farews:
Talmypoy


DURRANT
LIVERPOOL ECHO
LIVERPOOL,
LANCASHIRE
JUST how much do dogs
DON. He continues his story
understand about death, reli-
of Elke and Belam, the re-
THE
gion and reincarnation ?
markable canines who are
Well, their concepts may not
the subject of his. book The
TALKING
be far removed from our own,
Talking Dogs, whichis puo-
according to MAURICE ROW-
lished to-day,
DOGS
00g13 9VA
Born again Elke the pood
tells of life after death
ONE evening. after. a deli- wenn Ilke. tod (Belam àa Would please dheck effect on de me than any clearer Dorothy asked reincarnation We decided years anis
cious cake baked by one of always with you should that this PeS the word she thér tappings I witnessed againe "What do we mean to. ask Elke.
correspet
Dorothy's aunts, our con- pain end if Elke meant? What does death that time. a
by after death?"
"Have you ever died?" Elke I's es
versation ranged over death).
meag for her ? Can sie Frau Hellmaler deaned EIN ZARTE she began Dorothy asked her. YES. twoy yearsad
many. subjects, including There was a missing me another WC vord for
to Elke and to tape at the second word
ago? Do you ago.'
whether dogs had know- word RSDE betw e en BD DOD ?"
"What is it when she became very tense, kobore 192E,
That
and "if"
tar
ledge of death, God and end"
whose Dorothy passed.the ques- e dies,my love?" almost trembling, ber head She then tapped 0 (the coaxed
even reincarnation.
meaning was never estab- tion and, as Elke
down in comicentration. tapping for this this could osition
This was partly
lished.
ker answer, k ZOE SCHWER for ZII Then oame the: werd also mean two) followed er: "Do
by Elke Tired gropled being But she was clearly say- Sou each letter carefully- dame chwer (t00 diffi cult) DUKLE.
by LARE which was clearly bench at
left alone with Keesha and ing sometining dramatic Elke tapped
the answer. A "Do mean dunkle hér phonetic rendering of were todr
the puppies while" the rest like: I prefer death to single error, unhesitat
"Do you mean too dif- this word?" you YES. by Jahre (years).
there once
of us, including Belam, loneliness. That evening The word I saw infolding cult to say?" Dorothy Then came NEBEL MIT "Do you mean two years
returned to Berchtesgaden she çame home with us. on my pad was evea more asked her. you do, tap ETERNIS CHE ECH T and something?" YES. "When
at. the end of each even- She had tapped the word astonishing than the first three times. Or do you SCHAIN. The whole sen- "Have you died only vas your
she tapped BELA IMR DOD, which Dorothy inter- one. It was GESTORBEN mean too difficult foryour tence-stood for ein zarter once?" YES.
Forat
wtr OICH DARFE WE ZO preted at once at Tod (died).I showed itto the jeant? If you do, tap_five, dunkler Nebel mit eternisc "Can say more tha
ENDE WEN ELKE (death). I was too sur- others in silence, and-there. dmes."
hen echten Schiein (a soft about deuries YES.
DOD for Belam immer mit prised to be able to accept was'a gasp.
Elke tar ped five times. mist with eternal genuine "Or abbout God?" YES. BESONDI DE
euch darf Weh zu ende this and asked her: Ithink this hadjdeeper Ta make the question lustre).
She hen tapped ER EIN sadly) (the secad EMS
As the words formed on
my pad and she went on
Elke Elke warl
tapping in her deeply
sick
absorbed way, her eyes TOMORROW: "How
almost closed, we gaced at
three) LAE
each other, our spines ting-
three yez
ling with astonishment. AE ROWDON
"Do yas
P One evening we talked
years?'


WEST LANCASHIRE LA
BLACKPOOL,
ISSUE 18 SEP 1978
LANCASHIRE
DATED
Turn
the radio off
said Belam
the dog
It's too loud'!
IAVE YOU heard
She claims a lot more, the dogs.an alphabet of Meyer was a former school- lustre." They asked Belam, a
bout the dog who too, according to author taps. They learned to do teacher, who had been a similar question. His
valked into a living- Maurice Rowdon, who has sums and, then, to tap let- asked by Frau Hilde Heil- reply was "One rests in
oom and asked for written a book, "The Talk- ters, words, and, finally, maier, the owner of the peace."
ing Dogs" (Macmillan, complete sentences.
dogs, to set up a school for Maurice Rowdon
he radio to be turned £5.95) about the Saluki and If Fraulein Meyer was the animals.
that the dogs answered reports,
ff because it was too a poodle named Elke who able to guess the sentence
Frau Heilmaier was questions about God, about a
oud? It's not a joke. were taught to "talk" by after a word ortwo then the intenseley interested in each other, and about the a
Fraulein Meyer by tapping dogs didn't bother to finish animal intelligence and raising of
and their
Fraulein Dorothy their paws.
had read a numberof books training puppies I all from the 1
feyer, who taught a For example, three taps Maurice Rowdon went to about animals which had
point ofview.
named
dogs'
aluki
Belam to with the right paw means Berchtesgaden, once been. taught to communi-
ommunicate with her, yes.' Three taps with the left notorious asi Hitler'smoun- cate. She wanted to starta
laims it happened paw means no.
tain hide-out, to see Frau- school of her own.
writes Ron Thompson). Fraulein Meyer spent lein Meyer_and.the dogs.
Lessons began with Elke, 000
'hundreds of hours teaching He found that Fraulein an eager and apt pupil. Les-
sons started when she was
hardly a year old. She
wasn't too keen at first.
They also joined in family
But, gradually, she life.
learned the alphabet and


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1978 EVENING NEWS 17
STARTING TODAY... The extraordinary story that raises the question: Are dogs more human than we ever imagined?
THE TALKING DOGS
Can dogs communicate with human beings as
equals? Are they much cleverer than we
have been
a kind
? really
what
They
taught
thought Do they understand we
are saying ? These are the questions raised in a
remarkable new book, THE TALKING DOGS,
Morse code
which
serialised in the Evening News this week.
doggy
We present the evidence author Maurice
Rowdon discovered when he went to Germany to
out their
see the experiments of animal teacher Dorothy
they tap
thoughts
Meyer who claimed she had taught a poodle and
a saluki to 5 talk," by use of a complicated
and
routine of paw taps, like a doggy Morse code.
feelings
Rowdon arrived as a sceptic, and left, weeks
later, convinced dogs had, and can express, the
whole gamut of human emotions.
o We have placed all the author's evidence in the
hands of Stanley Dangerfield, one of the world's
leading experts on dogs. His verdict on The
Talking Dogs will appear later this week. What
he has to say will surprise you.
0 There's a chance for you to have your say, too.
Already we have heard from one reader who saw
a Labrador able to play dominoes-using paw
tapping to indicate which piece to play. Write
and tell us what you think about talking. dogs.
o And your dog can join in, too, to win a year's
supply of dog food ! See below.
MAURICE
ROWDON
WHEN I first met seratch-with only printed
Elké II, the Stand- records tappings, of prcnnese animal or so
ard poodle bitch,
to on.
and Belam, the bedtors.to in doubt- had
Saluki male, on a ing
alithe
b er
hot Septeml
afternoon at Salz-
when it
burg airport, the ey
she had
accept
were sitting waiting
asan
for me with their reality alanarons as
teacher.
E TE
Elke's white fur was CUNLD that
dazzling in the remark-
taLt
ably clear, mountain-
integrity,
reflected sunlight. Her
SEPORE Dorothy Meyer, above, teacher of the talking dogs, interprets as Belam, the saluki, taps out a message in her palm with his paw. Poodle Elke II, right, welcomed author
the same
and
eyes were round
Rowdon
way.
black and vivaciously
Sch=22 taps. Then she word to be tapped again. viction-rather as child- Then begins the slow effort dificulties sometimes terse, but strictly in line
attentive.
hand for the It was
with
he held out her
generally clear ren, bubbling over of concentrating on the stood in their way. with their different per-
when a
been
too
clever.
tap into.
something to and
Who'sa
bnsi
the dogs
word had
say
word tobet tapped.
Undoubtedly the dogs sonalities.
# shyer of with
some
Elke's message for me completed because the dog excited to compose it pro- Sometimes there are tapped letters. But wasn't Also, I was to see much
his
was: firm and unhesitat-
move-
long
LE L
nose,
would make some perly, supply with their pauses between one there an element of over- more evidence of their in-
deliciously haderann
ing.
ment of relief excite- and expresslons what letter another,"
then?
EE anddeic
at the
or eyes.
and while free interpretation on
just the
nine, and
boy
straggling fur.
First came ten ment, or pause for longer words are short of. the dog seems to lose Dorothy's part?
BSPAEE
three taps
the
which, Ifound than usual.
track of what he or she Would these tappings
artomeacat
Hideout
PALOn same consulting the alpha- After reminding me that
LOTCE wants to say. He gazes turn to be mostly a
quicker than
out
bet list, made DER. Then the dogs
even nods
jumble letters from
eE 20 and three, for ZR.' This
thread seems to
have
ece
way.
They heard a
also cottage was followed by 13, 20, 16,
comIEar
which she chose-indeed,
LEETERNRUSE
about hada been
metres where
sehr
long the half-constructed
eye the
aTer your clever dog to win
book
often
IZS. lastly flve,
the
OUPITE
always_returns
and kop make
Artia
back
unless he's
EVARE
us in
the
known to
and
excited
veract
tence
taps
MRELTA
answer
the
tion
DER
in eye.
FE Fa F
ran thsz SZER
ofE
Einer
evening.
uoran Amathenikticnl
LEE
Itwas hot, exhilarat- table, and began LIB.
flashing a
he under-
AtEe
were
Boudoes
about
"greet-
day
presno
that Pame Pause tappea I'd
Precise
the
too, if
Aust- messages
BACCOUNE dance
once
how
Relief
realise
EMEENTy that soner
N in.
have
out
Sre
the
messages were structed
the
one
was i
then coaxes them
have rarely met ES.
They laid rest
free
Dorothy's was the
the tapping
9ht
at once. as the
resort towns,
BOTORN
each word
under- side or
ERI
as Hitler's
and
Carebod
the
meant
Plataeintay
tapping
dog
as remember
one
more
eout
the letters
ht. The
at the
sit her a
MTe
thou dog
have been
such
in the
German and tapped YES
that can
remes
was
anD
DeEAnes
next
tapping
the
answer
them-
know
only the
airice Roudon
emencd
asked
for the
leny WISR example: taps,
it overbalancing. to say,
The
Dorothy
FarADe doge con- 47100
technical wedie precise and even
Mer,
TEE
Tnar
emEy
Afeyere
25-95 on September
She had started from
TOMORROW: ELKE THE POODLE LEARNS TO COUNT UP TO 50
L 1
L 2


11 Northburgh
DURRANT S Street
London ECIVOL
DAILY RECORD
GLASGOW
BOOKMARK
A PLANK BRIDGE BY A POOL by
Norman Thelwell. Eyre-Methuen.
Enchanting portrait in words and
pictures of an English garden and
wild life sanctuary. Thelwell writes
magically of a cottage garden,
building pools, bridge and boathouse
and watching the world of nature day
by absorbing day.
-THE COLDEST WINTER IN
PEKING by Hsia Chih-Yen. W. H.
First ever novel to detaillife inside
China today. Three momentous days
in Peking-despairs, hopes, terrors,
deprivations ofcitizens in the world's
most fascinating nation. Chilling
portraits of their political machine--
this is the way it is.
THE TALKING DOGS by Maurice
Rowdon. Macmillan. £3.95.
Incredible story of experiment to
communicate with degs, taught to tap
out whole sentences and reveal
knowledge and thoughts never before
suspected. They even impart adviceto
theirteacher-I was rivetted.
SCIENCE FICTION IN THE
MOVIES by Roy Pickard. Muller,
All you ever need to know about
staarfilms, writers and directors of
some ofmost imaginative movies ever
made. Treasure house for sci-fi
addicts.
SIX AGAINST THE ROCK by Clark
Howard. Granada. £5.95
Superb, unput-
downable documentary
on incredible, jail break
from Alcatraz in 1946 of
six desperate men who
held off guards, police,
coastguards and two
companies of Marines
for 41 hours. Also of
relentless, unfeeling
punishment in-the jail
of jails,
JAKE'S THING by
Kingsley Amis. Hutch-
Pursuit of sex in the
70's and waning virility
created with rapier wit
and sardonic observa-
tion.
STANLEY SHIVAS T


