Extraordinary Dogs

The book of the Channel 5 series

True-life stories and the scienceThe behind book of the 5 series the remarkable abilities of man’s best friend Channel

Jack Russell Bingo saves his owner’s life – constantly: whenever 10-year-old Cole suffers one of the life-threatening episodes in which he stops breathing, Bingo barks to alert Cole’s parents.

When leading fire investigator Sam, a springer spaniel, smelled accelerant on a discarded shirt it led to the arrest of an arsonist.

Zoe, the water rescue team golden retriever, jumps out of helicopters to save drowning swimmers and is strong enough to pull an overturned boat to shore with the stranded fisherman still clinging on.

With real-life stories like these, Extraordinary dogs details how dogs’ super-heightened senses, strength and loyalty allow them to perform remarkable acts. It explains the biology behind dogs’ physical make-up – their muscular strength, how their movable ears help to pinpoint sound, how their huge number of scent receptors powers their astonishing sense of smell – and dispels many myths, for example that dog’s sight is limited: not so – they have amazing ability to see movement over long distances.

Each chapter explores an element of the world of dogs – their agility, their hearing, whether their abilities constitute a ‘sixth sense’ – explaining the science, examining which breeds exhibit particular capabilities and why, and then focussing on individual stories of remarkable dogs.

Filled with fascinating and heart-warming descriptions of canine bravery, intelligence and instinct, Extraordinary Dogs examines the complex and intriguing interactions of dogs and their best friends – humans.

Extraordinary Dogs accompanies the 13-part Channel 5 prime-time tv series of the same name, made by the award-winning Back2Back Productions in association with A Brand Apart Television.

Elizabeth Wilhide is the author of many acclaimed books, particularly in the field of design and interiors, including Scandinavian Modern Home and New Decor. As co-author and contributing editor she has also worked with a number of different authors, including Victoria Stilwell (It’s Me or the Dog and Fat Dog Slim) and Jo Frost (Supernanny).

£9.99 Paperback 978 184400 XXX X 128pp 223 x 166mm 20,000 words Approximately 70 colour photographs

Quadrille Publishing Alhambra House 27–31 Charing Cross Road London WC2H 0LS www.quadrille.co.uk

Jack Russell Bingo saves his owner’s life – constantly: whenever 10-year-old Cole suffers one of the life-threatening episodes in which he stops breathing, Bingo barks to alert Cole’s parents.

When leading fire investigator Sam, a springer spaniel, smelled accelerant on a discarded shirt it led to the arrest of an arsonist.

Zoe, the water rescue team golden retriever, jumps out of helicopters to save drowning swimmers and is strong enough to pull an overturned boat to shore with the stranded fisherman still clinging on.

With real-life stories like these, Extraordinary dogs details how dogs’ super-heightened senses, strength and loyalty allow them to perform remarkable acts. It explains the biology behind dogs’ physical make-up – their muscular strength, how their movable ears help to pinpoint sound, how their huge number of scent receptors powers their astonishing sense of smell – and dispels many myths, for example that dog’s sight is limited: not so – they have amazing ability to see movement over long distances.

Each chapter explores an element of the world of dogs – their agility, their hearing, whether their abilities constitute a ‘sixth sense’ – explaining the science, examining which breeds exhibit particular capabilities and why, and then focussing on individual stories of remarkable dogs.

Filled with fascinating and heart-warming descriptions of canine bravery, intelligence and instinct, Extraordinary Dogs examines the complex and intriguing interactions of dogs and their best friends – humans.

Extraordinary Dogs accompanies the 13-part Channel 5 prime-time tv series of the same name, made by the award-winning Back2Back Productions in association with A Brand Apart Television.

Elizabeth Wilhide is the author of many acclaimed books, particularly in the field of design and interiors, including Scandinavian Modern Home and New Decor. As co-author and contributing editor she has also worked with a number of different authors, including Victoria Stilwell (It’s Me or the Dog and Fat Dog Slim) and Jo Frost (Supernanny).

