Dog Leads Alaska State Trooper To Fire (VIDEO)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)-- A dashcam video from the Alaska State Troopers shows a dog leading them through winding back roads to a blazing fire at his owners' property.

The video on the troopers' website shows the German shepherd running to meet the trooper's vehicle, then racing to the house on Caswell Lakes on April 4.

Troopers say Buddy and his owner, 23-year-old Ben Heinrichs, were in the family workshop when a heater ignited chemicals. Heinrichs told Buddy: "We need to get help."

The dog eventually found a trooper responding to a call about the fire.

The State Troopers are presenting a special award Friday to the dog. Buddy will receive an engraved silver-plated dog bowl in Anchorage.

Heinrichs suffered minor flash burns on his face. The workshop was destroyed, but only some window trim on the house was damaged.

WATCH:

Comments

[tyger]

10:46 PM on 04/27/2010

This is amazing. I keep forgetting how smart animals are. They watch us all the time but we assume they don't understand and then they show us.

[HillbillyBob]

11:34 PM on 04/23/2010

I have 4 rescue dogs, the eldest girl is my Seizure alert. She knows up to 48 hrs out if I am going to have a seizure she will stick by me and herd me to where my meds are or if its a sudden one she will herd me to the couch or the bed to lay down and will climb on the couch or bed and put her paws on my chest to keep me still till I come out of it. 2 of the newer rescues have taken up the same way. About a month ago I did not feel well. When I came out of it the two were on the couch with me one on my chest and one across my legs.
These two girls had been sorely abused, but we only show positive reinforcement. Whether they learned from Dora or they 'just know?' Dora started alerting when she was only 6 months old. She has also alerted to a heart attack mine, strangers cancer. One day I was at the drs office and she insisted putting her paws on a stranger lady. When I told her down she crooned and assertively put her nose on the ladys' abdomen. I said to the lady " I don't know, but you might want to get a check" Later in the office she told the dr, he ran tests. She had stage 3 ovarian cancer, almost too late .

[Balloon-Boy]

07:49 PM on 04/23/2010

I wonder what a cat would've done in this situation.

[TomJoad1965]

06:20 PM on 06/21/2010

Heh

[nofencerider]

04:23 PM on 04/23/2010

Companion dogs can do amazing things. And here's a toast to the law enforcement officer who knew enough to trust the dog and follow him! Remember, Alaska is a bit different. There isn't always a fire station or fire hydrants down the block or even telephone service everywhere. If the dog's owner was burned in the face he may not have been able to do much but send the dog. My Service Dog is trained to bring the telephone to me if I can't get it, among many other things. One time she repelled a would be robber trying to jimmy open my front window by biting his fingers! She was never trained to do that! She is a very sweet and friendly dog.

[Furby2]

03:34 PM on 04/23/2010

Good boy! Dogs never cease to amaze me.

[Lordcron]

02:43 PM on 04/23/2010

Thank you for this video. I'm getting me a dog. They may save your life one day. What a good friend to have! I want one now.

[sporty1]

02:40 PM on 04/23/2010

Well from the good news story probably misrepresented, as commonly occurs in this day and age of "mega news" and hyperbole - it sounds like the dog didn't really accomplish anything, the fire burned the shed down but only singed the house a little. No fire fighter input, judging from the story's lack of mention of such. Thanks news. The dog ran to the cop who was looking for the fire anyway. Big deal.

[tenndemo]

08:34 AM on 04/24/2010

Read the full story. And get a pet. You will be a better person.

[Bethy1]

02:14 PM on 04/23/2010

Dogs are fantastic companions! They deserve good homes and owners

[Paul Easter]

02:13 PM on 04/23/2010

Good boy! I wonder how the police knew to follow Buddy, and that it wasn't just some dog running around.

[JanPoore]

02:17 PM on 04/23/2010

The police were responding to a call about a fire. Their GPS wasn't working. They took a chance. Appears the cops were as smart as the dog.

[Paul Easter]

02:21 PM on 04/23/2010

I guess this is how:

"When Shanigan approached the intersection, the dog looked at him, and took off running down a side road. Shanigan acted on a hunch that the loose dog was there for a purpose and followed the running dog through three turns that eventually led the Heinrichs’ property."

Read more: http://community.adn.com/adn/node/151322

[UChicagomike10]

02:12 PM on 04/23/2010

The M0derators on this site are lame...

My original comment was something to the effect of...

"Awesome Dog! Wow this story is like straight out of Lassie...I think I m going to just read the happy dog stories because most of the news on this site is so D@MN negative"

really....I can't type D@MN?!

l@me

[JanPoore]

02:19 PM on 04/23/2010

system automatically picks up certain words. next time try misspelling or space out the letters.
DA MN

[sense oar sheep]

02:12 PM on 04/23/2010

amazing!

full story:
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/151322

[JanPoore]

02:10 PM on 04/23/2010

Lassie is alive and well. Some people just don't realize how intelligent animals are.

Now watch another amazing dog. Chandi the Dancing Dog on Britain's Got Talent. WOW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQL1FvabBbU

[JaxReader]

02:07 PM on 04/23/2010

I love amazing animal stories.

[RBLRDR]

01:53 PM on 04/23/2010

Good job Buddy! My dog would've just licked his balz, thats all he ever does.

[HankyJoe]

02:06 PM on 04/23/2010

One of mine would have done the same, the other would've run under the bed.

[Balloon-Boy]

07:53 PM on 04/23/2010

Hhahaahahhahahah

[VonTeshyn]

01:41 PM on 04/23/2010

Of COURSE it was a German shepherd!

[JanPoore]

02:20 PM on 04/23/2010

There are many breeds that would have done that.