Dog That Knew 1,000 Words
John Pilley (July 1, 1928 - June 17, 2018) & Chaser (April 28, 2004 – July 23, 2019)

You may have heard about Chaser, the Border Collie that not only knew 1000 words but could understand sentences. John Pilley got Chaser when he was 72, and chronicled their amazing story. Your dog may be just as brilliant!

Border Collie Chaser had a way with words. She knew over a thousand of them, more than any other animal of any species, except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and could retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation.

John Pilley was a psychologist who taught for 30 years. When he retired, he read a report of Rico, a border collie whose owner taught him to recognize 200 items, mostly toy and balls. Even though Dr. Pilley hadn't had a dog in over 10 years, his wife surprised him with Chaser, a Border Collie, for his birthday in 2004.

Dr. Pilley decided to repeat the previous experiment that was used on Rico, using a technique he had developed for teaching dogs. His goal was to see if he could teach Chaser a larger vocabulary than Rico acquired.

In three years, Chaser's vocabulary included 800 cloth animals, 116 balls 26 Frisbees and a medley of plastic items. Not only did she know verbs and nouns, she also understood sentences.

Dr. Pilley stated that it was not necessarily Chaser or Rico who was exceptional; it was the attention that was lavished on them. Any dog lover can adopt John's training methods.

JetSetVets
Dr. Cindy Bressler

Dr. Cindy Bressler has a unique job. She's a vet for the other side of the tracks. This entrepreneur started the country's only private-jet, ride-along-vet, concierge pet service. For a small fortune, between $1,200 and $15,000 an hour, she and her team would administer IVs and drips and handle any other medical issues.

Dr. Cindy Bressler launched JetSetVets to meet pets' needs in the air. JetSetVets is designed for sick pets with rich owners from the Hamptons to Beverly Hills.

Bressler has a house call practice in New York and the Hamptons. Over the years, she had been asked to accompany pets on the private jests of some of her clients. This enabled her to continue the medical treatment of these animals while they were in transport.

Seeing the need for this type of specialty service, Bressler took on two partners to start JetSetVets, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills veterinarian Patrick Mahaney and Blue Star Jets, a New York-based company that promises to have a small, medium, large or jumbo jet ready to go anywhere in the world in less than four hours.

The vets will dispense medicine, change dressings, monitor IVs and drips and handle any other in-flight medical care a pet needs. The company will also prepare animals for trips, apply for travel documents and work with veterinary hospitals as needed in emergencies.

Surgery is out. The plane will make an emergency landing and the medical team will get the pet to the nearest animal hospital; but other alternative treatments are available, such as acupuncture, massage, laser treatments and even an on-flight chef to prepare specialty meals.

Bressler tell us the story of one of her clients who flew frequently between New York and Los Angeles, with their pregnant dog. Bressler was along to monitor the dog and was prepared if she went into labor. Fortunately, the dog waited until they landed in New York to have her puppies!

This is such a specialized service, that Bressler says she only goes on jet calls about half a dozen times a year. While the service is in a class by itself, so is the cost. Renting a jet can cost between $1,200 and $15,000 an hour, while Bressler and Mahaney charge extra for their services. Nurses, chefs, medical equipment, drugs, and other services, as well as added jet-related costs, are also extra. Using a commercial flight is out of the question, as they need the space to have all of their special equipment.

JetSetVets also gives back to animals in need. A portion of the booking flight is donated to a charity of the choice of the person booking the flight. This enables JetSetVets to donate a large amount of money per flight to a charity. If the person booking the flight doesn't have a preferred charity, JetSetVets will then donate a portion to different animal charities around the world.

Unconditional Love
Jennifer Holland, Unlikely Loves

Jennifer Holland is the author of 'Unlikely Loves: 43 Heartwarming True Stories from the Animal Kingdom,' which explores interspecies animal attachments that can only be called love. These stories are wonderful tales of parental love, playful love, and the love of a big, wild, modern family. There are animals that can't stand to be apart; animals shielding each other from insult or harm; animals caring for each other during illness; animals providing parental protection, and, sometimes, refusing to let go even when their love goes unanswered. And Jennifer has the pictures to prove them!

So just how did Jennifer collect al of these pictures and stories? She looked for pictures and then tried to track down the source of the photo or the owners of the animals, to see if they were true pictures and what was going on between the animals. It was very important to Jennifer to get the real story and correct facts before putting it in her book.

There are some real strange and odd animal loves, and Jennifer feels the ones with reptiles always appear the strangest. She tells us about one of the stories where a tortoise joins up with a litter of puppies, and acts just like one.

When asked if Jennifer ever came across one of these love stories that, well, let's just say had an un-happy ending, she says she left them out of the book! Jennifer had a rule that if the story ended badly, she wasn't going to include it. She does tell us that one of the stories she didn't put in her book was between a leopard and a mouse, with a questionable outcome. It does happen, as it is predator and pray out there!