Maeniira d F ENC
11 Northburgh
Street
Lendon
DURRANT'S
ECIVOUL,
LIVERPOOGECHO
ISSUE
JTRANEASHIRE
DATED
L JUST how much do dogs DON. He continues his story
understand about death, reli- of Elke and Belam, the re-
THE
glon and relncarnation?. markable canines who are
Well, their concepts may not the subject of hls book The
TALKING
be far removed from our own, Talking Dogs, whichis pub-
afes
according tol MAURICE ROW- lished to-day..
DOGS
Born again Elke the poodle
tells of life after death
ONE SeRL baked era one a dell- of always wenn with Ike tod Geive that Erem check she other effect tappings onme I than clearer Dorotby asked
We decided years and
aunts, our con- ead you Elke
death athat tahmesry
do we. mean to
with
LMPENE
Eooe versation
ver geis
for ber? tronde she Frau time. Hellmater by
died?" Eara I's death which was
eeaned
sbe
YES.
and eight months
There missing
word for
began axe her two years
to tap:
TE know- word ASDE
apother
Etke end she
word
ago? Do you
"if" botereint En hop
"What is it when Mclie
Elke was
God end" and
evening
ahat
and
whose
the ques-
Jedge N
meaning was never estab- tion Darothy and, passed as Elke
my love?" gimost fn ber
then tapped 0 coaxed
ZOE
zu dowa
for
lished.
ber I took SCHWER for
oame word tapping chis Ocbtha her: position ina Mami know upseE the
Eke ReCk groded But was clearly
each ae carefully. came schwer the (too difficult) DORLE
teoe was folloned bench "Do where we
alone with Keesha i
without a
answer.
wbich clearly
bens
Matrte LA
dunkle by
Were you
puppies, while rest Iecl
death to single unhesitatingly. "Do you mean too dif- this
rendering of were
iem
Porous
Joneliness. evening The saw unfolding ficulo apy Dorothy
once
OE F bomewithus. on
asked you tap
years
she came
pad was
ber. do,
mvEgRe
Berchtesgaden
NISC
taer
sTTN
"When
SCHTTCNT
of even-
chree
mPW
Fare at
each She bad tapped the word
than rse more times you SCHAIN. The whole sen-
you ves." your
inter-
for
BELA IMR DOD, which
E It
mean difticult our
died only
GESTORBEN
for
eipertnc
she
Dorothy one. was.
stood ein zarter YES
THS
too
at at Tod
remember
Wtra OOCTEAN DARFE Z0 preted
(died).I showed to the If you tap, five Nebel mit eternisc
say more
WEN ELKE
sur- in
Hea
others silence, and there teant
echten Schiein (a soft
ENDIO for Belam immer mit prised to be tos wasa
Elke five times. with ebernal genuine
CMEF YES.
euch darf Weh zu ende this and scept Ithink SErE had adeeper To make. question
tapped ER EAN
As formed
the words on
MEURE Ytor
tmy pad and she went on
war)
in ter deeply
Elke achtrgedant (or
TOMORROW: : three)
rdoetrv wee a
IKRE tor Tuley
other, astonishment. our spines ting-
three "Do years.
talked ROWDON
JOrES" mEANy
the tap-
2eart been the month
death began EXPLAINS Ekke
ZAA
we in
tbeybad
ness, and colmeran now
thing eay about Cod.
Elke hud already indicated 'WHY I
sepsnter) understand
that sbe was aware of the
what Mr. was saying bench to
asked Belam: BELIEVE'
vEgno
"What you love more
Aboss Elke
pet
Was it another
TELOF
than San (theic
name for Frau Heil
20 ZART MATERI for
Elke kn nOWPHL
Ho seemed penplexed
Materia io
UBAN
ZZOKE
end sbe added: you
or soft
understand?" NO.
is a word
beger
love eomething leed in
right?" NO.
ENR
Do you
philosphical discus
uben
than Mamit"
meaning substance.
vEs
LE tapped
really mean
therefore
enucir.
Ela scomed te to tlopped make out no who is (he)?"
learn, uben or prac. bis
con Gott LGos)" she Sa deali
SLJE3
inym * Ao
way otidasuy
Cutormtindrer-cufer
YES. "What next on a
think wordi" of when we
morn- M7 do say you
Ramsau were Nyam knows
UBER DIN BIS
about your being
ODEM ALLE (live by him At
TOT GEWESE
until breathing ends) aa
tapped. Alle coMeeds FnEs to
SFER ZU ERKLEREN for
"vone," Ches and PIotr
doch gewesen schwer
and is had been very at
(indeed been
poetical word fur shortly before Bar
to explain).
did " chat word rnacts also told she asoremned she
her
bim? it rarely, if ever, an feel-
ia apuech.
time
daily
that was F Elke fr
reincarnation of many overheard
EE E
Pra CCOSERNNg
SCHENTHIMI UND
or recelved STEE a it,
E NGEL he tapped fur I was Frau FETME
ist schon im Hinunel wiud
dog Met: through Mantre
mit Engel (is beautiful i* E she aarard died, midway Maurice Rowdon 1978.
with mgnie). ber Elke Published by Marmillan
EETO Tas - bd tarena SanE evening (London) Ltd., at £5.95 on
the diche cune hamr atuf ber wron own aPEs two September 14.
We had bera dewi Rter


11 Northburgh
Street
London
DURRANT'S
EC1V OJL
DAILY RECORD
GLASGOW
SVE6 SEP 1978
BOOKMARK
A PLANK BRIDGE BY A POOL by
Norman Thelwell. Eyre-Methuen.
Enchanting portiait in words and
pictures of an English garden and
wild life sanctuary. Thelwell writes
magically of a cottage garden,
building pools, bridge and boathouse
and watching the world of nature day
by absorbing day.
THE COLDEST WINTER IN
PEKING by Hsia Chih-Yen. W. H.
First ever novelto detail lifc inside
China today, Three momentous days
in Peking-despairs, hopes, terrors,
deprivations ofcitizens in the world's
most fascinating nution. Chilling
portraits of their political machine-
this is the way it is.
THE TALKING DOGS by Maurice
Rowdon. Macmillan. £3.95.
Incredible story of experiment to
communicate with dogs, taught to tap
out whole sentences and reveal
knowledge and thoughts never before
suspected. They eveni impart adviceto
theirteacher-I was rivetted.
SCIENCE FICTION IN THE
MOVIES by Roy Pickard. Muller,
All you ever need to know about
starar films, writers and directors of
some of most imaginative movies ever
made. Treasure house for sci-fi
addicts.
SIX AGAINST THE ROCK by Clark
Howard. Granada. £5.95
Superb, unput.
downable documentary
on incredible jail break
from Alcatraz in 1946 of
six desperate men who
held off guards, police,
coastguards and two
companies of Marines
for 41 hours. Also of
relentless, unfeeling
punishment in the jail
of jails,
JAKE'S THING by
Kingsley Amis. Hutch-
Pursuit of sex in the
70's and waning virility
created with rapier wit
and sardonic observa-
tion.
STANLEY SHIVAS T


COTIN 1 V : -
LONDA
SD SLE A
par
mam's gaide to
talls
wonderful things go on In - Bolam, a Saluki, and same test occurred to sus- (oh, creepy thought 1) far from nature (includ- old cat Smokey would
the animal world I am Elke tho Poodle-at their picious little me), but they ovon infiuence our Ing our own nature)." suddenly stare alertly at
prepared to admit-but home in Southern Ger wouldn't buy it. Which minds ?
With our minds care- seemingly
WHAT are we to make this ?
many where they livo did nothing to dispel In a riveting essay at fully circumscribed by in tho room empty (what spaces on
of a claim that two Tho claim Is seriously with their teacher, doubt.
the end of the book the reason, he asks, have wa earth is going on
dogs have been taught made in a book called Fraulein Dorothy Meyou. That the dogs tap author argues that 'our blocked out other areas of there ?); and the waysho
to. 'talk' to people, 'The Talking Dogs' (Mac- In palnstaking detall answers to questlons claim to superiority over consciousness, othor could send telepathic
using an alphabet of millan, £5-95), and I con- he documents the paw- seems certain (so havo animals rests on our hav- enorgy fields of an invi- messages from hor empty
taps with their paws? foss that my first thought tapping Intervlews on many circus animals
Ing devoloped the brain sible world still intact in plate in the kitchon. -
And not only talk in was to chuck it at the cat many sublects over many thero was even 'a tapping moro than any other the animal kingdom? would rise and open a tin
constructed sentences, but and say : 'On, coma on, months. Each lettor of horse' In Shakespeare's species. But is reason 'Western man is still without knowing why.
also speak English and conto on - Next we'll be the alphabet is given a day, as mentioned In necessarily intolligent ? perhaps waiting to roach Suddenly, I tell you,
German, solve compli- asked to believe that little specific number of taps Love Labour's Lost'), but Is intelligence necessarily an adoquate animal level goose plmples began to
cated equations, do square dogs laugh (pax Fred and the dogs commun- how does one explain the montal ?
in spiritual and psychic riso on my neck. I
roots and expound on Bassett) and cows Jump Icate by tapping thelr tapped thoughts of Elko 'The western (Chiefly powers, whlle deceiving declded not to chuck the
their own reincarnation over tho moon.'
thoughts into thelr and Belam ?
19th-century) view of the himsolf that the cultiva- book at hor alter all.
and the natura of death- But I didn't. I began to. teacher's hand.
Involuntary signals. human organism as a tion of the brain puls went over to her, stroked
'a soft dark mist with road it again, There was A Swiss TV producer from the teachor to give "physical apparatus gov- him far beyond the ani- her head ard sald : 'Now
eternal gonuine lustre, something creepy about tried to persuade them to the required number of erned by the brain, sup- mal kingdom.'
then, Smokey, are you all
remarked a Poodle poet It.
use a large, doggy type- taps? Or could it be plied with sense messages Psychio powers? In- right ? Is there anything
called Elke!
The author, Maurice writer instead of their telepathy? Can our by the nervous system, visible worlds? I began I can do for you at all?
That many strange and Rowden, visited the dogs teacher's hand (and the domestio pets read and sooms to havo taken us to think of the way our Just sond me a mossage.'
Daily Mail, Monday, September 18, 1978


Lessons began with Elke, 000
Les-
sons CENEROSNRNNeL started
she was
hardly a
old. She
wasn't too Keer at first.
They also joined int family
But, gradually, she life.
learned the alphabet and
began doing sums with a
One morning Belam
smoothness which walked into Fraulein
astonished Fraulein Meyer. Meyer's livingroom where
Belam joined the classas the radio was blaring and., 1
an interested observer, but tapped "Ouch ear."
was soon into taking
lessons.
Fraulein Meyer asked:
Maurice Rowdon's "Is the music too loud?"
account of the dogs' train- Belam tapped: "Yes."
ing makes fascinating and "Shall I turn it off?"
instructive readingfor any- "Yes," replied Belam.
one tempted to "talk" to
their own dogs. Even more
interesting, however, are
the reports oft the dogs'con-
versations, logged by
Dorothy Meyer.
One day, Fraulein Meyer
He, himself, was present had three puppies with her
when Elke was asked about at a new school and Belam
death and, to the their was there, a star pupil who
astonishment, knew whatit looked at the class with a
meant Theirspinest tingled benevolent superiority.
even more when Elke tap-
out that death was
The little ones dabbed at
pedi with eternal genuine the air with their
NS GUERDENPIPENLET
clumsy paws, sometimes soft,
toppling over from the tap-
ping position theyl had been
taught to adopt Fraulein
Meyer was having trouble
with one called Abdul, who
refused to sit in thet tapping
position.
She asked Belam how she
could help Abdul.
Belan answered: "Ten-
derly guide."


