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For centuries, tales have persisted of animals behaving strangely before a catastrophic event.
From dogs refusing to go outside before an earthquake to pets acting anxious hours before a storm hits, these anecdotes are compelling.
But is there any truth to them?
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0:00
Welcome to another episode of the Burke
0:02
Brigade podcast by Dogazilla Magazine.
0:04
>> Thanks for having me. I'm really excited
0:06
to get into this one.
0:07
>> Yeah, me too. So, I want you, the
0:09
listener, to picture this real quick.
0:11
It's um it's a perfectly calm Tuesday
0:14
afternoon,
0:14
>> right?
0:15
>> The sun is shining. There's like not a
0:17
breeze in the air and your house is just
0:19
completely quiet.
0:21
>> Sounds nice,
0:21
>> right? But then your dog who has been,
0:25
you know, dead asleep on the living room
0:27
rug for the last 3 hours just suddenly
0:30
shoots awake.
0:30
>> Oh yeah, we've all seen that.
0:32
>> Yeah. And they start pacing the floor.
0:33
They start whining. Then they start
0:35
trying to like physically squeeze
0:36
themselves behind the toilet or or under
0:39
a piece of furniture they haven't fit
0:41
under since they were a puppy.
0:42
>> The classic panic hide.
0:44
>> Exactly. And you look at them totally
0:46
confused and you're thinking, "What on
0:47
earth is wrong with you today?"
0:49
>> Right. And then, you know, 20 minutes
0:52
later, the sky turns pitch black, the
0:54
wind starts howling, and this massive
0:57
glass rattling thunderstorm just rolls
1:01
in,
1:01
>> and you're sitting there like, "Oh,
1:02
that's what it was."
1:04
>> Yeah. So, the question is, were they
1:05
just scared of the dark clouds or did
1:07
they um did they actually know it was
1:10
coming long before you could even see a
1:11
change in the weather?
1:13
>> That's the million-dollar question,
1:14
>> right? Are our canine companions
1:17
actually like these four-legged
1:19
biological early warning systems for
1:22
natural disasters?
1:23
>> It's it's such a wild concept.
1:25
>> It is, and that is exactly what our deep
1:27
dive is focusing on today. We're using
1:29
this really comprehensive article from
1:31
Dogazilla magazine titled, "Can dogs
1:34
sense natural disasters? Superhero pups
1:36
as our main source." And I'm I really
1:38
love the source material because it it
1:40
takes what is honestly one of the most
1:42
fascinating questions in animal behavior
1:44
and it completely bridges the gap
1:46
between, you know, ancient historical
1:50
folklore and cutting edge modern
1:51
biology.
1:52
>> Yeah. Because we've all heard the
1:53
stories, right?
1:54
>> Absolutely. We've always had these um
1:56
these kind of spooky anecdotes, you
1:58
know, the the family dog that wouldn't
2:00
stop barking right before a tornado,
2:01
>> right? Or like the whole neighborhood of
2:03
dogs just howling hours before an
2:04
earthquake.
2:05
>> Exactly. And for a really long time,
2:07
science just completely dismissed these
2:09
stories as pure coincidence. Like it was
2:12
just confirmation bias,
2:13
>> just people seeing patterns that weren't
2:14
there,
2:15
>> right? But over the last few decades, as
2:18
our understanding of of K9 sensory
2:21
superpowers has grown
2:22
>> alongside
2:24
um our ability to track mass data,
2:27
>> the scientific community has kind of
2:28
been forced to take these so-called
2:31
myths seriously.
2:32
>> They can't just ignore them anymore.
2:33
>> No, they really can't. They've had to
2:35
pull them out of the realm of
2:36
superstition and put them right under
2:38
the microscope.
2:39
>> We are finally realizing that dogs are
2:41
perceiving a very real physical world
2:44
that is frankly entirely invisible to
2:47
us.
2:47
>> Invisible to us. Yeah. And to really
2:49
wrap your head around how seriously
2:51
science is taking this now, we have to
2:53
kind of look back at the historical
2:54
canvas.
2:55
>> Oh, for sure. The history is wild.
2:57
>> Because we aren't just talking about,
2:58
you know, a farmer in the 1800s noticing
3:00
his cows acting weird.
3:01
>> No, not at Ancient civilizations were
3:03
meticulously documenting these um these
3:06
animal premonitions centuries before
3:07
anyone had even conceptualized what a
3:09
seismograph or a barometer was.
3:11
>> Right. They had no technology so they
3:12
just had to observe the natural world.
3:14
>> Exactly. Like there is this incredibly
3:17
famous account from Thusidities
3:19
>> the ancient Greek historian.
3:20
>> Yeah. Thusidities. And he detailed this
3:23
catastrophic event in 373 BC. The city
3:27
of Helis was just absolutely obliterated
3:30
by a massive earthquake
3:31
>> and a subsequent tsunami actually,
3:33
>> right? A tsunami too. [snorts] But what
3:35
he recorded, what actually survived in
3:37
the historical record for thousands of
3:39
years was that in the days leading up to
3:41
the earthquake, the animals just
3:43
straight up abandoned the city.
3:45
>> They just packed up and left.
3:46
>> Literally rats, snakes, weasels, and you
3:50
know, dogs. They were observed fleeing
3:53
Helis in these massive unexplainable
3:55
droves before the ground ever even
3:58
started shaking.
3:58
>> It's it's such a striking image and that
4:01
observation from ancient Greece is um
4:03
it's far from an isolated incident.
4:05
>> Really? There are more.
4:06
>> Oh yeah. Modern historical analyses that
4:09
look into unusual animal behavior right
4:10
before seismic events. They found
4:12
reports spanning over 130 different
4:14
species.
4:15
>> Wow. 130.
4:16
>> Yeah. Across almost every recorded
4:18
culture. But dogs feature incredibly
4:21
prominently in these accounts.
4:22
>> Well, I mean that makes sense, right?
4:24
Because they live inside our houses with
4:25
us.
4:26
>> Exactly. They have such close proximity
4:28
to human living spaces. So, we notice
4:30
when they act weird.
4:31
>> And the specific behaviors that
4:33
Thusidities and other ancient writers
4:34
describe, you know, the intense anxiety,
4:36
the erratic pacing, the overwhelming
4:39
urge to just flee the area.
4:41
>> Those are remarkably consistent with the
4:43
exact behaviors reported by modern pet
4:45
owners today. like it hasn't changed in
4:49
2,000 years,
4:49
>> right? And that level of consistency
4:51
across millennia and across entirely
4:54
unassociated cultures, I mean, it
4:57
strongly suggests that we are dealing
4:58
with an observable biological pattern.
5:01
>> It's not just like a localized cultural
5:04
myth.