£9.99 Paperback 978 184400 XXX X 128pp 223 x 166mm 20,000 words Approximately 70 colour photographs

Quadrille Publishing Alhambra House 27–31 Charing Cross Road London WC2H 0LS www.quadrille.co.uk

Introduction 6

1 Your Extraordinary Dog 8 2 Comfort, Love and Loyalty 22 3 Aiding Disability 38 4 Doctor Dogs 48 5 Sixth Sense? 58 6 To the Rescue 68 7 Conserve and Protect 84 8 Tackling Crime 94 9 In the War Zone 104 Organisations 122 Index 126

Stand By Me The acute senses of Maybe the golden labrador warn her owner Christine Prajanowa of an imminent epileptic seizure and keep her safe during an attack

‘There’s no question that some dogs can tell beforehand that an individual is going to have a seizure. It isn’t understood whether they pick up a scent or subtle body language that suggests something is wrong but they detect something.’ bruce fogle, canine expert

30 Healing

Christine and her Golden Labrador Maybe are inseparable. Everywhere Christine goes, everything she does, Maybe is right by her side. But this is not simply a case of canine devotion. Maybe has an important job to do: she’s a life-saver, an early warning system and Christine’s means of accessing a full and independent life.

Over twenty years ago, Christine, who lives in Waregem, Belgium, was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that means she suffers from recurrent and sudden seizures, during which she loses consciousness and her whole body becomes stiff. The seizures can happen anywhere and without warning.

In the past, she’s broken her nose, toes and wrist and dislocated her shoulder as a result.

After her diagnosis, her fear of falling in the street was so great she soon stopped going out for walks by herself. Although medication helped control the condition, she had to give up work, give up driving and gradually lost social contact.

All that changed about nine years ago when Christine got in touch with the Hachiko Centre, an organization that trains assistance dogs for people with motor disabilities or those suffering from epilepsy. That was when Maybe came into her life and completely transformed it.

Seizure response dogs are trained to prevent people from falling in dangerous

areas and to provide essential help, such as pushing alarm buttons or fetching medication, immediately after a seizure has occurred. When Christine falls, Maybe will run to her desk and pick up her bag of medication, then she will lie down beside her. When she senses the seizure is over, she will start barking really loudly until Christine can sit up. If she’s not able to stand, Maybe will fetch the phone.

Caroline Thienpont, trainer at the Hachiko Centre, explains that seizure response dogs are trained to bark after a seizure because sufferers regain their sense of hearing before they are able to see or speak. The sound of their dog barking gives them reassurance that they are not alone and help is at hand.

But Maybe is one of the select few who are able to alert their owner before a seizure even occurs. Half an hour before Christine is going to have a seizure, Maybe will start licking her wrists very intensely so she has time to get into a safe position. The comfort of this advance knowledge has lowered Christine’s stress levels considerably, which in turn has made the seizures less frequent.

‘Before, I wouldn’t go out for walks,’ says Christine. ‘Now that’s possible because Maybe stops me at every crossroad…she always gets me safely to the other side. I can’t begin to say how much she’s changed my life.’

Healing 31

Stand By Me The acute senses of Maybe the golden labrador warn her owner Christine Prajanowa of an imminent epileptic seizure and keep her safe during an attack

‘There’s no question that some dogs can tell beforehand that an individual is going to have a seizure. It isn’t understood whether they pick up a scent or subtle body language that suggests something is wrong but they detect something.’ bruce fogle, canine expert

30 Healing

Christine and her Golden Labrador Maybe are inseparable. Everywhere Christine goes, everything she does, Maybe is right by her side. But this is not simply a case of canine devotion. Maybe has an important job to do: she’s a life-saver, an early warning system and Christine’s means of accessing a full and independent life.

Over twenty years ago, Christine, who lives in Waregem, Belgium, was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that means she suffers from recurrent and sudden seizures, during which she loses consciousness and her whole body becomes stiff. The seizures can happen anywhere and without warning.

In the past, she’s broken her nose, toes and wrist and dislocated her shoulder as a result.

After her diagnosis, her fear of falling in the street was so great she soon stopped going out for walks by herself. Although medication helped control the condition, she had to give up work, give up driving and gradually lost social contact.