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1978
EVENING NEWS 15
story of talking dogs . - 2 - the experts have their say
WHEN I first went to
THE Talking Dogs is one
see the talking dogs of
of the most remarkabie
Berchtesgaden I ex-
animal books ever
It cannot
Give
to two clever
pected find
written.
animals trained on
dog
Some accept it. Others
circus lines.
reject it. But nobody can
I observed them and
put it down unfinished.
their teacher Dorothy
I should admit - am almost
a professlonal doubter.
Meyer very
was
bone
closely.
and
don't believa in
just
determined not to be
saucers. fortune telling, flying rein-
fooled.
carnation or unlucky black
Gradually I realised that
cats.
they were tapping out real
And if I see Url Geller
sentences that were, as far
bend another 50 spoons l'm
as I could tell, of their own
he'll talk!
still not going to believe he
telepathy
invention.
did It.
What convinced me that
structure and
Additionally, a lifetime
I was in the presence of
sensory similar
brain spent closa to dogs persuades
Any word a dog knows can
thinking creatures was living
to our own.
me that dogs are dogs and
be used to trigger off the ex-
with them from day to day,
The usual argument not four-legged humans.
pected reaction.
going for walks and watch-
against animal intelligence, is I accept that dogs com-
Even so. nearly all dog
ing them tap in all sorts of
that the telepathic principle municate. A dog with a bone
owners believe their own dogs
situations in the woods, at
is at work.
soon tells another dog not
understand speech.
the Zoo, in someone's home.
They said it about the to touch.
Of course, he understands
When you live with a per-
famous stallion "clever Hans" He needs no speech for
"good dog" because you make
son you get to know pretty
in Berlin before the First this. Nor does he need it with
it sound caressing.
quickly whether there is an
World War, and they said human beings.
And what you called him
élement of fake or untruth-
it in Virginia, about the an Leave a strange dag with
when he offends sounds like
fulness in them.
remarkable horse Lady unschooled human and he
a whiplash.
What I saw convinced me
MAURICE
Wonder, who died in 1957. will explain when he is
But logic cuts no ice when
that these
dogs had hopes by
But how could telepathy hungry or wants exercise, by STANLEY
we talk about our own dog.
and sorrows like all of us,
have operated when Elke or of course he can under-
Which fact alone means
and were no less sensitive to ROWDON
Belam suddenly wanted to stand some things we say DANGERFIELD that for
who
the terrors and the annoy-
AREREA
"say" something in the woods because he connects a certain
questions every the person behind
ances of life than we: are. their ages and solve mathe- about another animal neither sound If 1 with a happening.
The
Dogs facts there are
with
While Elke and Belam matical problems, aren't Dorothy nor I had seen,
say "car" to my dogs
Talking adore remark-
I became convinced that the using their minds fully.
and while our minds were on it means Sit" an outing. to proves the the point. Whatever his
ten able who story. this
difference between their in- They are mechanical, entirely different subjects?
means does something did the performer opposite. said, dog I with a true but un-
telligence and ours was not following the cues of their And what about the
them.So "dinner", "cat",
finish
so. much quality as use.
trainer, in the movement of occasions when the many dogs "bone", score "no", "bed" and a If he said sit the dog stood. characteristic story.
Their whole approach to a hand or the whip.
MUST
of other things.
If he said quiet the dog I once flew out of a South
the world was different from But even this is a sign of tapped (their codeword urgent for "I want They could as easily have barked and so on.
American country as revo-
ours.
been trained to understand He had merely taught the lution broke out.
Their
intelligence. It requires to leave the room")? Were Greek or, as in Belam and dog to beg when he said sleep. It was frightening but as
ears were open to symbolisation, which in turn Dorothy and I planting this Elke's case, German.
Jump on the table when he we took off a
the most distant sounds, requires a nervous system, desire without knowing it? A theatre act I once saw said down.
thought "My
their eyes tool scene
appeared in my brain.
with the briefé
of a
dog Two is days dead." later I found out
glance and
noses
had
sought out th
on the
TELL US ABOUT
that indeed my passed favourite dog without
wind.
YOUR CLEVER DOG
away
And their
worked
warning at that time some
faster than
would READERS are rushing in their hundreds to tell us how words- -to A Talking Dogs," >> Evening News, New Carmelite 6,000 miles away. I
prove in
that clever THEIR dogs are. you think your dog is
House, London EC4Y 1AQ (Comp.). Letters must arrive
So there here was am accepting
they had
with intelligent, write and tell us what makes you SO sure.
by Monday. Include an SAE and we will endeavour to
that
some super-
a glance th
send us a picture of him you have one. For each return photographs. The Editor's decision is final. No
natural communication be-
a long gaze
tatere we publish we will pay and the best letter
tween myself and a special
alternative prizes, no correspondence: Employees of
Circas.
wins a year's supply
the new. dog food made by Associated Newspapers Group Ltd. and members of their pet yet declining dogs can be to accept
tell Pedigree Petfoods. WOLE LERORRENCE more than 250
families are not eligible.
to that talk. living
taught


18 EVENING NEWS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1978
ESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1978 EVENING NEWS 19
QUESTION: WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT ANIMALS HAVE FEELINGS LIKE HUMANS?'
DAY TWO OF
THE TAPPING CODE
Nunaper Lettanset
Elke
out YES'
THE
TALKING
tapped
DOGS
our
and
lessons
by MAURICE ROWDON
began
21=CH
o each word ke
teaching
six week bef fore
hav
ula AND HOW YOU
to Laypro woul
Honse avple to
22=SCH
ATET UE impossible. back and
CAN
hei eyese
WIN
aremnins
Her
March,1974, old. she When was how ith tap YES a
GREAT
PRIZE
manted ho
barmo ds
LE a
ng bo soth teak ed little 10r besan, mts wild's uld arond
does
fact mnech Ger rm aan the in leve er he hdouia your a
giving too
LSIDE
gor
maNy thouep frome E
voula have
More fike
taps or none at
made her tap than the numt ber
is the Dorothy Meyer her tanidr ere Rddbct and
ite and tell
Thought
E bitchs
Are uner to
nore ry
than ent per.
e vas
this
tamseine dire BC
May d0W74 to mark
Whe
makes you su he
to Distir
wil JOED
the paw 7 the was three tim ne wit
let
aouer
at the
Eur
sarea LE
to her E tred
the
blish one
patting
the est
for Units
with
to1
lexpia hat 1t (5). Wo e
new
nEe
ALE
E 1
us. and
she
the E Fra
oul
T E
maved der -
ant awrazecurt lous
ner etur
ace
to hape alone. tail clearly timé for
hi ap
erselt began to Arst
of dog
ation and
was ter
oa nd M
IRE so -
with
her
Affection
Pub hed Dy La,
Bebe
and InE
onl
0 TOMORROW
too
the Saluki tells
story


DONCASTER EVENING POST
DONCASTER,
ISSUE
YORKSHIRE
DATED
your
pet
smooth
haired
talker?
HAVE you heard
RON
the radio was blaring and
about the deg who
tapped "Ouch, ear."
walked into a living
the Fraulein music Meyer asked: "Is
room and askëd for the
THOMPSON
Belam tapped: too loud?" "Yes".
radio to be turned off
"Shall I turn it off?"
becouse it was too
"Yes" replied Belam,
Toudipa
a at
which sums with a smoothness Fraulein
One day, Fraulein Meyer
It's not a joke.
Meyer. astonished
at Had a three
with
Fraulein Dorothy Meyer,
Belam joined the class as was new ENEAPIN a
and .ber
who taught aSaluki named an interested observer, but looked there, star pupil who
Bélam to communicate with was soon into taking benevolent at the class with a
hér, claims It happened.
lessons."
superiority.
She claims a lot more,
Maurice Rowdon's account
The little ones dabbed. at
too, according to author of the dogs' training
the air with their soft,
Maurice Rowdon, who has fascinating and instructive makes clumsy paws, sometimes
written a book, "The reading for anyone
toppling over from the
Talking Dogs" (Maemillan, to "talk" to their own
tapping position they had
£5,95) about the Saluki and
beèn
AeTened
Even more
taught to adopt.
a poodle named. Elke who however, are the
Fraulein Meyer was
were
to oitalk" by the
réports
with
dogs' cônvérsations onta having trouble
one
Fraulein MOE by tapping
by Dorothy
called Abdul, who refused
their paws.
leged himself, was Meyer. present
sit in the tapping posi.
For example ;;three taps
Elke
Hon
with the right-paw means when death, and, was asked to about
She asked Belam how she
Three
with the astonishment, knew
It could. help Abdul.
pay means
vhi
let
moRa
mean, Their spines. tingled "Terderly Belam
answered:
of hours" Meyer spent evén more when Elke
guide."
hurenare the dogs an alphabet NICTNE tapped "a soft out dark that mist death with was
taps.
uliee
eternal genuine lustre."
a H % School
similar They question, asked Belam
His reply was "One rests
They learned todo sums in Acariee Rowdon reports
"and, then, to tape lettes; that the
words; and finally. complete questions abors
about
sentences.
each
odneE
other, and
the
If Fraulein' Meyer was raising of puppies
their
Aay
ahle guess the sentence training. All from the dogs'
after a. word or two, then. point of view,
the dogs didn't both to
tinish it.
Maurice Rowden went to
'Too loud'
Bérehtesgiden. once
notorious mountain hide as out,*to Hitler's see life. They also joined in family
Fraulein Meyer, and the
One morning
dogs.
walked into Frauelin Belam
He found that she was Meyer's living room
a former schoolteacher, who
where
had been asked by Frau
Hilde Heilmaier, the owner
of, the dogs, to, set upa
school for the animals.
Frau Heilmaier
was
intenselv
interested


MACMILLAN
11 Northburgh
Street
EC1V
DURRANT'S
London OJL
a SURREY ADVERTISER
GUILDFORD,
ISSUE SEP 1978
SURREY
BSYEJ18
Talk to the animals
THE title of this book should be
Rowdon
The first drawback is that all
"self-explanatory except that
THE TALKING DOGS by Maurice
the questions were, naturally;
anyone seeing it must automa-
put in German. so each is
tically suppose that the dogs Maurice Rowdon,shea author, expectàncy of its owner in horses are relatively intelligent, accompanied by a translation,
used wordsl likeat talking parrot. spent several montis studying knowing when to stop.
some being more intelligent which tends to confuse any
That is not so.
the lengthy transcripts Dorothy Rowdon dismisses this than others, and all capable of M reader not accomplished in that
The principal characters are Meyer had made bf conversa- explanation as. nonsense and. greater understanding than we language. fact This is made worse by
Dorothy Meyer, of Berchtes- tions with her dogs. He also. endeavours to reinstate Clever normally credit them with. the that the dogs misspell oro
gaden, in Bavaria, and her two studied the previous accounts of Hans and other talking animals It would be hard to quarrel had abbreviate be further most words. so there
dogs. Elke, a poodle, and. the hundred or more so-called that have received the brunt of with his contention. also, that if them to find interrogation
Belam, a saluki. Dorothy, talking dogs and horses that. scientific scepticisms.
.the human race were less of did mean to out what they.
apparently. had spent a year or have been reported, including, The text of the present book conceited and had a greater
to say. Dorothy, and
two teaching the dogs a sort of inevitably, Clever Hans, the is conçerned with quo- sympathy for animals the world Rowdon, this misspelling
Morse code, dogs
horse that could Answer que- largely
down to uhed dogs having used
with
tapping: stions, even do arithme- tations of conversations bet- wouldbe better place in which phonetics. What is
a paw on er hand tospell: tic, by simple the answer, ween Dorothy and her dogs, to to live.
that it
to the certain book a
out letters and numbers.
with his tapping hoof. out
which Rowdon adds his own The main theme of the book measure imparts of tedium.
Thus, there W ere four taps for Clever Hans was subject to comments and moralisings. is. however, that a few dogs, at It was, however, when I read
A, 25 for X and other letters scrutiny by scientists who came Some of these one can butagree least, havebeen taughta code, a that the dogs were able not
with.
only.
rata. "No" was three taps FAPTO to the conclusion that the horse
sortofcomplicatedalphabet.by to calculate without hesitation
the left paw. "Yes" three' taps was being guided, uncons- There can be no doubt, for the use of which they can the square root of a four-figure
with the right paw (shades of ciously, by its owner. Thus, in example, that a dog that has communicate sensibly and number as well as to answer
table-turning!). One sentence, reply to a question .the horse lived closely with human beings deliberately with human questions about God, death and
used by the dogs, consisting of would start pawing the ground for many years must have beings. Upon this the book the life hereafter that even my
three words, required 259 taps and would stop at the correct acquired a considerable voca- must standor fall, according to willingness to keep an open
and would have required, on number guided bya flick of the bulary for words understood whether the reader finds the mind came under severe strain.
my estimate, at least three eyelid, a slight movement ofthe even ifi it cannot say them. One evidence presented acceptable
minutes to transmit correctly. hand or the general air of can accept, also, that dogs and orunacceptable.
Maurice Burton


11 Northburgh
DURRANT - S Street
London EC1V OJL
EVENING GAZETTE
COLCHESTER,
ISSUE
ESSEX
DATED /51s Sepz
10DK
dhy
DUMB ANIMALS?
MEET A WOMAN
WHOSE DOGSTALK
The Talking Dogs by Maurice Rowdon, Mac-
millan, £5.95.
HAVE you heard about the dog who walked into a
living room and asked for the radio to be turned off
because it was too loud? It's not a joke.
Fraulein Dorothy Meyer
who taught a saluki named
Belam to communicate with
claims it happened.
hesnde claims a loti more, too,
according to author Maurice
Rowdon, who has written
about the class of dogs she
taught to talk by
Fraulein Meyer by tapping
their paws.
with For the example: Three taps
Une morning, a dog,
yes. Three right taps MIEN the means left Meyer's Belam, walked into Fraulein
paw means no.
the radio living was room where and
hundreds Fraulein of Meyer hours spend
ouch
teaching
Larne
the dogs an
Meyer esked: Is
upenadees
They learned alphabet to do of sums taps. the music too loud?" Belam
and, then, to tap letters, tapped: turn it off?" Yes." Yes, Shall replied
words, and, finally, complete Belam.
sentences. Maurice Rowdon went to 'had One three day, puppies Fraulein with Meyer her
Berchtesgaden, notorious as Hitler's once at a new school and Belam
mountain hide-out, to see was looked there, the a star pupil who
former schoolteacher
class with a
Fraulein Meyer and the benevolent Fraulein superiority.
dogs.
having troubie Meyer was
*His account of the dogs' called Abdul, who with one
training makes fascinating sit in the
refused to
and instructive reading for
She asked tapping Belam position. how she
anyone to their own tempted dogs. to talk could heip Abdui.
Even more interesting, derly,guide." Belam answered: Ten- R.T.
however, are the reports of
the dogs' conversations
logged by Dorothy Meyer.


