Chaser the Border Collie can identify over 1022 toys, a feat we were introduced to in this 2012 clip the BBC’s Super Smart Animals. In 2011, astrophysicist and NOVA ScienceNOW host Neil deGrasse Tyson visited with Chaser and her owner, psychology professor Dr. John W. Pilley, to test her memory and discipline, and to see if she has the ability to infer. Will she identify the toy she’s never seen or heard of before? Watch the clip above.
NOVA PBS shared this archive video in August of 2018 along with a sad note:
Former Wofford College Professor John Pilley, owner and trainer of Chaser the Border Collie, “the world’s smartest dog,” passed away on Sunday, June 17. He was 89 years old.
Read their book Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words, and visit their site at ChaserTheBorderCollie.com.
Next: The 2018 Crufts Dog Show Heelwork to Music winning performances, more videos about smart animals, and more videos with DeGrasse Tyson.
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