5:04
>> No, exactly. It's not just a spooky
5:06
story passed down around a campfire.
5:08
It's a physiological reaction to an
5:10
environmental change.
5:11
>> And the stakes of those reactions can be
5:13
just monumental. Like let's fast forward
5:16
from ancient Greece to a much more
5:17
recent like really well doumented
5:19
example.
5:20
>> Chang China.
5:21
>> Yes. Hey Chang in 1975. And I want to
5:25
stress for the listener this wasn't some
5:26
remote little village right?
5:28
>> No. This is a major metropolitan area.
5:30
>> We're talking over a million residents.
5:32
And right before this massive 7.3
5:35
magnitude earthquake struck the city.
5:37
Local officials made this incredibly
5:39
rare, super risky decision to order a
5:41
full-scale citywide evacuation,
5:44
>> which is almost unheard of,
5:45
>> right? To evacuate a million people. And
5:47
one of the primary catalysts for that
5:50
monumental decision was the severe,
5:52
widespread, and just completely
5:55
unexplainable restlessness of animals
5:57
across the whole region,
5:58
>> including a huge sudden spike in reports
6:01
of dogs acting aggressively, refusing to
6:03
enter buildings, and just um generally
6:05
panicking.
6:06
>> It's crazy. And that hitching evacuation
6:08
that really is kind of a watershed
6:09
moment in the field of seismology, isn't
6:11
it?
6:11
>> It really is. It proved that these
6:13
biological signals could, you know,
6:14
under the right circumstances actually
6:16
be utilized for human safety.
6:18
>> Like it wasn't just a party trick
6:19
anymore.
6:20
>> Exactly. Is this specific event that
6:22
initially prompted governments in
6:23
earthquake-prone countries, particularly
6:25
China and Japan, to dedicate actual
6:28
state funding to research animal
6:30
behavior.
6:30
>> Wow. So they put real money behind it.
6:33
>> Yeah. as a legitimate supplementary form
6:35
of earthquake prediction. And we see
6:37
these undeniable behavioral shifts in
6:39
other types of disasters, too,
6:41
>> right? It's not just earthquakes.
6:42
>> Think back to the devastating 2004
6:45
Indian Ocean tsunami.
6:46
>> Oh, man. Yeah.
6:48
>> In the aftermath of that, there were
6:50
hundreds of survivor accounts detailing
6:52
how dogs behaved in the um the hours
6:55
leading up to the wave actually making
6:57
landfall.
6:57
>> What were they doing? Well, owners
6:59
reported their dogs flat out refusing to
7:01
go for their usual morning walks on the
7:03
beach.
7:03
>> Really?
7:04
>> Yeah. I mean, these were dogs that live
7:05
for the ocean. They love the beach. But
7:07
on that specific morning, they actively
7:10
fought their owners. They were dragging
7:11
on their leashes to stay inland.
7:13
>> Basically keeping their humans away from
7:15
the coastline.
7:16
>> Exactly. They were effectively saving
7:17
their lives. It gives you absolute
7:19
chills to think about like the sheer
7:21
number of lives throughout history that
7:23
might have been saved simply because a
7:25
family decided to trust their dog's
7:28
sudden uncharacteristic panic.
7:30
>> Right. They didn't have the data. They
7:31
just had the dog.
7:32
>> Exactly. They had absolutely no idea
7:34
what the dog was afraid of. They just
7:36
saw the terror in the animals eyes and
7:38
decided, you know what? We aren't going
7:40
to the beach today
7:41
>> or let's sleep outside tonight.
7:43
>> Right? They altered their entire
7:44
routines based purely on an animal's
7:46
instinct.
7:48
>> And that really highlights the critical
7:50
shift in how we interpret these events
7:52
today versus um how our ancestors did.
7:55
>> How so?
7:56
>> Well, ancient civilizations often viewed
7:58
these actions through a lens of
8:00
mysticism. You know, they thought the
8:02
animals had divine premonitions or like
8:04
a magical sixth sense that allowed them
8:06
to peer into the future
8:07
>> like they were psychic or something.
8:09
>> Exactly. But the modern scientific
8:11
approach looks at those exact same
8:12
behaviors and just strips away the
8:14
magic. Science views these actions as
8:17
biological physiological reactions to
8:21
very real, albeit incredibly subtle
8:24
environmental stimuli.
8:25
>> So the dogs on the coast of the Indian
8:27
Ocean in 2004,
8:29
>> they weren't predicting the future,
8:30
>> right?
8:31
>> They were reacting to the present
8:33
environment in a way that the human
8:34
nervous system simply, you know,
8:37
couldn't process. Okay, I want to pause
8:38
here and just um play the skeptic for a
8:41
second.
8:41
>> Sure, let's do it.
8:42
>> Because I feel like we have to address
8:43
the elephant in the room here. This all
8:46
sounds super compelling, but isn't a
8:48
huge portion of this just confirmation
8:50
bias?
8:51
>> It's a very fair question.
8:52
>> I mean, let's be real about living with
8:54
dogs. You know this, I know this. They
8:57
do weird, completely unexplainable
9:00
things all the time.
9:01
>> Oh, absolutely. Like my dog will spend
9:03
20 minutes just growling at a plastic
9:05
bag that got caught in a tree. Or he'll
9:08
pace around the kitchen because he
9:09
thought he heard a squirrel on the roof.
9:10
>> Right. They aren't always reacting to a
9:12
natural disaster.
9:13
>> Exactly. And as humans, we only remember
9:16
the one specific time the dog freaked
9:18
out right before an earthquake because
9:21
well, the earthquake is this massive
9:23
traumatic anchor in our memory. Yes. But
9:27
we completely forget the 400 other times
9:29
the dog paced around the living room on
9:31
a random Thursday and absolutely nothing
9:33
happened.
9:34
>> The misses.
9:35
>> Exactly. So, how do researchers actually
9:37
separate genuine biological premonitions
9:40
from the everyday noise of just you know
9:42
being a dog?
9:43
>> That is the exact hurdle that modern
9:45
researchers face and it is a completely
9:48
valid really necessary scientific
9:51
criticism.
9:52
>> There has to be addressed.
9:52
>> It does. Critics rightly argue that
9:55
animals exhibit strange behaviors for a
9:57
multitude of entirely mundane reasons.
10:00
>> A dog might pace because of a sudden
10:02
change in barometric pressure. Sure.
10:04
Right.
10:04
>> But they also might pace because they
10:06
have an upset stomach or because their
10:08
feeding schedule is delayed by an hour
10:10
>> or they want to go for a walk.
10:12
>> Exactly. Or even because they are
10:14
reacting to a really subtle emotional
10:16
cue from their owner who happens to be
10:18
stressed about work.
