Canine ESP: How It All Began?

Have you ever get the strange sense that your dog is reading your mind or staring blankly on a nonexistent, yet fascinating “thing” located just above your head?

If so, relax and accept this strange occurrence graciously and gratefully. It could very well be extrasensory perception (ESP). And it most certainly a grand devotion because in order for this phenomenon to work, ESP requires a strong bond of love between humans and their canine companions.

Since ESP is completely extrasensory, which means it cannot be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or felt, how can we presume to attribute such non-physical powers to our seemingly purely physical pets?

We can, thanks to the painstaking research of Dr. Joseph B. Rhine and his team at the Duke University Parapsychology Laboratory in North Carolina. After well establishing the ESP ability in humans, Dr. Rhine and his team set out to determine if the same phenomenon existed in animals. Similar research was also carried out in Russia by two eminent scientists, Bekhterev and Durov.

Since the introductory research with animals, Dr. Rhine’s laboratory has been flooded with letters reporting ESP in pets, first and mainly with dogs, and then with cats. But almost every domesticated animals had a spot in Dr. Rhine’s collection. Each case is meticulously investigated to determine its authenticity. “Homing” studies (referred to as “Psi-training” by Dr. Rhine) are the most common but stories involving other forms of ESP are also documented in evidence.

Dogs Who Traveled Thousand Miles to Reunite With Their Owners

Case I: Bob the Collie

One of the most popular cases involves a Collie named Bob. His “homing” feat gained him headlines from all over the world, lots of fan mails, and even a motion picture. Bob’s adventure started out as a vacation motor trip from Oregon to the East Coast. On the way back to Oregon, Bob’s family realized that their beloved dog was missing.

After an unsuccessful search for Bob, the heartbroken family drove back to Oregon—approximately 2,500 miles. Bob’s most charming trick was holding up his right front paw when he was hungry. Four months later, he presented himself at the door of his home in Oregon with his right front paw outstretched!

Case II: Henry the Mixed-Breed Dog

Another inspiring case is that of a mixed-breed dog named Henry. Henry was left with friends in Illinois when his family moved to Michigan. Six weeks later, Henry excitedly greeted his family on a street corner of their new town in Michigan.

The dog made it perfectly clear that he was looking at his family, and the stunned family was convinced that the dog was their beloved dog Henry. But was the dog really Henry? The collar was familiar. The Illinois family, with whom Henry had been left, drove to Michigan to satisfy their doubts. Dr. Rhine and his staff from Duke University flew to Michigan to verify the story. Everyone agreed that the dog was indeed Henry!

Case III: Prince the Shepherd Dog

There are many, many more similar stories that are documented, including the one about the famous Shepherd named Prince. During World War I, Prince swam the English Channel to find his owner in one of the thousands of trenches in France. This story became very famous and received international acclaim.

Canine ESP Series:

• Part One: How It All Began?
• Part Two: Do Dogs Really Have ESP?
• Part Three: Can Dogs Sense Danger?