111 Northbergi
Sireet
DURRANT'S Londan ECIVOJL
EVENING SENTINEL
20 EEPT 1978
ISSUE
HANLEY STAFFCAOSHIRE
DATED
BOOKLOOKS 2AAS
What she
was told by
MOST pet owners have
been heard to re-
mark at one time or
her talkative
another: "He under-
stands every word." Or
"Look, he's telling us
something."
pet dogs
Every Rover and Rex, views 1 with a standard e om plex mathematical
Honey and Heidie haye. in poodie bitch called Elke II.
to apparent emo
the past, imparted some ànd a Saluki male called
retorts from the
message
EcaNn
of great import Belam.
animals ranging from. love
their doting owners.
It tells story of how through fear to anger.
Carine intelligence has their A6.PLA0Y Fraule.n
never been dispute. One Dorothy Meyer, spent the
In German
has only to laoer around at better part 18 months The "answer" ques-
the working dogs in the teaching the doel to tap out tions
police force, or
German, (transla-
.doEe
which become the guide dogs of messages paws. Not with their "yes" tions a provided) and usé as
sight ess pecple, to beau sure and "no," Bareico complex system.. basic alphabet, a phonetic
of_that.
sentences.
Yet can a doy communi- Even more
the As the' interviews pro.
she, cate ut our levei? Cin he. or author sets out distine gressed, the author dis-
originate
amprtbots
thougnt and guish thoughts and ide.s çovered distinct character
convey that thought to us. originatedby the dogs theny in both animals, with all
Interviews
selves, rather than answe:s the traitsand idiosyncracies
to set questions.
we associate with human
Maurice e Rowden in his Fra lein Meyer
beings.
Can dogs tal "? This bouncing poodle eertainly
book The Tuking Doys" through more than sot y It is not suggested that
seems to passing om joyous message.
thinks they çan, And he has lessons- well documented Fido,
in the corner, D ypiS
compiied a lormidable slab and taped" bring the is capable
asking
asra
statistics to drive home an'mals up to the standards
make seeuk a cup of
the_point.
in the book.
v2a ban the book does pose
The book, published this AUTIS the beautiful a number of interesting
monthby MacMiNan London Bavarian countryside as its points not léast, that a dog
(price £3.95), doeuments setting, book deals withy can be trained to communi-
interviews yes, in ter r- "chats" tnbe the dogs
cate in a way, we under-
ALA frors stand,
Whether the trainer and
author have made too
enthusiastic an interpreta-
Satetan
s11-Northburgh
tion
clever?
your pet
the tappings
Streete -
another
bair DURRANT S
Have
instances of intelligent
will
London ECTV O0E
birds
and
aaene
have.
lensarel
ANLPOILE FRR acress us you Wewill themselves have their own
pay T for each letler published-and there will bea interpretations of the statis-
special prize for the writer of the letter the Editor tics and comments made in No
considers the best.
the book. As for me, when
SURREY ADVERTISER
Letters ideally should not be more than 200 words. my own dog taps on the
Envelopes should br addressed, to the Editor, Evening door I know exactly what
GUILDFORD,
Sentinel. Northeliffe
Stoke-on-Treni,
SEP
House, Hanley,
she means.
SURREY
ST1 5HA, and
Clever
DRUE518
marked
Animals.
Talk to the animals
THE title of this book shouldbe
THE
Maurice Rowdon
The first drawbackis that alt
except that
TALKING DOGS by
(Macmillan. £5.95)
the questions werr,
must
namralby
Hcevenyr anyone seeingi automa-
pus in German. se each is! :
tically suppose that the dogs Maurice Rowdon,pheauthor. expectancy of 'its owner in horses are relatively intelligent, accompanied- by a: translation;
used wordslikeat talkingp parrot.
several mortis studying knowing when to stop.
some being more
which tends to: confuse any
Thati isnot so.
meren lengthy transcrpts Dorothy Rowdon dismissest this than others, and alf capable intelligent OE reader not accomplished.ib that
The principal characters are Meyer had made pr conversa- explanation as nonsense. and, greater. understanding than Flanguage. Thisis made worse blyse
Dorothy Meyer, of Berchtes- tions with her dogs. Healso endeayours to reinstate Clever nerinally credit thea with, : thefact thatthe dogsmisspelle lore
studied the
accountsof
gaden, Bavaria, and her two the hundred previousa or so-called Hans and other talking animals le would be hard to quartet abbreviate to be most words, there
dogs. Elke. a poodle. and talking dogs and more horses that. that have received the brunt of. with his cottention. also, thatif had of to further interrogation
Belam. a saluki. Dorothy, have been reporteti, including, scientific scepticisms.
.the human race were less did them mean to find say. out what they./t
apparently. two teaching had the spenta yearor sort of inevitably, Clever Hans, the The text of the present book conceited and had- a greater Rowdon, this Dorothy, "and"
Morse code, dogsa dogs
horse that could Answer que- is largely ofr conçerned with. sympathy for animals the world: down to ned dogs having misspelling used
with a paw on herh hand Jhapar to:
stions, even do simple arithme- tations çonversations. Ba: wouldbeabetter placein which, phonetics. Whai is certain is
out letters and numbers.
tic, tapping oul the answer ween Dorothy and her dogs to tolive.
ihat it imparts to the book *
with 1r hoof.
which Rowdon adds his own The mam theme the book measure of tedium.:
Thus. therev were four tapsf for Clever Hans subject to comments and moralisings. is, however, thata cot dogs, at It was, however,
A,25for Xa and other letters pro scrutiny by scienusts who came Someoft with. these onecant butagree least. have been taughtacode,a that the dogs were able when not fread-
rata. "No" was three taps with to theconclusionthat the horse
contofcomprlcnredaphabe.ty to calculate without. hesitation" Lonly
the left paw. "Yes" three taps was being. gtided. uncons- There can be no doubt, for- the use éf which they can the square root ofa four-figure
with the nght (shades of ciously, by its owser. Thus, in example, that" 'a dog that has' communicate sensibly and number as well as to answer
jable-turning!). one sentence.
to a questign the horse lived closely with human beings deliberatély with human
about God,deatha and:
used by the dogy, consisting of EeCk start the ground for many years must have beings, Upon this the book life hereafter that even. my
three words. required 259
and would stop' the
Sucte
taps
dopt correct acquired'a considerable voca- must-standor fall, according willingness to
have
und would required, on number guided bya ilick ofihe bulary for words understood whether the reader finds PENC mind came under keep severes an strain, open
my estimate. at least three eyelid, slight movement tofthe eveni ifi it cannot say them. One evidence presented acceptable
minutisluitranmut.ovretly. hand or the gegeral air of can accept, also, that dogsa and or unacceptable.
Maurice Burton


11 Northburgh
DURRANT'S Street
London EC1V OJL
EVENING TIMES
GLASGOW
ISSUE
DATED 3 6 Eeph
LLEEECAERID
TOMES
Die
can
@ h to
our
I BOOKSHELF
Qmmmal's
i HackHouse
d lew Oaly now tiealise
id NAY ai MM -
"LALl ae. There ie might have that Maurice Rowdon (Mac-
to whom Aied by communi- milan, 13.951.
southern Germany und
aty to show lhe carly lapping. Since hnit he tells the story what they have "said" to
vaii ing: stich to century years of this of Elke, 4 poodle
their teacher and other
lin ust. to the
theis have been and
bitch, humans Juring the last
Belamea saluki male,
ty ior a peregii- something ping dnimals like 102 lup- who carry on conversa- five yeurs.
the poli pals of the in Western various tions with humans hy Indeed. the onh
workt horses,
tapping cole messages trouble about this book
mic ligent dops, and aI least ponies, iwo mtotheir in unds.
is that the detail is s0
Cats.
Yes, I1 sounds datt, meticulous that ir's in
ull i Lake
but Mr Rowdon
danger oi
ily
etha
this information into
goes
becoming
fion 4 temarhable hook,
the ummost details boring at times.
"The Talking Dags." by dag, about how these Iwo World Of course, I've sn the
werr trained in Horse at Famous Kelvin Hall Talking
in other circuses. and It
counts and does other
tricks, and the theory is
that the trainer is siving
it certain signs to show
it when to stop tapping.
But this account of what
Elke and Belan discuss
is véry different indeed.
There are instances,
for example, of when the
dogs have taken the
initiative ideas to the and put new
trainers.
EGZINSESPERTUENGESDAS:


11 Northburgh
Street
London EC1V OJL
DURRANT'S
EVENING TIMES
GLASGOW
ISSUE
DATED 3orseph
(WEEKEND TIMES
can
to our
talk
BOOKSHELF
By Jack House
animals!
AASEUR
I'VE trained a few Only now I realise that Maurice Rowdon (Mac- southern Germany and
cats in my. time. There we might have communi- millan, £3.95).
what they have "said" to
was Pushkin-to whom cated by tapping. Since In it he tells the story their teacher and other
I needed only to show the early years of this of Elke, a poodle bitch, humans during the last
my walking-stick to century there have been and Belam, a saluki male, fiveyears.
have him rush to the something like 102 tap- who carry on conversa- Indeed, the only
door ready for a peregri- ping animals in various tions with humans by trouble about this book
nation round the poli- parts of the Western tapping code messages is that the detail is so
cies.
world - horses, ponies, into their hands.
meticulous that it's in
He was so intelligent dogs, and at least two Yes, it sounds daft, danger of becoming
that sometime es I cats.
but Mr Rowdon goes boring at times.
imagined that he would I take this information into the utmost details Of course, I've seen the
suddenly say something from a remarkable book, about how these two World Famous Talking
to me.
"The Talking Dogs," by dogs were trained in Horse at Kelvin Hall and
in other circuses. It
counts and does other
tricks, and the theory is
that the trainer is giving
it certain signs to show
it when to stop tapping.
But this account of what
Elke and Belam discuss
is véry different indeed.
There are instances,
for example, of when thè
dogs have taken the
initiative and put new
ideas to the trainers.