10:20
>> Oh, interesting. They pick up on our
10:21
stress
10:22
>> very much so. Yeah.
10:23
>> So you are spot on about confirmation
10:25
bias. We mathematically favor the hits
10:27
and completely ignore the misses.
10:29
>> So how does science fix that?
10:30
>> Well, the scientific challenge is
10:32
figuring out how to filter out that
10:33
coincidental behavior and prove that
10:36
there is a genuine statistically
10:38
significant response to disaster
10:40
precursors,
10:41
>> right? Because you can't just like put a
10:43
7.0 magnitude earthquake in a controlled
10:46
laboratory setting, put a golden
10:48
retriever in a glass box and take notes
10:50
on what it does.
10:51
>> You really can't. The lack of controlled
10:53
conditions makes the methodology
10:54
incredibly difficult for this kind of
10:56
study.
10:56
>> So what do they do instead?
10:58
>> What scientists can do is look at the
11:00
sheer volume of data through a really
11:02
rigorous statistical lens. There is this
11:05
groundbreaking, highly cited study that
11:08
specifically tackled this problem.
11:10
>> Oh, what did they look at?
11:12
>> They meticulously analyzed over a
11:14
thousand separate reports of unusual
11:17
animal behavior preceding 160 different
11:19
earthquakes.
11:20
>> Wow. A thousand reports across 160
11:22
quakes.
11:23
>> Exactly. And by aggregating data on that
11:25
massive of a scale, the random noise of
11:27
coincidence, you the dog barking at the
11:30
plastic bag or the dog with the upset
11:31
stomach, that noise starts to just
11:33
filter out
11:34
>> because the stomach aches don't all
11:35
align perfectly with the fault lines.
11:37
>> Precisely. What remains are the
11:40
statistical anomalies. When researchers
11:42
analyze that volume of data, clear,
11:46
repeatable patterns emerge.
11:47
>> So, it's not just a myth anymore. No,
11:49
they concluded that the evidence is
11:51
mathematically strong enough to prove
11:53
that animals are indeed detecting
11:55
distinct environmental precursors to
11:57
seismic events.
11:58
>> That is amazing.
11:59
>> It completely moves the conversation
12:01
firmly out of the realm of anecdotal
12:03
coincidence and establishes it as a
12:05
legitimate provable biological
12:07
phenomenon.
12:08
>> Okay. So if we accept the statistical
12:10
reality that this is a genuine
12:12
biological phenomenon, which it sounds
12:14
like we have to, the most important
12:16
question becomes how,
12:18
>> right? What's the mechanism
12:19
>> exactly? What is the mechanism? If they
12:21
aren't psychic, they must be pulling
12:23
physical measurable data from the
12:25
environment. So what exactly is a dog
12:27
sensing before an earthquake hits?
12:29
>> Well, the biology of a canine early
12:31
warning system is just staggering when
12:33
you really break down the anatomy. I
12:34
mean, I know they have good noses, but
12:36
>> it's beyond good. Biologically speaking,
12:39
referring to these abilities as sensory
12:41
superpowers, honestly, isn't much of an
12:43
exaggeration.
12:44
>> Really?
12:45
>> Yeah. Dogs possess a sensory apparatus
12:47
that allows them to function as
12:49
continuous, highly sensitive
12:51
environmental monitors.
12:52
>> Wow.
12:53
>> To really grasp how they do this, we
12:56
have to fundamentally shift our
12:58
perspective. We have to realize that a
13:00
dog's perception of the world is just
13:02
vastly different from ours.
13:04
>> How so?
13:05
>> They are constantly operating within a
13:07
sensory landscape full of um chemical
13:10
trails, acoustic waves, and micro
13:12
vibrations that are entirely invisible,
13:15
inaudible, and imperceptible to human
13:17
biology.
13:18
>> Okay, let's start with their sense of
13:19
smell then because while we all know
13:21
dogs have great noses, the actual scale
13:23
of their olfactory capability is like
13:25
hard to even comprehend. It really is.
13:27
>> Like from the source article, humans
13:29
have roughly 6 million olfactory
13:31
receptors, right? Correct.
13:32
>> Dogs have up to 300 million.
13:34
>> 300 million. It's wild.
13:36
>> Which means they can detect odor
13:37
concentrations 100 million times lower
13:39
than we can. It's the equivalent of
13:42
being able to smell a single drop of
13:44
liquid diluted in 20 Olympic size
13:46
swimming pools.
13:47
>> It's it's almost impossible to picture.
13:49
>> It is. But here is my question. Mhm.
13:52
>> How does an incredible sense of smell
13:54
actually help predict an earthquake?
13:57
What are they smelling? They aren't
13:59
smelling the ground shaking, right?
14:01
>> Well, in a very literal way, they
14:03
actually are smelling the geological
14:04
stress of the earth itself.
14:06
>> Wait, what? Smelling the stress?
14:08
>> Yeah. The leading scientific theory
14:10
regarding olfaction and earthquake
14:12
detection is based on the subterranean
14:14
mechanics of how a fault line actually
14:15
ruptures.
14:16
>> Okay, break that down for me. Long
14:18
before the earth violently shakes on the
14:20
surface, there is this immense agonizing
14:22
buildup of pressure deep underground.
14:24
>> Right. The tectonic plates.
14:26
>> Exactly. As those massive plates grind
14:28
against each other, the extreme stress
14:30
and friction create micro fractures in
14:32
the rocks miles below us.
14:33
>> Okay. So, the rocks are cracking.
14:35
>> Yes. And that physical grinding process
14:37
releases trapped gases and subtle
14:39
chemical changes that slowly percolate
14:41
from the deep crust up through the soil
14:44
and into the surface air.
14:45
>> Oh, wow. What kind of gases? We are
14:48
talking about the release of localized
14:50
radon gas, ozone, and specific chemical
14:54
compounds from shifting groundwater.
14:56
>> And the dogs can smell that.
14:58
>> Because a dog's nose can detect chemical
15:00
concentrations 100 million times lower
15:03
than ours, it is entirely biologically
15:06
plausible that they are smelling these
15:08
minute unusual chemical changes in the
15:10
ambient air long before the tectonic
15:13
tension finally snaps. Long before the
15:16
physical shaking happens.
15:17
>> Exactly. They're smelling the chemical
15:19
precursor to the disaster.
15:21
>> That completely changes how I view my
15:23
dog just sniffing the dirt on a walk.
15:25
>> I know, right?
15:26
>> They aren't just smelling where another
15:28
dog has been. They are quite literally
15:29
processing the chemical health and
15:31
geological stress of the earth's crust.
15:33
>> They're little geologists.
