Following are some interesting notes from Laura and Danielle, produced in response to questions from Terry Stawar, a psychologist and free-lance writer working on an article on Canine ESP for DOGWORLD magazine.

1. How strong is the scientific evidence for Canine ESP.

Laura: Dogs have repeatedly shown that they know when there is something wrong with their people. There are dogs who can tell when a seizure is imminent, dogs who seem to know when their owners are close to home even when they are not in a car, or are riding in someone else's car. Dogs who manage to get their people out of the homes before danger happens. I can't give you particular names and dates only that these are all things that I've heard of on the TV or in periodicals.

Danielle: About as strong as any other scientific evidence for ESP... we've a long way to go before we can scientifically explain the dynamics of telepathic communications...

2. Is there anything special about psychic dogs as opposed to other animals?

Laura: I think that it's because of the special relationship a dog has with it's owner, the dog often feels responsible for the owner's well being. Other types of pets in the home often feel that the person is there to take care of them. A dog knows that because of its bark, teeth, and demeanor they can protect the person from harm.Dogs have a totally different relationship than any other pet species have with their owners.

Danielle: I have communicated with dogs, cats, horses, cows, birds, snakes and many different wild animals and Laura communicates regularly with many kinds of animals... Horses typically are the easiest to talk with, they always seem to have a lot to say and can be very specific about what they want and need. Cats communicate the way they behave - when they feel like it, some are more chatty than others - in a group you'll often find that you have to make contact with individuals through the leader of the group - cats are actually very social...

Dogs, on the other hand, are very individual, some communicate easily, others are quite dull and slow. I suspect that psychic ability is directly related to the dog's intelligence - the more intelligent the dog, the more prepared they are to communicate... but there again, we see a lot of variations in style and skill. Some dogs are great at sending images of what they want to tell you, others can actually transmit poetry. Most dogs are very attached to their owners and have a lot to say about what's happening in their owners' lives and what they think their owners need. They'll often pick up on traumas or illness and will try to help an owner who's depressed.

3. Are any breeds or kinds of dogs more likely to exhibit psychic phenomena?

Laura: I would saw that the Kuvas are the most perceptive. I've noticed that the Kuvas is very tuned into their people and surroundings. To the point that all you do is think about the dog and there he is, as if to say "You wanted me for something?". They are incredible people and situation readers. If this dog doesn't like someone there is a reason!

The livestock guardian dogs in general are quite perceptive. I think it's because they have to be tuned into all the subtelties of the herd that they are guarding and the predators that want their flock as a food source. Their feelers are always out and on alert as to what they need to do to fulfill their responsibility to the flock.

Danielle: As I said earlier, it seems that psychic ability is related to intelligence as opposed to breed... Dogs who are able to establish a close connection with an owner also seem more interested in communicating, but I'm not sure whether this is related to intelligence... one of the characteristics of communicating with dogs especially seems to be a willingness to communicate - ie some dogs flat out tell you they're too busy to chat...

4. What is most important for readers to know about this topic.

Laura: Any dog is tuned into the family. They are always trying their best to take care of us. If I had to, I would say that the dog more than any other animal is the ultimate codependent. They are dependent on us to provide for their needs and they return it by loving and nurturing us. Even to the point of making us exercise to take them out for all those walks that are good for us...

Danielle: We stress the importance of noticing the communications from their pets - and learning to listen and communicate from the heart... most folks dismiss their dog's communications as their imagination - they don't recognize the body movements that indicate a communication is occurring, nor do they notice the images or words they are communicating... When we learn to "come from the heart" in dealing with animals, dogs especially since they are so emotionally tied to us, it becomes very easy to make the telepathic connections. Laura also stresses the significance of being clear in our minds and hearts and feelings when we want to communicate with our pets. Too often our minds are so cluttered with the days events that we can't hear our dogs talk - and they can't get a fix on what we want and need from them...

5. Any other comments on this area?

Laura: If your dogs are acting up and letting you know something, don't dismiss it! Get out there and look for the trouble. Reward them for their diligence and it will come back to you ten fold.

Danielle: Dogs especially seem to know when there's someone around who can talk with them... for years any and every dog around will want to stop and "chat" with me for a moment... it's been an amusement because until recently I was clearly just a cat person. But typically, they don't want to talk for long, there's too much else to think about and be busy with...

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