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1978 EVENING NEWS 17.
STARTING TODAY... The extraordinary story that raises the question: Are dogs more human than we ever imagined?
I DC GS
dogs
with
THE
TALKING
Can communicate human beings as
equals? Are they much cleverer than we.
have been
thought ? really understand
kind
Do they
They
what
taught
are saying ? These are the questions raised in
remarkable new book, THE TALKING DOGS,
Morse
News
which
code
serialised the Evening this week.
doggy
We present the evidence author Maurice
Rowdon discovered when he went to Germany to
experiments
their
of animal teacher
out
see the
Dorothy
they tap
thoughts
Meyer who claimed she had taught a poodle and
a saluki to "talk," by use of a complicated
of paw
code.
and
routine taps, like a doggy Morse
feelings
Rowdon arrived as a sceptic, and left, weeks
later, convinced dogs had, and can express, the
whole gamut of human emotions.
o. We have pplaced all the author's evidence in the
hands of Stanley Dangerfield, one of the world's
leading experts on dogs. His verdict on The
Talking Dogs will appear later this week. What
he has to say will surprise you.
0 There's a chance for you to have your say, too.
Already we have heard from one reader who saw
a Labrador able to play dominoes-using paw
tapping to indicate which piece to play. Write
and tell us what you think about talking. dogs.
0 And your dog can join in, too, to win a year's
supply of dog food See below.
MAURICE
ROWDON
WHEN I first met scratch-with only printed
Elke II, the Stand- records tappings, of prencts from animal or so
ard poodle bitch,
to on.
and Belam, the bedors.to had
Saluki male, on a in doubt- alt the
hot Septer m iber
shock
afternoon at Salz-
came.
burg airport, they.
been
were sitting waiting
for me with their
teacher.
aPt. antmals as
Elke's white fur was
that
dazzling in the remark-
ably clear, mountain-
reflected were sunlight. round and Her
Dorothy Meyer, above, teacher of the talking dogs, interprets as Belam, the saluki, taps out a messape in her palm with his paw. Poodle Elke 11, right, welcomed author Rowdon in the same way.
eyes
and
attentive, black vivaciously
HR Sch=22 taps. Then she word to be tapped agaln. viction-rather as child- Then begins the slow effort dimculties sometimes terse, but strictly In Hne
side, Belam,
held out her hand for the It was generally clear ren, bubbling over with of concentrating on the stood in their way. with their different per-
dogs to tap
had been
Who'sa
clever.
bonier.
some the
Into.
when word
something to say and too word to tapped.
Undoubtedly the dogs sonalities.
of two
had
Elke's message for me completed because the dog excited to compose it pro- Sometimes there tapped letters. But wasn't Also, I was to see much
tha
was firm and unhesitat- would make some move- perly, supply with their long pauses between one there an element of over- more evidence of their in-
eyes - delictously
ment of rellet or excite- eyes and expresslons what letter and another, while free interpretation on
the
then?
fur.
than just
boy
came nine, ten and or pause for longer thelr words short of. the
to lose
"hnts
ment,
seems
Dorothy's part?
Hurene tap. They ar
which, I found
track he or she
far
usual.
three taps
than
dor what
Would these tappings work tul neouha
not,
that
far
aoturtes
Hideout
MLOn. consulting the alpha- After reminding me
wants to say. He gazes turn out to be mostly a
quicker than the
l1st, made DER. Then the dogs spelt phonetically
even nods asleep. to be jumble of letters from
never
way. doEN we
and three, for ZR. This on
thread seems
sometimes
rounds
heard a
which she chose-indeed,
had cottage was followed by 13, 20,16,
shpsy
win
2eg
dogs where 12B. lastly Ave, sehr Recyon Pare is
to Moht however long the half-constructed or
the a
your clever dog to
LOceT
tençes
jens
help make
Arub
back
a CEMaT
always_returns unless he's
were
us more 250
ageror
to the
an exclted look
Arst
known
a ran DER 182 SER
taps. of the eyé.
iop
the dogs madeo that
was a hot, exhilarat-
back re-
about
and
Pause
great
Precise
your too, If
Relief
their
ARENCRNE
riter
one most bet was
have
rarely met
s certain i
Bhe then. them
laid to rest
SnE
Dorothy's method was tbe
into
postion
at as
each
MuetARi
enquire after word
toee
as ARters
the
as I
Mrtne and Belam.
7 H
out
the
dog
to at the
add
have been
such
Neung
the
way
witnessed
and
1AQ
few
Fees
win
dAYS
answer
was the dogs them- into her
the
emenes
taps,
for the
carried
M DpeE
asked
that con- without overbalancing. say, though technical precise even
Eator No
ande
FoMeNcOn
imii
yet
on September
Primptoy
Meyere
Ltd., or
from TOMORROW: ELKE
POODLE
THE
LEARNS TO COUNT UP TO 50
their are S ellgible.


Rerienss
Talking Prys


PAGE: 2. PSYCHICNEWS, OCTOBER: 28, 1978
These dogs 'converse'
with their owners
"The Talking Dogs," by
Maurice Rowdon (Macmillan
Books reviewed
SINCE other animals have like
ourselves a brain, a nervous
system and senses, they must be
capable of perceiving, thinking
and communicating.
Ift they were merely automata,
it would be pointless to equip
them with a complex marshal-
ling of faculties designed to co-
ordinate response to environ-
ment.
Yet many people argue that
oniy man has reason and refuse
to admit the possibility of true
intelligence in other species.
It is a view peculair to our
modern western culture.
It springs inevitably from a
materialistic philosophy which
even denies the existence of
mind itself, and regards the be-
haviour of all living things as W.H.MACKINTOSH
merely a matter of conditioned
reflexes.
The investigation of the an- These have included
imal mind in order to establish
horses,
an inteliigible dialogue between ponies, dogs and at. least two
man and his fellow-creatures is cats. However, in this connec-
not entirely new.
tion no mention is made of such
extremely intelligent species as
Human language used
apes and dolphins.
No doubt most readers have Teaching a dog to tap requires
heard of such pioneers in this training it in the first place tosit
field as Wilheim von Ostern and upright, with its body properly
Karl Krall who successively balanced, thus leaving one paw
owned the remarkable horse free fort tapping without strain.
known as "Clever Hans."
Incredible as it may seem, the
This book is concerned with teacher talks to the dog and
two dogs, one a poodle bitch shows it by example how many
called Elke and the other a times it must tap with its paw to
saluki male named Belam. Their indicate a particular letter of the
owner is Hilde Heilmaier and alphabet.
their teacher Dorothy Meyer.
Great care shown
They live in Austria and But what about the quality of
Bavaria with Panther the cat.
the communications? Tt seems
There is nothing extraor- the dogs not only answer ques-
dinary about these dogs except tions put to them, but indicate to
that they can commuicate with their teacher by certain move-
human beings, using human ments and looks when they
language: as the means.
want to say something them-
In this case the language is seives.
mainly German though they can Long pauses between letters
also "talk" in English.
arefrequenti in which the animal
Done by their paws
appears to lose concentration.
Nevertheless the thread of the
How is it done? The dogs tap conversation is subsequently
with their paws a specific taken up without any loss of
number of times for each letter meaning.
ofthe alphabet.
Maurice Rowdon noticed that
The spelling seems to be the dogs seemed to take great
phonetic and the arrangement care with what they were tap-
of words in a sentence is often ping, trying to express them-
inverted.
selves as clearly and succinctly
Consequently, the order of as possible.
words appears to be unnaturai, Apparently they knew pre-
which makes the meaning not cisely what they wanted to say,
always clear at a glance.
though barriers not of their own-
It is interesting to note that making sometimes stood in the
since the beginning of this cen- way of proper expression.
tury, there have been about 102 I suppose many readers like
animals in different parts of the myself have often talked.tqann
worid able to, comm uca te animal andu /1 9 e the es
thraugh tapping with human sationic could becomea mie
beings
ingful dialogue ofthe
wrhichwe hold. with
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI human beings.
How much we could learn and
ANIMAL HEALING
how good it would be for ours,
SANCTUARY
selves to have our kinship with
all animals brought emphati-
willtunctionat
cally to our attention in this
BLACKHEATH HEALING CENTRE
manner!
Kidbrooke' Grove: 5E3
12Ki0 ned Syivia Broadwood)
Are we superior?


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1978
EVENING NEWS 15
story of talking dogs - the experts have their say
WHEN I first went to
THE Talking Dogs is one
see the talking dogs of
porap of the most remarkabie
Berchtesgaden I ex-
0o0 animal books ver
It cannot
Give
to find two clevér
written.
peçted
nb7
animals trained
dog
Some accept it. Others
circus lines.
reject it. But nobody can
I observed them and
put it down unfinished.
their teacher Dorothy
I should admit I am almost
doubter.
Iwas
professlonal
Meyer very closely.
bone and
don't believa in flying
just
determined not to
saucers. fortune telling, rein-,
fooled.
carnation or unlucky black
Gradually f realised that
cats.
they were tapping out real
And if I see Url Geller
sentences that were, as far
bend another 50 spoons l'm
I could tell, of their own
talk!
still
belleve
he'll
not golng to
invention.
telepathy
did It.
What convinced me that
structure and brain Additionally, a lifetime
I was in the presence of
sensory
spent closa to dogs persuades
Any word a dog knows can
thinking creatures was living
similar to our own.
me that dogs are dogs and
be used to trigger off the ex-
with them from day to day,
The usual argument not four-legged humans.
pected reaction.
for walks and watch-
against animal intelligence, is I accept that dogs com-
Even so. nearly all dog
ETE them tap in all sorts of
that the telepathic principle municate. A dog with a bone
owners believe their own dogs
situations in the woods, at
1s at work.
soon tells another dog not
understand speech.
the zoo, in someone's home.
They sald it about the to touch.
Of course, he understands
When you live with a per-
famous stallion "clever Hans" He Nor needs no speech for
"good dog" because you make
son you get to know pretty
in Berlin before the First this. does he need it with
it sound caressing.
quiokly whether there is an
World War, and they said human Leave beings. a
And what you called him
element of fake or untruth-
it in Virginia, about the
strange dag with
when he offends sounds like
fulness in them.
remarkable horse Lady an unschooled human and he
a whiplash.
What I saw convinced me
MAURICE
Wonder, who died in 1957. wlll explain wants when he is
STANLEY
But logic cuts no ice when
that these dogs had hopes by
But how could telepathy hungry Of course or he exercise, can under- by
we. talk about our own dog.
and sorrows like all of us,
have operated when Elke or stand
Which fact alone means
and were no less sensitive to ROWDON
Belam suddenly wanted to
some things we say a DANGERFIELD that for every person who
the terrors and the annoy-
"say" something in the woods a because sound with he connects a a certain
questions the facts behind
ances of life than we: are. their ages and solve mathe- about another animal neither If I say happening. to
The Talking Dogs there are
While with Elke and Belam matical problems, aren't Dorothy nor I had' seen, It
"car" my dogs
Whatever ten who adore this remark-
I became convinced that the using their minds fully.
and while our minds- were on means Sit ' means an outing. something to proves the the point. his dog able story.
difference between their in- They are mechanical, entirely different subjects? them. So
did performer the opposite. said,
I finish with a true but un-
telligence and ours was not following the cues of their And what about the many "bone", does "dinner", "bed" and "cat", a If he said sit the stood. characteristic story.
so. much quality as use.
trainer, in the movement of occasions when the dogs score of "no", other
If he said dog the
I once flew out of a
Their whole approach to a hand or the whip:
tapped an urgent MUST
dould things. have barked and quiet dog American
South
the world was different from But even this is a sign of (their codeword for "I want been They as easlly
so on.
country as revo-
ours.
trained to understand He had merely taught the lution broke out.
intelligence. It réquires to leave the room")? Were Greek or, as in Belam and dog to beg when he said sleep. It was frightening but as
Their ears were open to symbolisation, which in turn Dorothy and I planting this Elke's case, German.
Jump on the table when he we took off a thought
the most distant sounds, requires a - neryous system, désire without knowing it?7 A. theatre act I once saw said down.
in my brain. "My
their
appeared
eyes took in a scene
dog is dead."
with the briefest flash of a
Two days later I found out
glance and their noses
that my favourite dog had
sought out the smells on the
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLEVER
indeed passed away without
wind.
DOG
warning at that time some
faster And than their ours. minds They worked would' READERS are rushing in their hundreds to tell us how E words- -to a Talking Dogs." Evening News, New Carmelite 6,000 So miles here away. I am accepting
provè in a tapping that clever THEIR dogs are. If you think your dog is
House, London EC4Y 1AQ (Comp.). Letters must arrive. that there was super-
they had taken in more with intelligent, write and tell us what makes you SO sure.
by Monday. Include an SAE and we will endeavour to
natural communication some be-
a glance than you had with And send us a picture him you have one. For each - return photographs. The Editor's decision is final. No. tween myself and special
a long gaze.
letter we publish.we reat pay 18 and the best letter
alternative prizes, no correspondence. Employees
declining io accept
Circus animals who count wins a year's supply of Hap, the new dog food made by Associated Newspapers Group Ltd. and members of their nea reing dogs can be taught
up to certain numbers, tell Pedigree Petfoods. Write NOW-not more than 250
families are not eligible.
to talk.