15:34
>> They really are. But the K9 disaster
15:36
detection system isn't just relying on
15:38
their nose, right? Their hearing is
15:40
arguably just as critical, but in a way
15:42
that I think most people misunderstand.
15:44
Oh, absolutely. Hearing is huge
15:46
>> because we know dogs can hear
15:48
high-pitched dog whistles. Like humans
15:50
top out at hearing frequencies around
15:52
20,000 hertz, while dogs can hear up to
15:55
65,000 hertz.
15:57
>> Right. Very high frequencies.
15:58
>> But hearing a high-pitch sound doesn't
16:00
warn you about an earthquake. The key to
16:02
disaster detection is actually on the
16:04
complete opposite end of the acoustic
16:06
spectrum. Right.
16:06
>> Exactly. While their highfrequency
16:08
hearing is impressive, you know, for
16:10
hunting small prey and things like that,
16:13
the critical factor for detecting
16:15
massive natural disasters is their
16:17
ability to perceive infrasound.
16:19
>> Infrasound. What exactly is that?
16:21
>> Infrasound consists of extremely low
16:23
frequency acoustic waves. These are
16:25
sounds that are so deep and so low that
16:28
they fall entirely below the threshold
16:30
of human hearing.
16:31
>> Like we literally cannot hear them at
16:33
all.
16:33
>> Not a chance. Yeah,
16:34
>> but when tectonic plates shift or um
16:37
when a massive storm system is brewing
16:38
miles away or when magma is moving
16:41
beneath a volcano, all of those massive
16:43
energetic events generate infrasound
16:45
waves
16:46
>> and dogs can hear them.
16:47
>> They can. And the really remarkable
16:49
thing about low frequency waves is that
16:51
they can travel enormous distances
16:54
through the ground in the air without
16:56
losing much energy.
16:57
>> Oh, so they hear it from super far away.
16:59
>> Yes. So, while you might be sitting in
17:02
your living room feeling perfectly
17:03
relaxed in total silence, your dog might
17:06
be listening to the low frequency
17:08
acoustic grumble of the Earth's crust
17:11
fracturing deep underground.
17:13
>> To the dog, the environment is already
17:15
screaming a warning.
17:16
>> Exactly. The alarm is already going off.
17:18
>> That is insane. Yeah.
17:20
>> So, their nose is pulling in radon gas.
17:23
Their ears are picking up infrasound
17:24
rumbling. And then there's the third
17:27
pillar of the system which is their
17:29
actual physical sensitivity to the earth
17:31
vibrating.
17:32
>> Good tactile sense. Yes.
17:33
>> Because when an earthquake occurs, it
17:34
generates different types of seismic
17:36
waves. Right.
17:37
>> The two main ones are P waves, which
17:39
stands for primary waves, and S waves,
17:41
which stands for secondary waves.
17:43
>> You've done your homework.
17:44
>> I try. So, the S-waves are the slow,
17:48
violent, rolling motions, right? The
17:50
ones that knock buildings down, destroy
17:51
highways, and are easily felt by humans.
17:54
>> Yes. Those are the destructive ones.
17:56
>> But the P waves are fast, weak,
17:58
compressional waves that travel outward
18:01
from the epicenter much faster than the
18:03
destructive S-waves.
18:04
>> That's right. And P waves are almost
18:07
always entirely undetectable to the
18:09
human body because the physical
18:11
displacement they cause is just so
18:13
subtle.
18:13
>> We just aren't sensitive enough to feel
18:15
it.
18:15
>> Exactly. But dogs through the highly
18:18
concentrated nerve endings in the pads
18:20
of their paws are exquisitely sensitive
18:23
to micro tremors traveling through the
18:25
ground.
18:26
>> So they feel it in their toes.
18:27
>> They do. They physically feel that weak
18:30
Pwave moving through the floorboards
18:32
seconds or sometimes tens of seconds
18:35
before the destructive S-wave finally
18:37
arrives.
18:37
>> So the dog feels the Pwave through their
18:39
toes first. It's exactly like seeing
18:42
lightning before you hear the thunder.
18:43
Oh, that is a perfect way to visualize
18:45
it.
18:46
>> Right, the geological event has already
18:48
happened at the epicenter. The dog is
18:49
just perceiving the much faster flash of
18:52
the Pwave before our blunt human senses
18:54
finally feel the slower boom of the
18:57
S-wave.
18:58
>> The Pwave is the flash. The S-wave is
19:00
the boom. And in those precious seconds
19:02
between the flash and the boom, the dog
19:04
is reacting.
19:05
>> Wow.
19:06
>> It circles back to what we discussed
19:07
earlier. They aren't predicting the
19:10
future. They're reacting to a present
19:12
physical stimulus.
19:13
>> The disaster has already begun.
19:15
>> Exactly. It has begun. It is just
19:18
manifesting in a physical form that our
19:20
human biology is entirely unequipped to
19:23
detect.
19:24
>> It's humbling. Honestly, you look at
19:26
your dog napping on the couch and you
19:28
realize that underneath all the fluff
19:30
and the drool, they are a biological
19:32
sensor suite that rivals our most
19:35
sophisticated technology.
19:36
>> It really makes you appreciate them on a
19:38
whole new level.
19:39
>> It does. But what's even more
19:40
fascinating is that this early warning
19:42
system isn't just calibrated for
19:44
earthquakes. The Earth throws a lot of
19:46
different kinds of tantrums. And dogs
19:48
have completely different sensory
19:50
triggers for each of them.
19:51
>> Yes, they do.
19:52
>> The way a dog senses an impending
19:54
thunderstorm is completely different
19:55
from how they sense the volcano. Right.
19:57
>> Completely. This is where the sheer
19:59
versatility of canine biology really
20:02
shines.
20:03
>> Okay, let's talk about severe weather
20:04
first, like a massive thunderstorm or a
20:07
developing hurricane. So with storms,
20:09
dogs essentially act as living breathing
20:12
barometers.
20:13
>> Barometers.
20:14
>> Yeah. Before a major storm hits, there
20:16
is always a rapid significant drop in
20:19
atmospheric barometric pressure.
20:21
>> Okay.
20:22
>> Now, humans might occasionally feel a
20:24
slight twinge and a bad knee or maybe
20:26
get a mild headache when the pressure
20:28
drops, but for a dog, that rapid
20:31
atmospheric shift causes literal
20:33
physical discomfort within their inner
20:35
ear anatomy. I was reading about that in
20:36
the Dog Gazilla article and it makes
20:38
total sense when you think about the
20:40
mechanics of the ear, it's like when you
20:41
are in an airplane that is descending
20:43
rapidly and the cabin pressure changes.
20:46
Exactly.
20:46
>> If your ears don't pop to equalize the
20:48
pressure, it becomes incredibly painful.