All that changed about nine years ago when Christine got in touch with the Hachiko Centre, an organization that trains assistance dogs for people with motor disabilities or those suffering from epilepsy. That was when Maybe came into her life and completely transformed it.

Seizure response dogs are trained to prevent people from falling in dangerous

areas and to provide essential help, such as pushing alarm buttons or fetching medication, immediately after a seizure has occurred. When Christine falls, Maybe will run to her desk and pick up her bag of medication, then she will lie down beside her. When she senses the seizure is over, she will start barking really loudly until Christine can sit up. If she’s not able to stand, Maybe will fetch the phone.

Caroline Thienpont, trainer at the Hachiko Centre, explains that seizure response dogs are trained to bark after a seizure because sufferers regain their sense of hearing before they are able to see or speak. The sound of their dog barking gives them reassurance that they are not alone and help is at hand.

But Maybe is one of the select few who are able to alert their owner before a seizure even occurs. Half an hour before Christine is going to have a seizure, Maybe will start licking her wrists very intensely so she has time to get into a safe position. The comfort of this advance knowledge has lowered Christine’s stress levels considerably, which in turn has made the seizures less frequent.

‘Before, I wouldn’t go out for walks,’ says Christine. ‘Now that’s possible because Maybe stops me at every crossroad…she always gets me safely to the other side. I can’t begin to say how much she’s changed my life.’

Healing 31

How dogs hear ‘Dogs can localise a sound and accurately pinpoint where it’s coming from in as little as 0.06 of a second – that’s very different from humans.’ david morgan, veterinarian

range

The dog’s ability to hear across a wide range of frequencies opens up a whole world of sound to them that we simply can’t hear. Dogs can detect sounds as low as 67 Hz – the equivalent of thunder rumbling in the distance – much the same as we can. But their high frequency hearing is far superior to ours and extends right up to 45,000 Hz, which is ten times higher than a soprano hitting top C. Even when dogs are sleeping they can pick up noises that are inaudible to us.

distance and direction

A dog can hear a sound ten times further away than we can. And they can pinpoint the precise origin of a sound at a distance about four times further than we can.

Like dogs, our ears are on each side of our heads. Unlike dogs, we can’t move them. If we want to tell where a sound is coming from, we have to turn or move our heads.

A dog’s directional hearing is very different.

Because a dog’s ears are large and moveable, it can localize a sound to a high degree of accuracy and it can do this fast – in about one-sixteenth of a second. More than eighteen separate muscles pivot, tilt, elevate or lower the ear, ensuring that dogs know which direction potential danger is coming from. But it doesn’t stop there. Deeper down, in the middle part of the structure of the ear, there’s a small but very important muscle composed of special fibres. It is believed that this muscle, which is unique to the canine species, is one of the reasons why dogs can hear frequencies far above the capabilities of the human ear.

> An Australian kelpie and a lively cairn terrier have their ears pricked up and facing forward, alert to sounds coming from straight ahead

Imagine what it would be like to hear a mouse squeak or a rabbit’s heart beating many metres away. Like sight and smell, hearing is another canine super-sense, part of a dog’s natural biological make-up. Before dogs were domesticated their acute sense of hearing helped them to survive in the wild by tracking the sounds made by both prey and predators. Now their superior audio recognition is being put to use to assist human companions who are hearing impaired.

We’ve all seen dogs prick up their ears at sounds we are unable to detect. Some of us may even have used a ‘silent’ dog whistle to train or call our pets – ‘silent’ to us, that is! Dogs hear far better than humans. They hear sounds over a greater range of frequencies, they hear sounds much further away and they can pinpoint the origins of those sounds with an exceptional degree of accuracy.

50 Hearing

Above A sound that we can hear at a distance of 20 metres, a dog can pick up 200 metres away.

A dog’s super-hearing can help humans in remarkable ways, as the following stories show. When combined with the energetic and tenacious temperament typical of the breed it allows Jack Russell terrier, Bingo, to save the life – many times over – of tenyear-old Cole whose breathing can stop with no warning, while the responsiveness and loyalty of Amos, a Chinese crested dog, helps his deaf owner live safely and independently.