MOCuiLLA 7
11 Northburgh
DURRANT's Street
London EC1V OJL
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
YORKSHIRE LEEDS,
ISSUE
DATER6 SEP 1978
Talking dogs? Maurice
knows they exist
BOOKS
HAVE you heard about thé He, himself, was present raising of puppies and their
dog who walked into at when Elke was asked about training. All from the dogs'
living room and asked for death and, to their aston- point of view.
the radio to be turned off ishment, knew what it
also
bécause it was too loud? It's meant, Theirspines tingled family They
joined in
not a joke.
even more when Elke
life.
Fraulein Dorothy Meyer, tapped out that death was
One moring Belam
who taught a Saluki named "a soft, dark mist with walked into Fraulein
Belam to communicate with eternal genuine lustre",
Meyer's living room where
her, claims it happened.
the radio was blaring and
She claims alot more,, They asked Belam a simi- tapped "ouch ear".
too, according to author lar question. rests in 'His reply was
Fraulein Meyer asked:
Maurice Rowdon, who has "one
peace".
"Is the music too loud?"
written a book, "The Talk- Maurice Rowdon reports
ing Dogs" (Macmillan that: the: dogs answered Belam I tapped: "Yes".
£5.95) about the Saluki and- questions about God, about "Shall turn it off?"
a poodle named Elke who each other, and about the "Yes," replied Belam.
were taught to "talk" by
Fraulein Meyer by tapping
their paws.
For example: Three taps He found that Fraulein
with the right paw means Meyer was a former school-
Three taps with the teacher, who had been
fertp paw means no,
asked by Frau Hilde
Fraulein Meyer spent Heilmaier, the owner of the
hundreds of hours teaching dogs, to set up a school for
the dogs an alphabet of the animais.
taps.
Frau Heilmaier was
They learned to do sums intensely interested in
Fand, then, to tap letters, animal intelligence and had
words, and, finally, com- read a number of books
plete sentences.
about animals which had
If Fraulein Meyer was been taught to
able to guess the sentence communicate..
afteraword or two - then" She wanted to start a
the dogs didn't bother to school of herown.
finishi it.
Lessons began with Elke
Maurice Rowdon went to 1, an eager and apt pupil.
Berchtesgaden, once noto- Her lessons started when
rious as Hitler's mountain she, was hardly a year old.
hide-out, to see Fraulein She waantiookeenatfinst
Meyer and the dogs.
But, gradually. she
learned the alphabet and
began doing sums'with a
smoothness which aston-
ished Fraulein Meyer.
Belam joined the class as
an interested observer, but
was soon into taking
lessons.
Maurice Rowdon's
account of the dogs' train-
ing makes fascinating and
instructive reading for
anyone tempted to "talk"to
their own dogs.
Even more interesting,
however, are the reports of
the dogs' conversations
logged by Dorothy Meyer.


FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 8.
The final part of the
THE TALKING DOGS Day 3: A door opens on the animal world
Belam tells a
story and taps
out a message of love
Maurice Rowdon's The Talking Dogs
is a study of canine communication
They
really
all
lap
that
praise
THERE is nothing
He had trained himself to
evaluate the minute muscular
new about animals
which the
contractions
girl
that converse ') by
involuntarily approached or made receded as they from
tapping or barking
the object.
or growling.
So it is just minute and
unsuspected' body signals?
Bears, horses and dogs
Again, I don't think so.
were doing it long
Whgn was young and
before the Middle Ages
very Tentch I trained a group
and Banks' talking
of bear. three lions and a brown
horse was a London sen- by EDWARD
With one lioness,
sation in Shakespeare's
had a very high degree Delia, of
time.
CAMPBELL
empathy and taught her to
And
the thirties
walk tightrope. 16 feet along a double
Marcus ia Touche had a
When the
was
very famous talking dog mount and two bodies share established trick noticed fully an
called Marquis.
a single nervous system,
extraordinary thing.
circus It is slang no great it 1s mystery. called the In sand Not one ever rider approaches in ten thou- this
If we were working to a
Joey Pony.
but the idca is well known.
scant trained audience, in small the provincial act was
If you stand beside a Shet-
And that is very much menagerie. and she got only
land
and scratch the what I believe is happening a modest round of applause,
upper poary of a foreleg with between Dorothy and her she would jump down to her
thumb nail, the pony dogs.
"home" position at the end
VON presently start to paw
She wants her dog to
of the trick.
the ground. At the monient (and five times to indicate tap the
ixep pony stop stops scratching pawing), move letter L and a certain some-
Applause
your foot a couple of inches. and thing, start communicates signals to stop the
After
the pony doggie paw-tapping.
But night if we had a good Sat-
will either aeraniner: paw stop paw-
All the rest follows.
urday
audience and she
ing according to the position
The
a real burst without of applause,
your shoe: a simple case "communication," the aston- SRE would,
any cue
of transferred reflex.
ishing messages of mutual from me.
round and do
But, and here the whole understanding and the seemingly (and revolt !; encore! the walk LNCk again as an
thing starts to get eerie, intelligence of a Paundaondes and a
I decided
with some animals you can poodle.
with that a human close
stop moving your
sociation
ACE
Ecsdiraite altogether and just
But I don't think it is tele- given her an ego. She did a
THINK ABOUT MOVING pathy.
double stint when she
YOUR FOOT. The animal
Behaviourists would prob- thought it was worth it, or
now responds to a signal you ably say
the trainer out of sheer vanity.
didn't give!
makes TMELE muscular
I'm still not sure.
contractions when tapping is
But don't think animals I
Willed
start and stop: and the receive telepathically, think
which has an instinc- they receive emotionally; not
perception of body lan- concepts, not images but
Early this century in Ger- guage anyway, acts upon feelings.
many, the most outstanding these signals.
Subconsciously I suspect
of advanced High
The signals can be so that I wanted Delia todo
ERcohE riding was Therese minute that the average encore. I sent out a pulse a7
Renz. She experimented with person is totally unaware of emotion that "approved."
reducing the "aids," the making them.
The lioness reacted as she
muscular pressure of fingers
This
is illustrated
been conditioned to
on reins and heels on flank, by the case uneoyu the Polish sen- had react, i.e.
almost to vanishing point.
sitive Wolf Messing. He used therefore walk "approval it again. signal,
Sometimes, days of rare toleave a room, or even the
Quite simply she respon-
empathy with ondn horse, she building. while
group ded to a feeling in terms
could ride a magnificent picked some object. ring,a its circumstances and 1eE
series of movements and picture,
bit of string,
of conditioning.
changes without making any anything.
histoges believe Dorothy Meyer
muscular signals all. She
On returning would take subconsciously wants to
simply willed Lho horse's someone by the
usually
that dogs think and
movements.
NENey
a woman. and start to walk PAYYE and she radiates, albeit
At this level of communi- around the room. Gradually unconsciously, precisely the
cation, called symbiosis, it he would examine
the emotion which will cause the
seens over that the rider's mind objects und finally Aa would
to confirm her wishful
the muscles ofthe ann noi
n one
dopo


BRITAIN'S
BIGGEST
EVENING
SALE
The News
tonight
Amazing
story of
the dogs
that talk
TODAY the Evening
News begins one of
the most remarkable
animal stories ever
told.
This important series is
based on the results
of an astonishing in-
vestigation into the
question which has
intrigued people for
centuries :
Can dogs talk ? Can
they communicate
with humans, under-
standing what is. said
and conveying their
own messages ?
These are the issues
raised in the book
THE TALKING DOGS.
Start reading it in the
centre pages today.


HecmiLean
11 Northburgh
Street
London
DURRANT'S
ECIV OJL
WILTS & GLOUCESTERSHIRE STANDARL
CIRENCESTER,
ISSUE
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
DATED 17 NOV 1978
The Talking Dogs' by
Maurice Rowdon (Mac-
millan £5.95) documents
an experiment in com-
munication between a
womait living in south-
ern. Germany and the
two dogs: Elke a poodle,
and Belam a Saluki. She
taught them to use
their paws to communi-
cate by tapping. This
amazing hook describes
in detail the process: of
teaching the dogs to do
sums, and then to tap
letters, words and, fin- S.H.C. LAKEL
ally, icomplete sentences.
The time came when
they were even capable
of- giving advice to their
owner!: a0


ma millar
Northburgh
DURRANT
Street
London
OJL
ECIV
THE NORTHERN ECHO
DARLINGTON,
ISSUE
DEC
DURHAM
DATED
Dog talk
The Talking Dogs. By Maurice
Rowdon (Macmillan £5.95).
MAURICE Rowdon was asked'to
write a book about two dogs
which werc supposed to be able
to communicate with people.
Trained and taught by their
owner, a poodle and a saluki
were reputed to be able to talk
by: using à system of tapping
with their paws based on a
particular code.
The author reports what he
witnessed and says that at first
he had doubt about the extent
of the talking, wondering how
much W a S ove r-free
interpretation by the teacher.
The reader must draw his own
conclusions as to whether this is
the case right through the
reported conversations, for
Maurice Rowdon says the
experience changed his attitude
and way of thinking not only
about dogs but about all
animals and made him wonder
if a closer relationship on a
different plane with the a animal
world would be of benefit to
man.


11 Northburgh
Street
DURRANT'S London ECIV OJL
EVENING SENTINEL
ISSUE
STAFFORDSHIRE HANLEY
DATED
BOOK LOOKS
What
was
she
told by
MOST pet owners have
been heard to ré-
mark at one time or
her talkative
another: "He under-
stands every word." Or
"Look, he's telling us
something."
pet dogs
Every Rover and Rex, views I with a standard com plex mathematical
Honey and Heidie have, in: poodie bitch çalled Elke II. problems to apparent emo
the past, imparted some and a Saluki male called tionak" retorts from the
message of great import 'to Belam.
animals ranging from. love
their doting owners.
It tells the story of how through fear to anger.
Canine intelligence has their teacher, Fraulein
never beent in dispute. One Dorothy Meyer, spent the
In German
has only to look around at better part of: 18 months The dogs "answer" ques-
the working dogs in the teaching the dogs to tap out tions in German, (transla-
police which force, or guide dogs messages with their 1 we tions provided) and usé as
become the of paws. Not merely "yes' a basic alphabet, a phonetic
sight. ess people, to bes sure and "no," but complex system.s do
of that,
sentences.
Yet can a dog conmuni- Even more important, the As the interviews pro-
cate.atour level? Can he. or author sets out to distin- gressed, the author dis-
she, originate. thougnt and guish thoughts and ideas covered a distinct character
convey thatsthought to us, originated by the dogs theme in both animals, with all
Interviews
selves, rather than answers the traits'and idiosyncracies
to set questions.
we associate with human Can
Maurice Rowden in his Fra ulein Meyer sat beings.
dogs to talk be This bouncing poodle certainly
book The Talking Dogs" through more than. 500 It. is not suggested that
seems
passing on. a joyous message.
thinks they And he has lessons well documented Fido, asleep in the r
compiled a omdnse slab and taped to bring the is capable of
asking
statistics to drive home animals up to the standards to make suey a cup of
the point..
portrayed in the book. 1o but the book does pose
The book, published this With the beautiful a number of interesting
monthby MacMlanLondon Bavarian countryside as its points-not least, that a dog
(price £2.95), doeuments setting the book deals with can be trained to communi-
interviews. yes, inte: r- "chats" with the dogs from cate in a way, we under-
stand.
Whether the trainer and
author have made too
clever? enthusiastic an interpreta-
tion. of the tappings is
Isyour pet
birds Havè you come"across instances intelligent another question altogether.
or animals FRL and tell us if you We will Individual readers will
pay £1 for
Mota
each letter published-and there will be a themselves have their own
considers special prize for the writer of the letter the Editor interpretations of the statis-
the best.
d kes
ties and comments madein
Envelopes Letters ideally should not be more than 200 words. R the my book.As own dog forme, taps on when the
Sentinel, Northeliffe should be addressed House, Hanley, to the Editor, Evening door I know exactly what
ST1 5HA, and marked Clever Animals. Stoke-on-Trent, she means.


WEST LANCASMINE CV
BLACKPOOL,
ISSUE
LANCASHIRE
DATED
/ POONS
Turn
the radio off
said Belam
the
dog
Tt's too loud'!
IAVE bout the YOU dog heard who too, She claims a lot more, the dogs an alphabet of
valked into a living- Maurice according Rowdon, to who author has sums taps. and, They learned to do Meyerwas teacher, who a former had school- been lustre." They asked Belam
oom and asked for written a book, "The Talk- ters, words, then, and, to tinally, tup let- asked by Frau Hilde Heil- reply a similar question. "One rests His
he radio to be turned E505) ing Dogs". about the (Maemillan, complete sentences.
maier, the owner of the peace." was
ff because it was too a poodle named Salukiand Elke who able If Fraulein to
Meyer was dogs, the animals. to set up a school for Maurice Rowdon reports
oud? It's not a joke. were taught to "talk" by after a word guess or the two sentence Frau Heilmaier was that the dogs answered
Fraulein Dorothy their Fraulcin Meyer by tapping dogs didn't bother to thent finish the intenseley interested in questions about God, about
feyer, who taught a For paws. example, three
animal had intelligence a
and raising each other, of puppies and about the
aluki named Belam to with the right paw means taps Maurice Rowdon went to about read animals number which of books training all from andtheir the
ommunicate with her, yes. Three taps with the left Berchtesgaden, notorious as
once been taught to communi- had dogs' point of view.
laims it happened paw means no.
hide- Hitler's moun- cate. She wanted to start a
writes Ron Thompson). Fraulein Meyer spent lein Meyer out, and to the see Frau- 1 school of her own.
hundreds of hours teaching He found
dogs.
ZEAN
00RER0 29
that Fraulein an Lessons eager and began apt pupil. with Elke, Les-
e a
sons started when she was
wasn't hardly too a year keen atfirst. old. She They also joined in family *28
But, gradually, she life.
learned the alphabet and
began doing sums with
One morning Belam
smooth n e ss W hich W alked into Fraulein
astonished Fraulein Meyer. Meyer's livingroom where
Belam joined the classas the radio was blaring and.
ani interested observer, but tapped "Ouch ear."
was soon into taking
lessons. Maurice Rowdon's "Is Fraulein the music Meyer too asked:
account of the dogs'train- Belam tapped: loud?" "Yes."
instructive ing makes fascinating and "Shall I turn it off"
one tempted to "talk"
"Yes," replied Belam.
their
own dogs. Even more
interesting, the reports of however, thedogs' con- are
versations, logged by
Dorothy He, himself, Meyer. was present One day, Fraulein Meyer
when Elke was askedabout had at a three new puppies with her
death and, to the their
school and Belam
astonishment, knew whati it was looked there, a star pupilwho
meant Their spines tingled benevolent at' the class with
even more when Elke tap-
superiority.
Psd. out with that eternal death genuine was The little ones dabbed at
amezxwncarrcumors
the air with their soft,
clumsy paws, sometimes
toppling over from the tap
ping position they had been
taught to adopt. Fraulein
Meyer was having trouble
with one called Abdul, who
refused to sit in the tapping.
position.
She asked Belam how she
could help Abdul.
Belam answered: "Ten-
derly guide.