20:51
And a dog's inner ear is vastly more
20:53
sensitive to these atmospheric changes
20:55
than ours. Right.
20:56
>> Much more sensitive. When the barometric
20:58
pressure drops suddenly before a storm,
21:00
the outside air pressure decreases, but
21:02
the pressure inside their middle ear
21:04
stays the same,
21:05
>> creating a painful imbalance.
21:07
>> Yes, that physical discomfort, that
21:10
literal pressure in their head is what
21:12
often triggers the anxious pacing, the
21:14
whining, and the instinct to seek
21:16
shelter in a small enclosed space
21:19
>> because their head physically hurts.
21:20
>> Exactly. And combine that physical ear
21:23
pressure with their ability to hear the
21:25
infrasound rumbling of thunder from a
21:27
storm system that is still 50 miles
21:29
away,
21:30
>> right?
21:30
>> And you have an incredibly effective
21:32
multi-layered storm detection system.
21:34
They are experiencing the storm long
21:37
before the first drop of rainfalls.
21:38
>> That is just incredible. But then you
21:40
look at volcanic eruptions and the
21:42
biological trigger is completely
21:44
different.
21:45
>> Totally different.
21:45
>> How does that work? Well, the mechanics
21:47
of a volcanic eruption involve immense
21:49
geological stress, similar to an
21:52
earthquake, [snorts] but with the added
21:53
volatile elements of moving magma and
21:56
volcanic ash.
21:57
>> Okay, so it's messier,
21:58
>> much messier. As the rocks fracture and
22:00
grind beneath the surface, and as ash
22:03
particles are violently forced up into
22:04
the air and rub against one another, it
22:06
creates a tremendous amount of friction.
22:08
>> And friction creates static.
22:10
>> Bingo. This extreme friction generates
22:13
massive localized electrostatic charges
22:16
in the surrounding environment.
22:18
>> Wow.
22:19
>> Now, humans generally don't notice
22:20
ambient static buildup until we, you
22:22
know, touch a metal door knob and get a
22:24
shock,
22:25
>> right? Just a little zap.
22:26
>> But a dog's fur is highly sensitive to
22:29
electrostatic changes in the air.
22:31
>> So, wait, it's not an internal pressure
22:34
feeling like with the storm. It's an ex
22:37
external physical sensation on their
22:39
body.
22:39
>> Precisely. It is known as the
22:41
triboelectric effect.
22:42
>> The tribbo electric effect.
22:43
>> Yes. The massive buildup of static
22:46
electricity in the environment
22:47
essentially interacts with the dog's
22:49
coat causing a literal uncomfortable
22:52
prickling sensation right at the base of
22:54
their hair follicles.
22:55
>> Oh, that sounds awful.
22:56
>> Imagine the feeling of rubbing a balloon
22:58
on your head and feeling your hair stand
22:59
up.
23:00
>> Yeah, I know that feeling.
23:01
>> But amplify that sensation a 100 times
23:03
and imagine it covering your entire
23:05
body.
23:05
>> I would panic.
23:06
>> Exactly. It is a highly unnatural,
23:09
irritating feeling that causes the dog
23:11
to scratch nervously, shake their coat,
23:14
and ultimately feel an overwhelming urge
23:17
to flee the immediate area just to
23:19
escape the static field.
23:20
>> That makes perfect sense.
23:22
>> That electrostatic prickling is the
23:24
primary biological trigger observed in
23:26
animals desperately trying to leave
23:28
volcanic regions before an eruption.
23:30
Second, they are feeling the resulting
23:32
keywave vibrations, traveling through
23:35
the continental shelf and up onto the
23:36
coastline
23:37
>> through their paws,
23:38
>> right? They are literally hearing the
23:40
ocean floor tear apart and feeling the
23:42
land vibrate long before the resulting
23:45
displacement of water ever forms into a
23:47
visible approaching wave on the horizon.
23:50
>> This perfectly explains the behavior we
23:52
saw in 2004. The dogs on the beach. Yes.
23:54
>> The dogs on the beach were reacting to a
23:57
massive violent energetic event that was
23:59
still miles out to sea. Completely
24:02
invisible and inaudible to their human
24:05
owners who just, you know, wanted to
24:06
throw a tennis ball.
24:07
>> Exactly. The humans saw a nice beach
24:10
day. The dogs heard and felt an
24:12
apocalypse.
24:13
>> When you break down the biology and the
24:15
physics like that, it sounds so
24:16
incredibly logical. It makes perfect
24:18
sense.
24:18
>> It's just science. But if it's this
24:20
clearcut, if they are feeling pressure,
24:22
hearing infrasound, and feeling static
24:24
charges, how is modern science actually
24:27
capturing and utilizing this data?
24:29
>> That is the that's the big hurdle
24:31
>> because you can't exactly ask a dog,
24:32
excuse me, is your inner ear hurting or
24:35
are you feeling a Pwave in your left
24:36
paw?
24:37
>> No, unfortunately not.
24:38
>> Getting empirical data from an animal
24:40
that can't speak seems like an
24:42
insurmountable hurdle.
24:44
>> It is arguably the defining challenge
24:46
for researchers in this space. The
24:48
broader scientific community remains
24:50
cautiously optimistic about the concept
24:52
of dogs as early warning systems. But
24:56
science demands empirical, repeatable
24:58
proof.
24:59
>> It demands hard numbers.
25:01
>> Exactly. It demands data that can be
25:02
quantified.
25:03
>> We discussed earlier how you can't
25:05
easily reproduce a natural disaster in a
25:07
lab to watch a dog react.
25:08
>> Right.
25:08
>> Furthermore, you have the variable of
25:10
the individual dogs themselves. Not
25:12
every dog is going to react the exact
25:14
same way to a stimulus.
25:15
>> Oh, that's true. Just like people,
25:16
>> right? A highly anxious terrier might
25:18
pace for an hour while a, you know, a
25:20
lethargic basset hound might just sleep
25:23
right through the Pwave.
25:24
>> My dog would probably sleep through it.
25:25
>> And not every natural disaster produces
25:27
the exact same precursor signals either.
25:30
An earthquake occurring in sandy soil
25:32
might produce entirely different
25:34
chemical gas releases than an earthquake
25:36
occurring in solid bedrock.
25:38
>> So the variables are just endless. How
25:40
do researchers move past surveys and
25:41
anecdotal stories then? How do they get
25:43
the hard data? Well, they are turning to
25:45
advanced modern technology to bridge
25:47
that gap. There are fascinating theories
25:50
currently being tested, such as the one
25:52
proposed by researchers associated with
25:54
NASA.
25:55
>> NASA's looking into this.
25:56
>> Oh, yeah. Their theory posits that rocks
25:59
under extreme tectonic stress generate
26:02
positive whole charge carriers or Poles.
