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We have a young BC we have nicknamed, Doctor Dave. It all started when my wife had a cold several months ago. She would sneeze and our puppy would run to her and try to get at her face and then he would sit beside her. A couple of months ago he began checking us out carefully almost every day. He would come to us and sniff all over and stop at locations such as a cut finger, a sraped knee or bruise. He would sniff carefully and sit beside us. My wife spained her ankle, he did not see it happen but that evening he came to her, sniffed carefully and sat down beside her. My wife had the flue and was in bed for a day. The dog went to her frequently during the day, he would sniff her and sit on the bed beside her. He does this with other people as well. If someone has an upset stomach, he will sniff and sit. He checks out our other dogs, he will lick inside their ears and groom them. One of our dogs hurt his paw. He went to the dog, sniffed, licked and sat beside him. If he goes to one of the dogs and sniffs and sits beside them he will not leave them until we have checked the dog out. I was up all night with one of our dogs who had a temperature. When I let Doctor Dave out of his kennal in the morning he ran straight to the dog, sniffed all over and sat beside him. I have seen wild canines groom and appear to be caring for each other but I have never seen this in a dog before. I have even seen dogs on TV that are supposed to be able to sniff out cancer locations. This does not seem to be a random or idle thing with this dog, his actions appear to have prupose. Has anyone seen this, what is it, can dogs actually detect injury or illness.

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Scooter does this too. I have a lot of foot pain due to too many years of ballet. He will always go to the area of the foot that's hurting, and it isn't always the same place, so I know it's something he's sensing. Sometimes it's the arch, sometimes the toes, not always the same foot. If my shoes are off, he'll lick the affected area. And you know, it actually helps. It's like a very gentle foot massage. I firmly believe dogs are able to "smell" pain or illness, and I think Border Collies are especially attuned to this. They're amazing animals! :rolleyes:

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Usher is my miracle boy. I purchased him from a top trialer to try and train him to help me with my balance and tremor and help me up when I fall. He has done all that I want plus more than I expected. When I have a bad day, he will stand on the bed and straddle me so I don't fall out. I have never fallen out before, but he's a worry wort. I have woken up to see him stare at me before in this position. Kind of scary, but a nice secure feeling. He usually sleeps in his crate but when I say "bedtime" and he goes in and keeps coming out, I let him stay out because he is probably right, and I might have a bad night. He waits until I'm asleep and goes and sleeps in his chair or next to my bed. I just love my dog!!!

I think they are capable of more than we think they are.

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Maggie (mixed breed) does this, and we know she's seizure alert dog because she's done it for two different dogs we've had. When she was young I considered signing her up for a service dog organization because it felt like her talents were going to waste her, but she is such a homebody I couldn't imagine her being comfortable being rehomed.

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My last foster Phoebe wouldn't let me get near her - she had been picked up pretty feral, but when I was home sick one day, she laid with me the whole time and from then on she was my friend

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Maggie (mixed breed) does this, and we know she's seizure alert dog because she's done it for two different dogs we've had. When she was young I considered signing her up for a service dog organization because it felt like her talents were going to waste her, but she is such a homebody I couldn't imagine her being comfortable being rehomed.

 

Doctor Dave has lots to do with his herding training, goose training and my expectations for him in agility but should I and could I look for other things for Dave to do as well. I will not sell him but if this is something of a talent and if it can be useful to others should I consider this. How could Dave be helpful to others. He is such a good natured dog I have thought of getting him into things like teaching kids about dogs etc. Where I live half the people are affraid of dogs or don't like them. What else could Dave do. Frankly, although I can't tell for sure yet I think Dave is going to be the best dog I have ever had. There is something about him and his spirit that I can't quite define that I have not seen before in any other dogs. You know how you just get a feeling about something. It is taking him a lot less time to get on to things in his training than I have ever seen and I am pretty sure that I am not getting any better. In the past few days I have even thought about turning him over to another trainer. He may have more potential than I am going to bring out in him and I would like to give him his best chance. He comes from outstanding stock on his fathers side but a bit of an experiment on his mothers side. I have his half brother from his mothers side and although he is not the best herding dog I have ever had he is by far the fastest dog I have ever trained and the easiest to train. I am not a breeding expert by any means but perhaps I am lucky.