MACMILLAN
11 Northburgh
DURRANT'S Street
London ECIVOJL
LIVERPOOI ECH
CASHIRE
DATED ISSUR
THE
TALKING
DOGS
Elke the poodle
after death
othér effect on-me than any clearer Dorotby acked reincarnation We decided years and something ago
dthattime. tappiogs I wimnessed by againe after "What do we mean to ask Elke.
-corresponds with_that of
EIN death?"
"Have you ever died?" Elke I's death which was
Fray Hellmater seaned eo tap: ZARIE at sbe began Dorothy asked her. YES.
two years andeight months
to Elke and she became the
word How long ago? Do you ago."
Nre "What is it when
tTN tense, know?" YES.
That evening Elke was
one dies, my love?"
almost down trembling, in
ber
She then tapped 0 (the coaxed into the tapping
ZOE
Z11
AsCEn
SCHWIER for
Then oame concentiration, the word tapping for this this could position and Mami asked
schwer (too difficult) DUKLE.
als6 mean two) followed her: "Do youknow the
came the answer.
"Do you mean duakle by
which was olearly bench at the inn_where Were we
Doyou mean too dif- this" word?" YES.
phonetic rendering of there were once today?
you
ficuleto say?" Dorothy Then came NIEIBRIL MIT
before?"
asked.her. "If you do, tap ETERNIS CHE ECHT and yeel
years YES, Elke repiied:
three times. Or do you SCHAIN. The whole sen- "Have Pa you died tes.
was "When your was that? there? What
mean-too difficult for your tenoe stood for ein zarter onoe7" YES,
only Wrat do experience of
beant? If you do, tap, five dunikler Nebel mit eternisc "Can you
that
remember
times,"
ihen echten Schiein (a sofit about
more
LCA
death?" vEE
She tapped perfectly
Elke tapped five times. mist with eternal genuine "Or albout God?" YES.
She
BESONDERS TAROOD
xpake the question lustre). As the words formed on
then tappedER EAN (the sadly) second ELKE word WR very (for
tmy pad and she went on
sick war)
espectaly
tapping in ter herseyes deeply TOMORROW: - "How
ago?" R (or
F almost closed, garedat
three) TIARE (for Jahre)
earch other, our spines ting-
-three years.
ling with astonishment,
ROWDON
you mean three
One evening talked
peRy YES. July 1972
again abourt the dost tap-
had been
month
pings on death and beigan. FXPLAINS
Elke T's LN.O atnf
to wonder it tbey iad any-
ness, and we wereinow in
thing to say albout God.
September 1975.
Elke bad. already indicated WHY I
"Did you understand
that she was aware of the
what Mami was saying to
word.
at the bench
Dorothy asked Bellam: BELIEVE'
Yendon YES.
"What do you love more
aboss Was which it another Elke was Elke?" it?
than Mami (their pet
name for Frau Heil
YES.
20 ZART MATERI for er
Which Do Elke know?" was
He seemed penplexed eine zante Materia (he marod?
and ahe added: "Do you too
- or soft
She tapped
UBAN
tina
20e
understand?" NO.
mabter). Materia is a word BIS *Is DOD. uban. right?" NO.
Do you Jove something lsed in philosphical discus- "Do you mean uben
mone than Miami?" YES,
meaning substance.
YES.
He tapped MALAGRIT, Eba you YES. really mean (practise)?" The sentence therefore
sense, which seemed thent he to. filopped make out no Materia?" "And who is er (he)?" stood Tod for Elke uben bis
lpor.
Gon for Gott (God), she
(elke learn, or prac-
GRUBS yiou understand-tic-Husk
6 m
word do you God?" think YES. of when "Whab we bight Our and next
on morn- a
say you
use this word!"
ill?
knows
took the Ramsau were
Nom,
IHN
LEBEN UBER
BIS
about
Ena high i the hills.
nothing
your being
ODEM ALLE (live by him At the
lot, near ill?"
antil breathing ends) he an REn Heilmaier DOOH TOT GEWESE
tapped. Alle colloquial Manthy to one of the ben- SFER ZU ERKLEREN for
expression ior "gone,"
and told Elke that I doch tot gewesen schwer
ended," and Odem is an RF been very ill at that erklaren (indeed been
old, poetical word for
shortly before ber Heatrk difficult explain).
Here she
How did that
reaoh She also told
Had she
her
him? For it rarely, ever,
bad an
avord
had sitedlose fee
previ-
tigures ia daily speech.
ing, at the time she
aisreres her ImARIeE
"Can you say something buying her, that Elke
Elke fr sickness from
more about God?"
was the reincarnation
many overheard
conversa-
IS SCHENIHIML UND Elkel.
tions, or received tele-
MID NGEL he tapped for Elke I
Frau Heil- phathic picture of it,
ist schon im Himmel und maier's bonets. dog
through Mami?
mit Engel (is beautiful in but she had died PLIRURE Maurice Rowdon 1978.
heaven and' with angels). through her training. Elke
Published by Macmillan
We kaughed where bad "The rough date
(London) Ltd., £5.95 on
the diche come trom?
gave us the other evening two
14. at
We had beea discussing fur her own death
September


ITSICOLINT REID
ITSMONDAY
man's
paw
guide to doggy talk
wonderful things go on in -Belam, a Saluki, and same test occurred to sus- (oh, creepy thought!) far from nature (includ- old cat Smokey would
the animal world I am Elke the Poodie-at their picious little me), but they evén infiuence our our own nature)." suddenly stare alertly at
prepared to admit- -but home in Southern Ger- wouldn't buy it. Which E minds ?
our minds care- seemingly empty spaces
WHAT are
ImERF
we to make this
many where they live did nothing to dispel In a riveting essay at fully circumscribed by in the room (what on
of a claim that two The claim is seriously with their téacher, doubt.
the end of the book the reason, he asks, have we earth is g oing on
dogs have been taught made in a book. called Fraulein Dorothy Meyer. That the dogs tap author argues that 'our blocked out other areas of there ?); and the way she
to 'talk' to people, 'The Talking Dogs' (Mac- In painstaking detall answers to questlons claim to superiority over consciousness, other could S end telepathic
using an alphabet of millan, £5-95), and I con- he documents the paw- seems certain (so have animals rests on our hav- energy fields of an invi- messages from her empty
taps with their paws? fess my first thought tapping Intervlews on many circus animals
ing developed the brain sible world still intact in plate in the kitchen. I
And not only talk in was toat chuck it at the cat many subjects over many there was even 'a tapping more than any other the animal kingdom? would rise and open a tin
constructed sentences, but and say : 'On, come on, months. Each letter of horse' in Shakespeare's species. But is reason "Western man is still without knowing why.
also speak English and conte on ! Next we'll be the alphabet is given a day, as mentioned in necessarily intelligent ? perhaps waiting to reach Suddenly, I tell you,
German; solve compli- asked to believe that little specific number of taps Love Labour's Lost'), but Is intelligence necessarily an adequate animal level goose pimples began to
cated equations, do square dogs laugh (pax Fred and the dogs commun- how does one explain the mental ?
in spiritual and psychic rise on my neck. I
roots and expound on Bassett) and cows jump Icate by tapping their tapped thoughts of Elke 'The western (Chiefly powers, while deceiving decided not to chuck the
their own reincarnation over the moon.'
thoughts into their and Belam ?
19th-century) view of the himself that the cultiva- book at her after all. -
and the nature of death- But I didn't. I began to. teacher's hand.
Involuntary signals human organism as a tion of the brain puis went over to her, stroked
'a soft dark mist with read it again, There was A Swiss TV producer from the teacher to give physical apparatus gov- him far beyond the ani- her head ard sald : 'Now
eternal genuina lustre,' something creepy about tried to persuade them to the required number of erned by the brain, sup- mal kingdom.'
then, Smokey, are you all
remarked a Poodle poet it.
use a large, doggy type taps ? Or could it be plied with sense messages Psychio powers? - In- right? Is there anything
called Elke!
The author, Maurice writer instead of their telepathy? Can our by the nervous system, visible worlds ? began - can do for you at all?
That many strange and Rowden, visited the dogs teacher's hand (and the domestic pets read and seems to have taken us to think of the way our Just send me a message.'
Daily Mail, Monday, September 18, 1978


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1978 EVENING NEWS 17
tory that raises the question: Are dogs more human than we ever imagined?
ALKING DOGS
They have been taught a kind
of doggy Morse code by which
they tap out their thoughts
and feelings
ot the talking dogs, interprets as Belam, the saluki, taps out a mes S sage in her palm with his paw. Poodle Elke. 11, right, welcomed author Rowdon in the same way.
be tapped again. viction-rather as child- Then begins the: slow effort difficulties sometimes terse, but strictly in line
Bs generally clear ren, bubbling over with of concentrating on the stood in their way.
with their different per-
word had been something to and too
clever.
say
Who'sa
word tobet tapped.
Undoubtedly the dogs sonalities.
Ear because the dog excited to compose it pro- Sometimes there are tapped letters. But wasn't Also, I was to see much
make some move- perly, supply with their long pauses between one there an element of over- more evidence of their in-
bf relief or excite- eyes and expressions what letter and another, 'while
then?
free interpretation on telligence just the
boy
pr pause for longer thelr words aré short of. the dog seems to lose Dorothy's part?
ability tap. Apamhayt could
sual.
A bare account cannot both track of what he or she Would these tappings work
arithmetical WHETHER
reminding me that
the Impression
wants
Rowdon
yOL,
to say. He
quicker than
S nuthor
gazes
gramurte
turn out be
the
give
mostly
ometranet perception
round,
COTEVE
s'spelt phonetically
even nods
Probiens
jumble of letters from
have never
a way ofinterpreting tOESY we
seems
deedIE
Dorothy mean SRTE beings.
The thread aseepa to which she chose-indeed,
thls
uncanny way. Sometimes
(He is tell aumen teacher TRCY
long the half- constructed
wnath
eye
your clever to win
have.
to sayby iogiat however
dog
tences which or length
always returns
Bess MTe
to her a certain
back the turning artrh by an excited look Bun EeEr unless he's made sense?. moreo that were mea a centimetre of or exact
us- -in
taps of the in
the doubts of first asurement, give
myor eye.
evening.
solution ofa
us *
MEM the
amathertiicnl
and
after
how he
their
under-,
tapped
flashing
SNUnE
A0.dRE
ETaa ohraner Cemores
Pause
care. I'd some-
Precise
EsNEn blackboard perceptible to glance
that, once
that their
take
KWT EmaLCere
angendn have one.
printed
pistured Tatre
vou
the
messages constri
LYEUEE
were ructed
Aine
FE phonetic
then coaxes them
of letters,
And I have rarely met E5.
best
wer
They laid to rest
aren't
human beings consis-
free
Menit
the
SRAE
position hE umate the case at once.
the
tently truthful as
under-
side immediately
Elke II
Abicterr
took
AeTOPIRE
more
used
must
and Belam.
MahY
her.
with
remember
than evening
been at the
in such a
Emmodrta L
tone convince me). as
began to
Eclmmnte
that they
can place WAY
always
tnemnjo seemed find RRErt tapped remarks
1AQ (Comp.). If
them- into heroutstretched hand know what they wanted were not only on the
is enclosed, we will
Lape. dogsat con- without overbalancing. to say, though technical whole precise and even Imnd millan Houtes Mec
is to No
The
-95 on
September
POODLE LEARNS TO COUNT UP TO 50
members of their families, are not ellgible. or