26:05
>> Pole. Pheo.
26:06
>> Yeah. And these poles travel to the
26:08
Earth's surface and release charged ions
26:10
into the air.
26:11
>> Okay. So, more invisible stuff,
26:12
>> right? But these ions can directly
26:15
affect mamlian brain chemistry. They
26:17
potentially ionize serotonin in the
26:19
brain causing sudden completely
26:21
unexplained agitation in animals.
26:24
>> Oh wow. So it's chemically altering
26:26
their mood.
26:27
>> That's the theory. And to prove complex
26:29
theories like this, researchers are
26:31
having to take the laboratory into the
26:32
real world.
26:33
>> How do you do that?
26:33
>> They're combating the lack of controlled
26:35
conditions by utilizing systems like the
26:37
animal disaster alert system.
26:38
>> What is that? It involves outfitting
26:40
dogs with highly sensitive high-tech
26:43
activity monitors.
26:44
>> Oh, I've seen these. So, basically
26:45
outfitting dogs with highly advanced
26:47
canine smartwatches
26:49
>> essentially. Yes. These monitors
26:51
continuously track the dog's movement,
26:53
their resting heart rate, their sleep
26:56
cycles, and minute levels of
26:58
restlessness.
26:59
>> So, it takes the human guesswork out of
27:00
it.
27:01
>> It completely removes the subjectivity.
27:03
It removes an owner saying Phto seemed a
27:05
bit anxious this morning. Instead, the
27:08
researchers get hard, undeniable data
27:10
>> like dog 45's baseline activity level
27:14
inexplicably spiked 400%.
27:16
>> Exactly. Accompanied by a 30% increase
27:18
in resting heart rate at exactly 2.14
27:21
p.m.
27:22
>> That is so cool.
27:23
>> But the really groundbreaking
27:25
revolutionary work is happening through
27:26
the application of crowdsourced big
27:28
data.
27:29
>> Oh, right. The K9 seismic sense project
27:31
from the dogila article.
27:32
>> Yes. The scale of that project is
27:34
incredible. The scale is what really
27:36
caught my attention because we couldn't
27:38
have done this 20 years ago. It relies
27:39
entirely on the modern convergence of
27:41
biology, smartphones, and global data
27:43
networks.
27:44
>> The logistics of it are brilliant. The
27:46
project relies on enlisting thousands
27:48
upon thousands of everyday pet owners
27:51
across active seismic zones.
27:53
>> Just regular people.
27:54
>> Just regular people. The owners log
27:56
their dogs daily activity, their mood,
27:58
and any unusual behaviors into a
28:00
dedicated centralized smartphone app.
28:02
So, it creates this massive database,
28:05
>> a continuously updating real-time
28:07
database of K-9 behavior across a huge
28:10
geographic area. And the true genius of
28:13
the project is that this behavioral data
28:15
is then constantly algorithmically
28:18
cross-referenced with real-time
28:20
geological activity reports
28:21
>> like from the USGS.
28:23
>> Exactly. The United States Geological
28:24
Survey.
28:25
>> It's literally turning the entire pet
28:27
population of a city into a
28:28
decentralized network of biological
28:30
seismographs. It really is.
28:32
>> Think about the massive implications of
28:34
that for early warning systems. Like,
28:36
let's say you have an AI constantly
28:37
analyzing the tracker data from 20,000
28:39
dogs spread across Los Angeles.
28:41
>> Picture of that.
28:42
>> If one dog in Hollywood starts pacing,
28:44
the algorithm ignores it. That's just a
28:46
dog being a dog.
28:47
>> Maybe you saw a cat,
28:48
>> right? But if suddenly at exactly 2.0 0
28:51
p.m. 8,000 dogs across three specific
28:55
adjacent zip codes all simultaneously
28:57
experience a massive unprecedented spike
29:00
in pacing, elevated heart rates, and
29:03
disrupted sleep.
29:04
>> Then you have something
29:05
>> that is no longer a coincidence. That is
29:07
a massive statistical anomaly happening
29:09
in real time.
29:10
>> And that anomaly is exactly what
29:12
researchers hope to integrate into
29:13
official early warning systems in the
29:15
future.
29:16
>> How would that integration actually
29:17
work? Well, if the algorithm detects
29:19
that massive regional simultaneous spike
29:21
in K9 anxiety, it could instantly
29:24
trigger a secondary alert to geological
29:26
monitoring stations.
29:27
>> Okay. So, it wouldn't necessarily
29:29
trigger the city's warning sirens on its
29:30
own.
29:31
>> No, no, we aren't turning the launch
29:33
keys over to the dogs just yet.
29:34
>> Good to know.
29:35
>> But it could alert human geologists and
29:37
AI systems to look much more closely at
29:40
their deep earth seismic sensors,
29:42
corroborating the biological data with
29:44
the physical data
29:45
>> because every second counts.
29:46
>> Exactly. In the business of earthquake
29:48
prediction, providing even just 30
29:51
precious extra seconds or a minute of
29:53
warning time can be the difference
29:54
between life and death for thousands of
29:56
people.
29:57
>> That is just incredible to think about.
29:59
You, a listener right now, could
30:01
literally contribute to a citywide early
30:04
warning system just by putting a smart
30:06
collar on your rescue dog and letting an
30:08
app track their zooies.
30:09
>> It's a really empowering thought.
30:11
>> It really is. But until that high-tech
30:14
AIdriven global network is fully
30:16
perfected and actually integrated into
30:18
our infrastructure, we are still just
30:20
individual pet owners sitting in our
30:22
living rooms.
30:23
>> Very true.
30:23
>> So, how do we on a practical day-to-day
30:27
level know if our dog is desperately
30:29
trying to warn us of an impending
30:30
earthquake or if they are just having a
30:32
panic attack because the mail carrier
30:34
walked up the driveway.
30:34
>> Right. The everyday reality of it.
30:36
>> Exactly. This is where the rubber meets
30:38
the road. We have to talk about how to
30:40
accurately interpret dog behavior and
30:43
how to distinguish completely normal
30:44
anxiety from a genuine life-saving
30:47
disaster alert.
30:48
>> It is arguably the most practical
30:50
challenge for the average dog owner.
30:52
Understanding what a genuine alert
30:54
actually looks like requires paying
30:56
really close attention to specific
30:59
unusual behavioral clusters.
31:01
>> What kind of clusters? Well, common
31:03
signs of a potential environmental alert
31:06
include prolonged, intense whining or
31:09
barking directed at absolutely no
31:12
nothing in particular.
31:13
>> Just staring at a wall and whining.