While a lot of the stories are of domesticated animals, there are a few of wild animal loves that Jennifer included in her book. Jennifer mentions that it probably happens less in the wild, as the animals are struggling for food and survival.

Jennifer S. Holland, a conservation biologist, has written for National Geographic, Destination Discovery, and The Discovery Channel Online, specializing in science and natural history.

Pet Flipping - Seven Tips to Safeguard Your Pet - Dr. Debbie

Pet lovers beware of the disturbing criminal trend called "pet flipping." This is when a person steals a pet or takes ownership of a lost pet, and then sells the animal. Pets are typically sold on the Internet to make a quick profit.

Pet flippers most commonly target purebred dogs because they can fetch a high price, but even mixed breed dogs are at risk. Dogs are swiped from porches, fenced in back yards, dog parks, and cars. Some pet scams involve a person advertising as a pet sitter or trainer, who then disappears with your pet. Other scams involve someone who steals a pet and then responds to the lost pet ad, making money on rewards.

Top 7 Tips to Prevent Pet Flipping:

1. Don't Leave Your Pet Unattended
Avoid leaving your pet unattended, even in your own backyard. Don't leave your pet outside of stores or coffee shops. Tying your dog's leash up while you run that quick errand can give a thief the few minutes he needs to snatch your pet while you step away. Keep a watchful eye on your dog when visiting dog parks.

2. Get Your Pet Microchipped
A microchip is one of the best tools to reunite lost pets and serves as legal proof of ownership. Be sure to keep your contact information up to date with the microchip company.

3. Use GPS Collars
A GPS collar allows you to track your dog's movement minute by minute. These units can help you find your pet quickly if lost, but are of little use if a pet flipper removes the collar. I use the Tagg Pet Tracker for my dog and like that I can locate him to a precise location with my smart phone.

4. Get Your Pet Spayed or Neutered
Dogs that aren't spayed or neutered are especially prized targets to thieves since they are perceived as a money-making opportunity. Spaying and neutering also decreases the desire to stray and is good for your pet's health.

5. Research Pet Services Carefully
Before signing on for pet sitting or dog trainer services, research the business person's reputation with the Better Business Bureau. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a reputable pet professional. Request references before using a new pet service.

6. Buyer Beware
Be cautious when buying a pet online and only use reputable breeders. Check out a breeder's standing with the AKC and breed clubs. Be wary of individuals that lack documentation of breeding or veterinary health care records.

7. Sign Up For Doggie Facial Recognition Apps
High-tech facial recognition technology is now available to identify and track down lost pets with services like Finding Rover. Use your iPhone to download the app. Upload your pet's photo in their database and promptly notify Finding Rover if your pet is ever lost.

Pet flipping is so heinous because it exploits the cherished relationship between family and a beloved pet. Share this information with fellow pet lovers to spread awareness and halt this criminal trend.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend." Dr. Debbie's books.

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Animal Radio News with Stacey Cohen

Bank Posted Inappropriate Picture on Facebook
The French bank Caisse d'Epargne apologized for posting an inappropriate picture on their Facebook account. The bank said they were trying to take advantage of social media networks when they posted a picture that seemed to show a squirrel with its testicles caught on a bird feeder. The picture was accompanied with a message promoting insurance that will cover "Any temporary injuries." The bank said it regretted the posting and that it hurt their Facebook followers and potential customers.

Woman Performed CPR on Chicken
An Australian woman's blind chicken lived after she performed CPR on it for more than three hours. The woman's pet bird, which her daughter named Chooky Wooky, was blown into the family's backyard pool. After scooping Chooky out of the water, the woman started pumping her chest and blowing air down her beak. And while the effort seemed like a lost cause, the woman said her daughter wouldn't let her stop. Just over three hours later, they were both shocked to see the bird hop back to life. Chooky Wooky even started showing off by quickly laying an egg after she had been revived.

A High Visibility Jacket For Chickens
A British company was looking to keep chickens crossing the road safe. The "High-Vis Chicken Jacket" by Omlet, which also makes chicken coops, is made from reflective material to keep chickens safe at night. The jacket is equipped with two holes for the chicken's wings and is fastened with Velcro. It's also insulated, so chickens wandering around on cold nights will also be warm. The High-Vis Chicken Jacket runs around $12.

Woman Slapped Man With Mackerel
There was an investigation in Sweden over an alleged fish slap. According to The Local, the victim, a man in his 60's, told the cops a woman, who was also in her 60's, broke into his home wielding a mackerel. The suspect allegedly woke him up from his nap and slapped him across the face with the fish. Police said the man knew the suspect, who also supposedly stole more than $300 from him and took food from his refrigerator.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1301)