Dogs are Lifesavers, and this story is one more testimony to that.

My good friend, and recent Jackie Chan sitter Josie, sent on this story of a very close call at her sister’s home on the south island of New Zealand.

“Feel rather shaken. Had to call the fire brigade 20 minutes ago as I saw flames licking up and crackling along the fence line out the back of us. A tinder dry overgrown field full of rubbish, ciggies and newspapers. We’ve had a hot dry wind all day.. Apparently the fire brigade get called out to fires in fields that are started by hot winds. House smells of smoke. Doug immediately onto the hose leaning over the hot fence dowsing it down. The fire covered quite an area in such a short time!

Just in the Nick of Time

Smoke settling now. We have windows open. After ringing the fire brigade I ran over the road to get a tall South African man to help. From his house it looked like our house was on fire. So he ran with me over to the house and took the hose from shaky Doug.

Very Lucky Indeed

If it wasn’t for the dog wanting an extra pee at 8.30pm outside, I never would have seen the flames”.

Tobin saves the day!

I know she’s giving Tobin some extra cuddles right now, and grateful for him and his keen senses that must have made him want to go out uncharacteristically. Dogs are Heroes!

According to Wag! Dogs do have the ability to sense fire. Their ancestors, wolves, have a fear of fire. Canines can sense fire threatening their den. A strong sense of smell and excellent hearing enable dogs to smell smoke and hear flames as a fire advances towards their home. Some dogs are so acutely aware of fire that they have become man’s best crime scene fire detectors and can learn how to detect signs of arson. Your domestic dog can sense that a fire is threatening his home. Stories of dogs rescuing families from fires prove their ability to sense fire.

The Signs of Dogs Sensing Fire

The first sign you will notice if your dog has sensed a fire is near, is the way they will start sniffing and smelling the air. Dogs can paint a picture of their environment through their noses. A canine’s nose is stereoscopic, and each nostril can pick up separate smells. At the end of their nose is the olfactory epithelium, full of receptor cells, and these cells receive the smell and send a message to the dog’s brain to decipher the smell.  Dogs can smell what happened in the past, the night visitors, and scents from the day before. They can sense what is going to happen through aroma in the air, a storm coming or the strong smell of smoke. The bigger the fire the more obvious the danger. There is the sound of the fire as well as the fear generated by oncoming flames. Your dog may growl to warn you of the danger or their hackles may stand on end. Lip licking signifies nervousness and your dog may want to find a place to hide. However, in terms of rescue behavior, dogs can be amazingly brave and save families from the fire. Dogs have run in search of help and pulled young children from the depths of a burning house. It is certain that dogs sense fire and show signs of reacting to its dangers.

Read more at: https://wagwalking.com/sense/can-dogs-sense-fire