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Doctor Dave could have a very special talent. Here is one of many articles to look at.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../01/CM38469.DTL

 

We have a Sheltie in our therapy group who has gone through some training because he showed special traits in detecting illness. It's kind of weird when he comes up to you now. I don't want him to stick around sniffing me too long. :rolleyes:

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Hi Linda, thanks. I know how you feel. I get very nervous when Doctor Dave starts to sniff and I do not have an obvious problem, creepy. He is a strange little dog.

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The local Hospice Center here has two dogs in residence. It was a well known fact that if the Golden Retriever suddenly started lying in a person's doorway, they were going to die shortly. He had an almost perfect record.

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My wife asked me to bring up something else strange about Doctor Dave for your response. I am in the habit of talking to my dogs when not training in full sentences. I know some of you do it to. It can be difficult to get Dave back into the house after a training or play seesion. I can understand that, he wants to keep going. Sometimes no mater what I say he will not come in. However, we noticed something a few weeks ago and we have been having some fun with it and we are curious about it. One evening trying to get Dave in without forcing him I happened to say as a joke, come in the house Dave and we will make coffee. He looked straight at me and walked right in. We have tried it since and it works every time. He seems to be fasinated with words but as far as I know all he is hearing is, blah, blah, blah, Dave, blah, blah. What word in that coffee sentance got to Dave or what is this reaction.

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Don't bet on the "blah, blah, blah." These dogs understand English (probably any language they hear regularly).

 

When I'm walking Fergie before breakfast and she starts to lag (off leash up at our end of the street), I can say all I want to get her to come along. But "We have to get the paper for Daddy" is what always gets her moving. As does "Do you want lunch?" or "Do you want cocktails?" later in the day. Now, I can say "Do you want the kitty?" or any other question and she still lags. The word "ride" at any time, in any situation, gets her doing the car-ride dance.

 

She and the cat can also tell time. No matter where we are or what is going on, the cat knows when it's 11:30 and time for lunch. They both know when it's 5:30 and time for dinner. Even Daylight Saving Time doesn't confuse them.

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I wonder if there has been any research done into this, this is facinating. I have not noticed this in my other dogs and they are all related. But perhaps I was not looking in the right place. Dave is young and it seems that everything he does is quite different and more pronounced than any of my other dogs. I am going to keep working on this.

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The local Hospice Center here has two dogs in residence. It was a well known fact that if the Golden Retriever suddenly started lying in a person's doorway, they were going to die shortly. He had an almost perfect record.

There's a pretty famous cat who has a perfect record.

Oscar, the Death Cat.

From the article:

When death is near, Oscar nearly always appears at the last hour or so. Yet he shows no special interest in patients who are simply in poor shape, or even patients who may be dying but who still have a few days. Animal behavior experts have no explanation for Oscar's ability to sense imminent death. They theorize that he might detect some subtle change in metabolism -- felines are as acutely sensitive to smells as dogs -- but are stumped as to why he would show interest.

"It may just come down to empathy," said Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman, a leading behaviorist and professor at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, when told about Oscar's eerie knack.

 

In any event, when Oscar settles beside a patient on the bed, caregivers take it as sign that family members should be summoned immediately to bid their loved one farewell.

"We've come to recognize him hopping on the bed as one indicator the end is very near," said Mary Miranda, charge nurse in the Safe Haven Advanced Care Unit, the formal name of the surprisingly cheery floor that is home to 41 patients suffering in the final stages of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke, and other mentally debilitating diseases. "Oscar's been consistently right."

 

I have chronic "sneezeanal" allergies and the post nasal drip makes me cough. Finn will jump on the bed and lie down on top of my chest if I start coughing at night. And of course, everyone knows the best thing in the world for a cough is a 50 pound weight on your chest. :rolleyes:

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