Can You Hear Me?

The adorable picture above is our dog, Peanut. Peanut is a mixed breed dog. We were told that she is a mix between a Chihuahua and a Dachschund. I don't know whether or not that is true. Peanut is long like a Dachschund and she is short like a Chihuahua. We got Peanut from a rescue organization. I'm not sure I want to know what she was rescued from. Some things, you just don't want to know. Understand?

Anyway, Peanut is the smartest dog I've ever had. She knows how to sit, roll over, play dead, shake hands, etc. She also knows more words than any dog I've ever known. I've read the average dog "knows" 200 words or less. Peanut sure seems to know more than that.

But, as smart as she is, I've never taught her what may be the most important lesson she needs to know. I read an article over the weekend about what took place in Phoenix, Arizona. Buddy is a trained German shepherd who saved his owner’s life by dialing 911 when he began having a seizure.

In listening to the recorded 911 call, Buddy is heard whimpering and barking after the somewhat confused dispatcher answers the phone and repeatedly asks if the caller needs help.

“Hello, this is 911. Hello ... Can you hear me? Is there somebody there you can give the phone to,” says the dispatcher, Chris Scott. Buddy barks loudly when police arrive about three minutes after the call is placed. An officer asks Buddy’s owner, Joe Stalnaker, if he’s OK. Stalnaker coughs, and the call ends.

Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said Stalnaker spent two days in the hospital following the seizure and has recovered. “It’s pretty incredible,” Clark said. “Even the veteran dispatchers—they haven’t heard of anything like this.”

Clark said police are dispatched whenever 911 is called, but that Stalnaker’s address was flagged in Scottsdale’s system with the fact that an assistance dog dials 911 when the owner cannot. He said Buddy made two other 911 calls when Stalnaker was having seizures, the first last August. He said Stalnaker's seizures are the result of a head injury he sustained about 10 years ago during a training exercise in the U.S. military.

Clark said Stalnaker adopted Buddy when he was eight weeks old and trained him to get the phone if he began to have seizure symptoms. Buddy, now 18 months old, also is trained to press programmed buttons until a 911 operator is on the line, Clark said.

He said Stalnaker got Buddy through Michigan-based Paws with a Cause, which trains assistance dogs nationwide for people with disabilities.

Now, that would be good for Peanut to know. That’s more than a trick or something to show off to guests who come over. This feat could save my life!

But, I do have a question, how do I train her to do this without actually getting the police on the phone and at my door?

So, what’s the best trick you’ve ever taught your pet? I know many of you aren’t pet owners and this post won’t make much sense to you. That’s okay. But for the others, share your favorite story.