Good Dog,No,GREAT Dog

392cobra · #1 (**permalink**) 04-24-2010, 08:21 AM

What a fine dog.Just like Lassie or Rin Tin Tin.

http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-N...-to-fire-Video
Amazing video from the dashboard camera of an Alaska State Trooper's vehicle shows how a dog led the trooper through snowy roads to a fiery blaze that had erupted at his owner's property.

The raw video, distributed by the Associated Press, shows Buddy the German Shepherd dog waiting by the side of a main road on a dark and cold night. As soon as Buddy sees the trooper's headlights, the dog takes off running down a smaller road, leading the trooper's car down the right path at each fork in the road to where the fire is blazing.

The incident occurred on April 4. Buddy and his owner, 23-year-old Ben Heinrichs, were in the family workshop when a heater ignited chemicals and the workshop burst into flames, reports the AP.

"I just told him, 'We need to get help,' and then that's the last time I seen him," Heinrichs told the News-Tribune. "I didn't train him or nothing. He just took off and went and did what he did. ... He was just being a good dog."

It's a good thing Buddy sprung into action because trooper Terrence Shanigan, who was responding to the call about a fire, was having trouble with his vehicle's global positioning system, which wasn't working properly, reports the News-Tribune. "Shanigan, who almost took the long way around the neighborhood, came across Buddy on Caswell Loop Road," reports the News-Tribune. "The dog took off, and acting on a hunch, Shanigan followed the dog down a side road." Amazing!

Heinrichs survived the fire with minor flash burns to his face, reports the AP. Buddy will receive a special award today from the Alaska State Troopers: an engraved silver-plated dog bowl.

Ron61 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-24-2010, 08:41 AM

I saw that on the news. That is one very intelligent dog.

Ron

Wes Tausend · #3 (**permalink**) 04-25-2010, 12:10 AM

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Quote:

As soon as Buddy sees the trooper's headlights, the dog takes off running down a smaller road, leading the trooper's car down the right path at each fork in the road to where the fire is blazing.

OK. I'd like to know how this dog supposedly knew these were the exact approaching headlights of the Trooper that he dialed and requested.

Smart? I don't know. I think this dog was just darn lucky the way he guessed at the headlights.

Maybe I'm being anal.

Wes

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Ron61 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-25-2010, 06:06 AM

Wes,

I believe the owner just told the dog we need to get help. The dog would probably have led the first vehicle that he saw back, whether it was a patrol car or not. There are many similar stories of dogs doing things like that.

Ron

Wes Tausend · #5 (**permalink**) 04-25-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron61

Wes,

I believe the owner just told the dog we need to get help. The dog would probably have led the first vehicle that he saw back, whether it was a patrol car or not. There are many similar stories of dogs doing things like that.

Ron

I know, Ron. I was about half kidding, especially the part about the dog dialing. It does make one wonder what lead up to the dog knowing to do this. Maybe just animal IQ.

Unless somebody did a lot of story fabrication, it certainly looks like this dog did meet the patrolman and lead him to Timmy, I mean Ben, who was burning the shop down. So I wonder if the dog was used to meeting friends cars or kids at the end of the drive. In this case the dog might be much more likely to equate the command, "going-getting (help)", by posting at the end of the lengthy drive. Still pretty amazing.

Hope Ben wasn't cooking meth.

My wife recently bought a Standard Brown Poodle to keep her company when I am on the road. He (Quincy) is a fairly bright fellow, but a bit unruly yet in his young adolescence. He is far more energetic than her Dobermans were; ever bit as smart. He should train ok, as his sire comes from a long champion line of specialty bred hunters. Hunting was the original German purpose for the breed eons ago, before the French made them pets with strange haircuts.

Because she wants to teach Quincy to come unequivically on command, she was training him in the safety of the fenced back yard. Quincy, being a bit young and mischievious, was coming close then running away in a "chase-me" challenge. So she clipped a short leash on him so she could step on it or grab it as he came close. He immediately learned to gather the dragging leash in his mouth first, so it wasn't available when he came close and tried to play catch-me. Darn pups.

Wes

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392cobra · #6 (**permalink**) 04-25-2010, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Tausend

...
OK. I'd like to know how this dog supposedly knew these were the exact approaching headlights of the Trooper that he dialed and requested.

Smart? I don't know. I think this dog was just darn lucky the way he guessed at the headlights.

Wes
...

Wes,
It's all pretty simple really.

As Ron said and we all agree,Buddy is a smart dog.It take more than smarts to be able to do all he did.
He has a Great sense of smell too.Just comes with the territory.

Buddy was able to pick out that cop car at some distance. Watch the video and you can see he was already to lead the cop before the cop got the clue.

Buddy could tell the difference between a cop car and civilian cars by the aroma of doughnuts.

Sounds like y'alls new pup has your wife's number.

Ron61 · #7 (**permalink**) 04-26-2010, 06:21 AM

Wes,

Because she wants to teach Quincy to come unequivocally on command, she was training him in the safety of the fenced back yard. Quincy, being a bit young and mischievous, was coming close then running away in a "chase-me" challenge. So she clipped a short leash on him so she could step on it or grab it as he came close. He immediately learned to gather the dragging leash in his mouth first, so it wasn't available when he came close and tried to play catch-me. Darn pups.