STARTING TODAY... The extraordinary story that raises the question: Are dogs
THE
TALKING
0 Can dogs communicate with human beings as
equals? Are they much cleverer than we
thought ? Do they really understand what we
They
are saying? These are the questions raised in a
remarkable new book, THE TALKING DOGS,
serialised in the Evening News this week.
of de
We present the evidence author Maurice
Rowdon discovered when he! went to Germany to
see the experiments of animal teacher Dorothy
they
Meyer who claimed she had taught a poodle and
a saluki to 66 talk," by use of a complicated
routine of paw taps, like a doggy Morse code.
and
Rowdon arrived as a sceptic, and left, weeks
later, convinced dogs had, and can express, the
whole gamut of human emotions.
O. We have placed all the author's evidence in the
hands of Stanley Dangerfield, one of the world's
leading experts on dogs. His verdict on The
Talking Dogs will appear later this week. What
he has to say will surprise you.
0 There's a chance for you to have your say, too.
Already we have heard from one reader who saw
a Labrador able to play dominoes-using paw
tapping to indicate which piece to play. Write
and tell us what you think about talking dogs.
0 And your dog can join in, too, to win a year's
supply of dog food! ! See below.
MAURICE
ROWDON
WHEN I first met scratch-with only printed
Elke II, the Stand- records of previous animal
tappings, from 50 or so
ard poodle bitch,
to on.
and Belam, the se9ED Defore.to EOO had
Saluki male, on a ing worked her in capacities the dark, doubt- an
hot September
teacher and ait the
EaTE prepared for shock
afternoon at Salz-" of discovery CLETTE came.
burg airport, they: ready Like me, she had to accept been
were sitting waiting animal mealleuce as an
for me with their idea. But to accept
teacher.
the reality a animals as
Elke's white fur was equalb The beings. discovery that in
dazzling in the remark- many have a
integrity, animals
ably clear, mountain-
reper
reflected sunlight. Her truthfulness sion superior and our compas- own Dorothy Meyer, above, teacher of. the talking dogs, interprets as Belam, the saluki, taps a message her
were
eyes
round and
even shock.
out
in palm wi
black and vivaciously Ma tesgaden RETETE Imet FrauHeil- Berch- Sch=22 taps. Then she word to be tapped again. viction-rather as child- Then begins the slow effort
attentive. her side, Belam, maier, owner the dogs held out her hand for the It was generally clear ren, bubbling over with of concentrating on the difficulties stood in thei
taler and bonier. seemed and founder of the "dog dogs to tap into.
when a word had been something to say and too word tol bet tapped.
Undoubted
shyer ofthe two with had been For a some
Elke's message for me completed because the dog excited to compose it pro- Sometimes there are tapped letter
was firm and
ine sensitive nose, satod dogs which she porederor
unhesitat- would make some move- perly, supply with their long pauses between one
and
Hunicoyes deliciously
at the frequently local ing.
ment of relief excite- eyes and expresslons what letter and. another, while there ele
straggling fur.
eesatams
First came nine; ten and ment, or pause for longer their words are short of. the dog seems to lose free Dorothy's interp
She had a flat the three taps which, I found than usual.
A account cannot track of what he or she Would na
Hideout
floor Atona same consulting the alpha- After reminding me that convey impression both wants to say. He gazes
out to
EcOe as Bcorine
pet list, made DER. Then the dogs spelt
dogs of
turn
she employed. Frau nerE 20 and thrée, for ZR. This
whole, phonetically Dorothy
to CEOREE
even nods seems to jumble of
They had heard a lot maier also a
beings.
nalee
had cottage
They
which
Emrthesa
"DO mean
she
MEna
about me. I'd been asked some metres away, where was IZS. followed by lastly 13, 20,16, flve,
sehr 22o30n3 (He is tell their teacher they inglat however long the
write book about dogs often lived."
have
to say_by
pause, he always returns tences
and make their
down
seven,
takcose
thent help
ineudo settled
Ardula
came back
turning Srowrh her certain to the
he's made sense?
intelligence known to the coffee and and
together
or by an excited look
subject, unless
TTIoC
cake cream,
doubts
in armchairs round tence ran DER thsz seri
(three taps of the wther in eye.
toot I realised tired to the
the evening.
was a exhilarat-
LIB.
orpat
apre
table, and the began-
back re-
their
ing and were about tapping their
ABOUCRE
"greet-
care. I'd some-
Aust-
Pause
great
ampore:
taprer
sanve
Relief
once
how imagined that their
Pre
Hagr
to ROATE TERchT Houerot of the apha-
on printed
messages were
bet
constructed
noaton
gaden, one the most was represented by
their phonetic She then coaxes them
jumble letters, They
certain
pleasant Bavaria's
number paw Dorothy's method was TOER the tappings aren't
position out Oht Ofle case at once. vere
mediaeval
towns, taps. First Dorothy to enquire each word
clear and under-
immediately (although took more grew used
Hitler's
mout Moarm
AT6
MAESOE
the
SE as I remember At
than one evening with learned to
DESOEROOE
edine the letters
she
TRCEDE dog
to have been at the
sit her such a
them to convince me).
vonne
witnessed
ionte
the German alphabet
that can place a paN They
seemed to
few
next
was
LEF
tapping
anD
change my
it had example: E taps, HCIhE Dorothy LORA asked was for the NO, selvesn CMmaLthe them- con- without intoher A overbalancing. hand know to say, Ahrehdre technical wanted
changed
cdogeao
as their
Mhhduiney
waoie
Dorothy Meyer.
teacher,
She had started from
TOMORROW: ELKE THE POODLE LEARNS TO COUNT UP TO 5
E M


TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1978 EVENING NEWS 1s
RLD THAT ANIMALS HAVE FEELINGS LIKE HUMANS?"
DAY TWO OF
THE TAPPING CODE
Number of -Letter of
taps alphabet
THE TALKING
DOGS
by MAURICE ROWDON
7 B
of each word
21=CH
this.
carefully AND HOW
swer
stage, like Paula
ing,or
YOU
22=SCH
Moeckel with Rolf, she con-
stantly named objects the
CAN WIN A
flat or the street.
Later,
when difficult, the abstract dogs began and tapping even GREAT PRIZE
recondite words, she: realised IF you think
does
how fact knew. much German they in clever he could your win dog you is a
More letters and
prize.
emed
words
This: is the code Dorothy Meyer taught her pupils,
were added. Elke had a. size- Write and tell us-in
her.
Belam the Saluki male and Elke 11, the standard
able
now and only. more than 250
not
ems:
vocabulary
words-about
poodle bitch (all pictured left). In answer to direct
five more letters remained your
d by
Intelllgent pet. Tell us
questions they
out three
be taught.
) get
tapped
times with their
she
what makes you sure he Is
into
right paw if the answer was YES and three times with
When looked at all clever.
the left paw if the answer was NO.
these new words and letters Send us a picture of your
on the board -at the end of:
too, If have
ested
the day,Dorothy felt: for
pet, each you one. For
of 5
first time a sense. of real the pay £5. letter And we publish the we. will
ecog-
best letter
total lifted his paws invitingly. one, blandly noble, and leav- letter and, writing it down, (5): The first two words: she achievement. What
wins the writer a year's free.
she But salukis are: much- less ing Dorothy to ask herself explained that letters: made learned to tap were RALF
it had an been exhausting jour- supply of HAP, the new soft
effusive than poodles, and
iti
ney
so_far; what
a see Belam was naturally reserved whether he was refusing an possible for words to be (the name of Frau Heil- patience one. required! A moist dog food made by Pedi-
to 4 anyway. The most he would education or accepting one. written The as alphabet well as spoken. Dorothy maier's phonetic son) rendering and FRO of "froh") (the classroom of 30 or 40 children gree Letters Petfoods. should be sent right
do was offer her, slowly and But later, on the day of adopted was largely that
seemed nothing compared
and must arrive
egan elegiacally, a :rear paw, his his real lesson when he used by
the
with it.
away
before
lems huge dark eyes gazing off showed no response at- all, talking Rolf, trained pioneer by Dr. Dorothy prepared cards for For weeks, indeed from. the September 11. Address them
that into some wild landscape he suddenly began tapping Paula: Moeckel dog, of
each letter on which its tap- first lesson, :she had been to Talking New Dogs," Evening
itipli- far beyond the schoolroom, for Frau Heilmaier in her
just before Mannheim, the ping value was written in haunted by the doubt that News, Carmelite House,
lems his back turned firmly. flat-four clear taps with the Germany, First World War. She
the top right-hand corner, nothing would come of it. London EC4Y 1AQ (Comp),1f
days, towards her.
left paw and four with the a few additions such as made SCH and she also wrote the let- Now she suddenly saw ahead. an appropriate S.A.E.
igger
ters on the
closed
is_Pto
right. Had he been learning (22 taps) and CH (21)-
blackboard, at to the time when the dogs
we will endeavon
went
Affection
after all? Had he started his these being common in lessons. Ieast for the introductory would be tapping not just return photograpbo. 1S final. The No
Offering the rear paw is a schooling in his own un- the German
as to New
names and baby-phrases, but Editor's declslon
that deeply affectionate act among hurried way?
as let-
letters followed and messages that would surprise alternative prizes. No corre-
s, at. dogs, more so] than licking Dorothy felt the time had justify treating
new words-BAL (a phonetic the world.
spondence about the result.
erver. and ear-sniffing. It was one now come to teach Elke the ters The in their first own letters right. Elke rendering ball), BELLEN
TOMORROW:
Employees of Associated
him of his typical considered alphabét. She made the learned were F (one tap), éto bark), 950 (a name Belam the Saluki tells Newspapers Group Ltd., or
and statements, huirying for no sound appropriate for each O (2), R (3), A (4), and L Dorothy for Dorothy). explained opet the course, mean- a
members of their families,
story.
not eligible.
à FET0AMM129
are
GANA


WESTERN DAILY PRESS
BRISTOL
ISSUE - 8 SEP 1973
DATED
your dog
trying to
tell
you
something?
THE next time
After nine months of
starts
by Dan
lessons Belam, asked what
your dog
he had seen in the wood,
tapping the ground
replied raven, confirmed
Lees
that he meant a bird, and
with its front paw,
added that it had pecked The talking dogs: A howler, or asc
attention.
the Loch Ness Monster him Another
advance?
pay
and
pavement fried eggs. breakthrough was to teach great
Aitic
It could be
to But now, with scientists the dogs personal pro-
complain about t7bdg the
making serious efforts to nouns proving that the
or to lay the ground- and communicate dolphins, with Elke apes. and animals had a sense of
work for a philosophical Belam could stand a identity.
discussion.
chance of getting through spelling By 1975 out the words dogs were that
In Bavaria in southern to us, especially as they they had overheard rather
Germany a poodle called seem to have. a great deal than been taught and giv-
Elke and a saluki called more to say than most ing their thoughts on the
Belam have been talking of the others.
after life as "a soft dark
to their mistress since Former personnel con-
with eternal genuine
1973, using their
to sultant Dorothy Meyer rastort
signal an alphabet Dottap taps. and her friend Frau
Heilmaier began by
Silly
teaching the dogs to count
Conclusions
and then to do simple
The conversations, sums.
In The Talking Dogs
a which began with words and When multiply they could they divide were Maurice (Macmillan, Rowdon, £5.95) who
like include man subjects and ball, like now the introduced to the letter spent some time in Ger-
afterlife and the existence tapping code: One tap for many with the dogs and
of God.
F, two for 0, three taps their teachers, tells the
for R and so on up to story
their achieve-
Talking animals have 25 taps for X.
ments of such painstaking
been around for a long After weeks of patient detail that only two con-
time.
work the dogs' vocabulary clusions are possible.
A tapping horse men- included words like gut Either the two German
tioned in Love's Labours for good, dumm for stu- ladies and their pets have
Lost who could do pid, katze for cat, and made the sort of
"strange and wonderful wurst for sausage, with breakthrough that war-
things by the arts of Belam lagging behind rants an immediate inves-
magicke" was later Elke.
tigation by the m ost
burned at the stake with But even Elke was only highly qualified scientists
his master "as one witch", tapping out words sug- available.
while in the 1900s Clever gested to her or written Or they are consum-
Hans a stallion who could up on the blackboard.
mate liars and confidence
count, spell, add, subtract Then Dorothy began tricksters with Mr Row-
and read clocks and maps, asking her pupils ques- don as their dupe or their
became world famous.
tions like "do you accomplice.
By and large, however, remember the name of Meanwhile I shall be
talking dogs and the rest this sign?" which careful about what I say
have had a bad press as demanded a definite in front of our cat.
a regular feature of the answer and provided for You never know whom
silly season, along with a controllable response.:
she might repeat it to.