31:14
>> Yeah. And as we mentioned earlier, it
31:16
often involves frantic attempts to hide
31:18
or seek shelter in highly unusual places
31:21
>> like the bathtub.
31:22
>> Exactly. A dog that is normally
31:24
completely comfortable in the living
31:25
room suddenly trying to physically wedge
31:27
itself behind a toilet or digging
31:29
frantically at the floor of a basement
31:31
closet. What else?
31:33
>> You might also see intense clinging
31:35
behavior where the dog flat out refuses
31:37
to leave your side, extremely agitated
31:40
pacing, or even aggressive attempts to
31:43
physically hurt family members toward a
31:45
specific location or an exit door.
31:47
>> Okay, let's unpack the hurting behavior
31:48
for a second because I find this
31:50
fascinating.
31:50
>> It's really interesting psychology,
31:52
>> right? Why are they trying to push us to
31:54
the door? If a dog senses a massive
31:57
threat, why wouldn't their basic fight
31:59
orflight instinct just tell them to bolt
32:01
out the doggy door and save themselves?
32:03
>> It comes down to deeprooted canine
32:06
psychology and their evolutionary
32:08
survival instincts.
32:10
Dogs are fundamentally pack animals,
32:12
>> right?
32:13
>> And they absolutely view their human
32:15
family as the core members of their
32:17
pack. Oh,
32:18
>> when they sense an overwhelming
32:20
inventible environmental threat, whether
32:22
it's the smell of some subterranean
32:23
radon gas or the terrifying infrasound
32:25
of a tsunami,
32:27
>> their instinct isn't just selfish
32:29
self-preservation.
32:30
>> It's about the group.
32:31
>> Exactly. It is the collective survival
32:33
of the pack unit, the hurting behavior,
32:35
the clinging, the frantic attempts to
32:37
guide you toward an exit. Those are all
32:39
desperate manifestations of their
32:41
biological drive to keep the family
32:42
safe. So, they perceive a massive threat
32:45
that we are apparently ignoring. And
32:47
they are taking it upon themselves to
32:48
manage the safety of the group.
32:50
>> They're trying to save you,
32:51
>> which is incredibly endearing, but also,
32:53
let's be honest, incredibly stressful
32:55
for the owner trying to figure out
32:56
what's going on.
32:57
>> Oh, without a doubt.
32:58
>> Because we have to play detective with
33:00
our own pets. I know plenty of dogs that
33:02
pace and whine when a visible
33:03
thunderstorm is happening, which is
33:05
obvious. You see the rain, you know why
33:06
they are whining.
33:07
>> Sure. But how do I know my dog isn't
33:10
just piecing because he ate half a shoe
33:11
in the yard and his stomach hurts?
33:13
>> Right?
33:13
>> If my dog starts whining and clinging to
33:16
me, how do I know it's not a medical
33:17
issue? Jumping to dramatic conclusions
33:20
that the world is ending every time your
33:22
dog whines is a terrible way to live.
33:25
>> And that is exactly why establishing a
33:28
behavioral baseline is so critical for
33:30
every owner.
33:31
>> What baseline?
33:32
>> Yes. Differentiating normal anxiety or a
33:36
sudden medical issue from a genuine
33:37
disaster alert requires you to possess a
33:40
deep intimate knowledge of your dog's
33:43
normal daily behavior.
33:44
>> Okay, so paying attention to their
33:46
habits.
33:46
>> You need to know their normal energy
33:47
rhythms, their typical sleeping spots,
33:49
and most importantly, their known
33:51
behavioral triggers.
33:52
>> Triggers, right? If your dog always gets
33:55
incredibly anxious when they are left
33:56
alone or when there are loud noises like
33:59
fireworks or when a delivery truck pulls
34:01
up, that is a known behavioral response
34:04
to a mundane stimulus.
34:05
>> It's expected.
34:06
>> Exactly. Yeah.
34:07
>> But a genuine disaster alert is defined
34:10
by its complete lack of context.
34:12
>> Lack of context. That's the key.
34:14
>> It happens entirely out of the blue. For
34:17
example, on a perfectly calm, quiet
34:19
Tuesday afternoon with absolutely no
34:22
obvious stressors, no changes in
34:24
routine, and no known phobias present.
34:26
>> Context really is everything. If the
34:28
mailman is at the door, it's the
34:29
mailman, right?
34:30
>> If it's a silent room and the dog
34:32
suddenly acts like the house is on fire,
34:34
pay attention.
34:34
>> Exactly. And there's also a massive
34:36
community clue that you can look for.
34:38
>> What's that?
34:39
>> If you are outside and your dog is
34:41
acting erratically, look around. Is the
34:43
neighbor's dog also going crazy? Huh?
34:45
Are the dogs two streets over suddenly
34:47
howling in unison?
34:49
Multiple dogs across a neighborhood
34:51
acting strangely at the exact same time
34:53
is an incredibly powerful indicator that
34:56
an invisible environmental precursor is
34:58
present
34:58
>> because they can't all have an upset
35:00
stomach at the exact same time.
35:02
>> Exactly. But to address your point about
35:04
the upset stomach,
35:06
>> it is very true that sudden drastic
35:08
behavior changes can signal a severe
35:12
medical issue.
35:12
>> Yeah, that's what I'd worry about first.
35:14
and you should. A dog in acute physical
35:17
pain will pace, whine, and hide.
35:20
[snorts] This is why knowing your dog is
35:22
so crucial. If the behavior is totally
35:25
out of context for the environment, but
35:27
could be a sign of illness, you have to
35:29
use your judgment
35:30
>> based on your bond with the animal,
35:32
>> right? You decide whether to trust the
35:34
environmental alert or to immediately
35:36
call your veterinarian.
35:37
>> Okay? So, let's map out the practical
35:38
application of this.
35:39
>> Let's do it.
35:40
>> Let's say you've done the detective
35:41
work. You've ruled out the mail carrier.
35:43
You've ruled out separation anxiety.
35:45
You've ruled out a medical emergency.
35:47
>> Check, check, check.
35:47
>> The dog is pacing, whining, and trying
35:49
to physically herd you into the basement
35:51
on a beautiful sunny day. Multiple dogs
35:54
on the street are barking.
35:55
>> Okay, situation red.
35:57
>> You've concluded the dog is signaling
35:59
real danger. What do you actually do in
36:01
that moment to prepare? Because we need
36:04
to talk about practical preparation and
36:06
the reality of how to handle this
36:07
information safely. The very first step
36:10
in practical preparation is managing
36:12
your own reaction.
36:14
>> Don't panic.
36:15
>> Do not panic. You must use your dog's
36:17
alert strictly as a cue to gather more
36:20
information.
36:20
>> Just a cue?
