dog preformed the Heimlich on it's owner.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10663270/Has to be the water.

Cool!

If I tried to do that the speed dial would need to be shiny and the phone left on a table or worktop. Gizmo only paws at shiny things he can knock onto the floor.

dwest · Post by **dwest** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:15 am

Of course the cat only called because it was concerned about it's next meal.

Now here is a good dog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR55F5IN ... re=related

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:44 am

Yes, the dog was trained to push the speed-dial for 911, then to stay on the line barking. The 911 account was tagged with the information that the man had a dog could call. The dog has called several times for him, apparently.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:45 am

Lambchop wrote:Yes, the dog was trained to push the speed-dial for 911, then to stay on the line barking. The 911 account was tagged with the information that the man had a dog could call. The dog has called several times for him, apparently.

It still amazes me that you can train a dog to do that and it works.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:44 am

I rang the number to buy tickets for a gig at Welcombe Village Hall which is near me. After a couple of rings the receiver at the other end was removed and a dog started to howl at me. The more I said "Hello? Hello?" the more the dog howled, clearly in reply to each "hello." Eventually I gave up and rang later that evening. This time a male human answered. I ordered the tickets and told him about the dog answering the phone. Apparently, it transpired, the dog does this routinely, and the chap raised not an eyebrow when I told him.

Post by **Dale** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:08 am

David Letterman's show featured a dog who bought beer for his owner. The owner would tuck money in the dog's collar. The dog would go down the block to the convenience store. The storekeeper would take the money and give the dog a six pack of beer which the dog would take back to the apartment.

Which is pretty good.

My dog does my income tax returns.