And exploring the training of Chelan and Pekoe shows how the intelligence of Labradors and golden retrievers makes them such reliable assistants of people with hearing problems.

Hearing 51

How dogs hear ‘Dogs can localise a sound and accurately pinpoint where it’s coming from in as little as 0.06 of a second – that’s very different from humans.’ david morgan, veterinarian

range

The dog’s ability to hear across a wide range of frequencies opens up a whole world of sound to them that we simply can’t hear. Dogs can detect sounds as low as 67 Hz – the equivalent of thunder rumbling in the distance – much the same as we can. But their high frequency hearing is far superior to ours and extends right up to 45,000 Hz, which is ten times higher than a soprano hitting top C. Even when dogs are sleeping they can pick up noises that are inaudible to us.

distance and direction

A dog can hear a sound ten times further away than we can. And they can pinpoint the precise origin of a sound at a distance about four times further than we can.

Like dogs, our ears are on each side of our heads. Unlike dogs, we can’t move them. If we want to tell where a sound is coming from, we have to turn or move our heads.

A dog’s directional hearing is very different.

Because a dog’s ears are large and moveable, it can localize a sound to a high degree of accuracy and it can do this fast – in about one-sixteenth of a second. More than eighteen separate muscles pivot, tilt, elevate or lower the ear, ensuring that dogs know which direction potential danger is coming from. But it doesn’t stop there. Deeper down, in the middle part of the structure of the ear, there’s a small but very important muscle composed of special fibres. It is believed that this muscle, which is unique to the canine species, is one of the reasons why dogs can hear frequencies far above the capabilities of the human ear.

> An Australian kelpie and a lively cairn terrier have their ears pricked up and facing forward, alert to sounds coming from straight ahead

Imagine what it would be like to hear a mouse squeak or a rabbit’s heart beating many metres away. Like sight and smell, hearing is another canine super-sense, part of a dog’s natural biological make-up. Before dogs were domesticated their acute sense of hearing helped them to survive in the wild by tracking the sounds made by both prey and predators. Now their superior audio recognition is being put to use to assist human companions who are hearing impaired.

We’ve all seen dogs prick up their ears at sounds we are unable to detect. Some of us may even have used a ‘silent’ dog whistle to train or call our pets – ‘silent’ to us, that is! Dogs hear far better than humans. They hear sounds over a greater range of frequencies, they hear sounds much further away and they can pinpoint the origins of those sounds with an exceptional degree of accuracy.

50 Hearing

Above A sound that we can hear at a distance of 20 metres, a dog can pick up 200 metres away.

A dog’s super-hearing can help humans in remarkable ways, as the following stories show. When combined with the energetic and tenacious temperament typical of the breed it allows Jack Russell terrier, Bingo, to save the life – many times over – of tenyear-old Cole whose breathing can stop with no warning, while the responsiveness and loyalty of Amos, a Chinese crested dog, helps his deaf owner live safely and independently.

And exploring the training of Chelan and Pekoe shows how the intelligence of Labradors and golden retrievers makes them such reliable assistants of people with hearing problems.

Hearing 51

Making A Splash The bravery, strength and agile swimming skills of golden retriever Zoe makes her the star of the Italian School of Water Rescue Dogs

During the peak summer season the beautiful Italian coastline and lakes are teeming with bathers and boaters enjoying the water and warm sunshine. To keep the holidaymakers safe lifeguards are on patrol.

Among them is a dog called Zoe. Zoe can swim over 4km, jump out of a helicopter from a height of 5m into the water and pull dinghies to shore with her teeth. In five years she has saved more than 100 lives.

She’s one of the best in the business.

Zoe is a graduate of the Italian School of Water Rescue Dogs, set up by former emergency services volunteer Ferrucio Pilenga. Full training takes three years and involves intensive swimming and distance training as well as specific exercises. Dogs have to be able to swim and simultaneously drag a human for up to an hour in rough waters, or support a victim while their handlers perform first-aid procedures such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. After the water training is completed the dogs are then taught to jump from hovering helicopters, which first means getting them accustomed to the noise and choppy waters created by high rotor speeds. ‘The most important thing,’ says Renato Cumia, Zoe’s handler, ‘is that they have to be happy to work. It’s a game for them.’