That sounds like me trying to teach my pups to let me put the collar and leash on them. They would grab the collar when I laid it down and run off with it.

Ron

Bobcat · #8 (**permalink**) 04-26-2010, 07:07 AM

Wes .... who is training who ? Sounds like he is training your wife to chase him

.

trularin · #9 (**permalink**) 04-26-2010, 12:49 PM

Nothing against cats, but I am not sure I have ever read about a cat leading help to a victim.

I'm a dog fan.

Maybe cats are comfort animals.

Wes Tausend · #10 (**permalink**) 04-26-2010, 01:41 PM

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Fred,

Doughnuts?? Sure enough, you can see Buddy lift his nose right before taking off. Cripe, I never thought of that Fred. I should have known. That is good.

Quincy would never realise the doughnuts are gone and get down to real business like that... but he's still a pup. Older dogs know cops can't drive when there is doughnuts left.

For instance, I once shot by a speed trap at double the legal speed. But was I scared? No. The cop had a doughnut in one hand, and radar gun in the other. I knew he wouldn't chase me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron

That sounds like me trying to teach my pups to let me put the collar and leash on them. They would grab the collar when I laid it down and run off with it.

That's what's so remarkable about Buddy. Most dogs are just good at saving themselves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobcat

Wes .... who is training who ? Sounds like he is training your wife to chase him.

I know. I can't get her to chase me, and I'm easy. I'm jealous. 'Course, I'm not fixed either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trularin

Nothing against cats, but I am not sure I have ever read about a cat leading help to a victim.

I'm a dog fan.

Maybe cats are comfort animals.

Tru,

We had a cat that frantically led the UPS man to our door with a new electric can-opener. Just kidding.

When I was a kid, we did have one that learned to come when called by name. She learned it while she had kittens to mind and fuss over in our entry shed.

My brother had a cat (Taco) that his daughter taught to roll over on command and shake hands on occasion. That was impressive for a cat. In my experience, they usually want the owner to stop bothering them during attempted training.

Wes

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392cobra · #11 (**permalink**) 04-26-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Tausend

...

Fred,

Older dogs know cops can't drive when there is doughnuts left.

For instance, I once shot by a speed trap at double the legal speed. But was I scared? No. The cop had a doughnut in one hand, and radar gun in the other. I knew he wouldn't chase me.

Wes

...

A few years ago while returning from a quick run to Dunkin' Donuts one Sunday morning,I got pulled over.

The cop strolls up to my window.He asked the normal,,"Do you know why I stopped you ?"

I answered..."You smelt fresh donuts ?"

Who would have thought that wasn't the correct answer ?

Ron61 · #12 (**permalink**) 04-27-2010, 05:59 AM

Fred,

Did he offer you some while he was writing the ticket?

Ron

trularin · #13 (**permalink**) 04-27-2010, 08:24 AM

I offered coffee to the two gents that came out to inspect the Cobra before the state person came out to tag the chassis.

They were okay.

Fred, how much was the ticket?

Wes Tausend · #14 (**permalink**) 04-28-2010, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 392cobra

A few years ago while returning from a quick run to Dunkin' Donuts one Sunday morning,I got pulled over.

The cop strolls up to my window.He asked the normal,,"Do you know why I stopped you ?"

I answered..."You smelt fresh donuts ?"

Who would have thought that wasn't the correct answer ?

If I was a cop (and I was an MP for a while, NG 191st), I would have laughed at that, like I did now.

Then I would have asked you to open the bag. When the bag was open, I woulda wrote you up for speeding and open container. Of course when you objected, I woulda obligingly tore up the speeding ticket, but confiscated the bag as evidence ...and asked you if you came this way often. And wished you a good day. Except for the politeness, it's a good thing I was never a civilian cop.

I know when I was a kid, the cops always confiscated our beer and let us go. Surely I would have extrapolated that by the example set for me.

Wes

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Wes Tausend · #15 (**permalink**) 04-29-2010, 09:05 AM

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OK. I confess, Fred. I wouldn't have really tried to take your doughnuts. I got carried away with my story. Sorry. Some folks can't handle the prospect of power.

But I did take beer away from guys, when on gate duty, if they happened to be obviously drinking it when they stopped for ID check.

Some of my partners actually searched the car, even without probable cause (didn't need it), and confiscated booze out of the trunk. Now, they might be the type to abscond with doughnuts.

Wes

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392cobra · #16 (**permalink**) 04-29-2010, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Tausend

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OK. I confess, Fred. I wouldn't have really tried to take your doughnuts. I got carried away with my story. Sorry. Wes

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Wes,
You would have taken my donuts and have me sitting on the curb forced to watch while you ate every one of them.

The cop I said it to reacted a lot like you said you would.He laughed and gave me a pass on a ticket.Something about originality counting.

He left my donuts alone too.

Ron61 · #17 (**permalink**) 04-30-2010, 11:17 AM

Sorry, no doughnuts involved but I thought that this would fit into this thread nicely.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/local-15749667/19391478

Ron