Various studies have suggested that dogs, like humans, are one of the few non-aquatic 12 Agility

mammals that can hold their breath. What enables them to do so is a descended larynx, which also gives them a good diving reflex. While most dogs can swim – hence the term ‘doggy paddle’ – some take to the water much more happily than others. These include working dogs such as Labradors and retrievers, who may have to venture into water to fetch game, along with Newfoundlands, which were originally bred to work with fishermen.

Newfoundlands, in particular, are ideal for water rescue work. Their natural swimming stroke is more like breaststroke than doggy paddle and they have thick waterproof coats that protect them from the cold, along with slightly webbed feet that maximize thrust.

Their big lung capacity helps them swim long distances, while their large skeletons give them the strength and power to resist strong tides. With a bite force of 21kg per square centimetre, double that of a human’s, they can handle the pressure required to drag a boat.

Three years ago, while they were on vacation, Zoe and her handler Renato rescued two fishermen whose boat had capsized. Incredibly, Zoe managed to drag the two men and the boat safely to shore using her teeth. ‘They were astonished, but she did it because she was trained to do it,’ says Renato.

Above Zoe prepares for a helicopter rescue; below Zoe and her teammate, Newfoundland rescue dog Vera, set out for a training exercise.

Making A Splash The bravery, strength and agile swimming skills of golden retriever Zoe makes her the star of the Italian School of Water Rescue Dogs

During the peak summer season the beautiful Italian coastline and lakes are teeming with bathers and boaters enjoying the water and warm sunshine. To keep the holidaymakers safe lifeguards are on patrol.

Among them is a dog called Zoe. Zoe can swim over 4km, jump out of a helicopter from a height of 5m into the water and pull dinghies to shore with her teeth. In five years she has saved more than 100 lives.

She’s one of the best in the business.

Zoe is a graduate of the Italian School of Water Rescue Dogs, set up by former emergency services volunteer Ferrucio Pilenga. Full training takes three years and involves intensive swimming and distance training as well as specific exercises. Dogs have to be able to swim and simultaneously drag a human for up to an hour in rough waters, or support a victim while their handlers perform first-aid procedures such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. After the water training is completed the dogs are then taught to jump from hovering helicopters, which first means getting them accustomed to the noise and choppy waters created by high rotor speeds. ‘The most important thing,’ says Renato Cumia, Zoe’s handler, ‘is that they have to be happy to work. It’s a game for them.’

Various studies have suggested that dogs, like humans, are one of the few non-aquatic 12 Agility

mammals that can hold their breath. What enables them to do so is a descended larynx, which also gives them a good diving reflex. While most dogs can swim – hence the term ‘doggy paddle’ – some take to the water much more happily than others. These include working dogs such as Labradors and retrievers, who may have to venture into water to fetch game, along with Newfoundlands, which were originally bred to work with fishermen.

Newfoundlands, in particular, are ideal for water rescue work. Their natural swimming stroke is more like breaststroke than doggy paddle and they have thick waterproof coats that protect them from the cold, along with slightly webbed feet that maximize thrust.

Their big lung capacity helps them swim long distances, while their large skeletons give them the strength and power to resist strong tides. With a bite force of 21kg per square centimetre, double that of a human’s, they can handle the pressure required to drag a boat.

Three years ago, while they were on vacation, Zoe and her handler Renato rescued two fishermen whose boat had capsized. Incredibly, Zoe managed to drag the two men and the boat safely to shore using her teeth. ‘They were astonished, but she did it because she was trained to do it,’ says Renato.

Above Zoe prepares for a helicopter rescue; below Zoe and her teammate, Newfoundland rescue dog Vera, set out for a training exercise.

Above Nepal, a Labrador retriever helps his master, former US soldier Jason Morgan, with everyday activities like opening the door, turning on the light or picking up the TV remote.

The book of the Channel 5 series

True-life stories and the scienceThe behind book of the 5 series the remarkable abilities of man’s best friend Channel