36:21
>> Yes. Use it as a prompt to immediately
36:24
check official weather apps. Tune into
36:26
local emergency radio channels or check
36:28
the USGS website for seismic activity.
36:31
>> You don't just run screaming into the
36:33
street. You absolutely do not use a
36:35
dog's behavior as a reason to blindly
36:37
panic, start screaming, or immediately
36:39
evacuate your home without corroborating
36:41
evidence.
36:41
>> That makes sense.
36:42
>> Your calm, responsible reaction respects
36:45
the dog's potential sensory ability
36:47
while keeping you grounded in rational,
36:49
safe, and logical action. If you panic,
36:52
you're only going to exponentially
36:53
amplify the dog's anxiety
36:55
>> because they read our emotions.
36:56
>> Exactly. You'd be creating a chaotic
36:59
environment when you desperately need a
37:01
calm one.
37:01
>> Right. The dog is already overwhelmed.
37:03
They don't need you losing your mind,
37:04
too.
37:04
>> Exactly.
37:05
>> But beyond checking your phone, the
37:07
physical preparation aspect is where pet
37:09
owners really need to step up. Every
37:12
expert recommends having an emergency go
37:14
bag for natural disasters. But usually
37:17
people just throw an extra bag of dry
37:19
kibble and a spare leash in their kit
37:21
and call it a day,
37:23
>> which is nowhere near enough.
37:24
>> No, because building a kit for an animal
37:26
that is acting as a biological sensor
37:29
requires a totally different approach.
37:31
You have to build this bag based on
37:33
canine instincts and the massive sensory
37:36
overload they are currently
37:37
experiencing.
37:38
>> That is a fundamental distinction that
37:40
most pet owners completely miss.
37:42
>> How so?
37:42
>> During a natural disaster, your dog
37:45
isn't just being physically displaced
37:46
from their comfortable home. Their
37:48
highly tuned sensory systems are being
37:50
completely overwhelmed and battered.
37:52
>> Right. The 300 million receptors.
37:54
>> Yes. Their nose is flooded with the
37:56
smell of ruptured gas lines, ozone, and
37:58
pulverized concrete. Their delicate
38:00
hearing is being assaulted by the
38:02
infrasound of the earth moving and the
38:03
highfrequency screeching of structural
38:05
damage.
38:06
>> It must be absolute torture for them.
38:08
>> It is. A prop out pet emergency kit must
38:10
be designed to actively address this
38:12
heightened terrified sensory state.
38:15
>> So, what needs to go in the bag? Give us
38:17
the checklist.
38:18
>> Essential items must include a deeply
38:20
familiar blanket that smells like their
38:21
normal home
38:22
>> for the old factory anchor.
38:24
>> Yes. A favorite, highly durable toy to
38:27
redirect their nervous energy. a well-
38:29
fitted anxiety wrap and canine calming
38:33
pheromone sprays.
38:34
>> Okay, I really want to emphasize this
38:36
point for everyone listening right now.
38:38
Putting an anxiety wrap or a pheromone
38:40
spray in your emergency kit is not about
38:42
pampering your dog.
38:44
>> Not at all.
38:44
>> It is not a luxury item for a spoiled
38:46
pet. It is a vital necessary medical
38:49
tool to address the intense biological
38:52
reality of what is happening to their
38:53
nervous system.
38:54
>> It is basic first aid for their senses.
38:56
>> Yeah, exactly. An anxiety wrap like a
38:58
thundershirt provides consistent
39:00
physical deep pressure therapy. It acts
39:03
directly on their autonomic nervous
39:05
system, helping to physically ground
39:06
them and lower their heart rate when the
39:09
electrostatic charge of the air or the
39:11
agonizing barometric pressure in their
39:13
ears is driving them into a blind panic.
39:15
>> You said it perfectly.
39:17
>> And that familiar blanket, it provides a
39:19
crucial baseline olfactory anchor. When
39:22
the entire world smells like danger and
39:25
destruction, having one small space that
39:27
smells exactly like their living room
39:29
can prevent a total psychological
39:31
breakdown.
39:31
>> It's about mitigating the negative side
39:33
effects of their evolutionary gifts.
39:35
>> Creating a safe, predictable, calm
39:37
environment during the chaos of disaster
39:39
preparation is absolutely vital to their
39:42
survival
39:42
>> and yours honestly.
39:43
>> Yes. Having these specific sensory tools
39:46
ready allows you to effectively manage
39:48
their psychological state, which in turn
39:50
makes evacuating your home or sheltering
39:52
in place in a basement infinitely safer
39:54
and more efficient for both of you. You
39:56
were directly treating the biological
39:58
fallout of their sensory superpowers.
40:00
>> It is so practical. I challenge everyone
40:02
listening to this. Go assemble this
40:04
specific sensory focused pet emergency
40:07
bag today. Do not wait until the dog is
40:10
pacing and the sky is turning green.
40:12
>> Please do it today. Make sure your furry
40:14
early warning system is protected and
40:16
that you have the physical tools to calm
40:18
down their overwhelmed nervous system.
40:20
But this brings us to a really serious
40:22
point that we have to discuss.
40:24
>> The ethics of it.
40:25
>> Yes, the ethics. If we fully acknowledge
40:27
that dogs have these incredible
40:30
scientifically backed sensory abilities,
40:32
there is a very real temptation for
40:34
people to just rely on them completely.
40:36
>> And that is a massive incredibly
40:38
dangerous trap to fall into.
40:40
>> Yeah. We have to be very clear about the
40:42
burden of responsibility here.
40:43
>> We can't just put them in charge.
40:45
>> We absolutely cannot under any
40:47
circumstances rely on dogs as our
40:49
primary warning system for natural
40:51
disasters.
40:51
>> Why not if they're so accurate?
40:53
>> Because it is fundamentally reckless to
40:56
place the heavy burden of human safety
40:58
on the innate unpredictable biological
41:01
instincts of an animal.
41:02
>> As we've discussed at length,
41:04
misinterpreting their behavior is
41:05
incredibly easy.
41:06
>> The squirrel versus the earthquake.
41:08
>> Exactly. Relying on a false alarm
41:11
because your dog was actually just
41:12
reacting to a squirrel can cause
41:14
unnecessary panic, dangerous
41:16
evacuations, and a loss of trust in real
41:19
alerts.
41:20
>> The boy who cried wolf.
41:22
>> Exactly. And conversely, and much more
41:25
dangerously, ignoring official
41:26
government warnings because your dog
41:28
happens to be fast asleep on the couch
41:30
and not reacting. That could literally
41:32
cost you your life.
41:33
>> Exactly. Not all dogs are going to react
41:35
and not all disasters produce the same
41:38
cues. You cannot look at a sleeping,
41:40
totally relaxed golden retriever and
41:42
assume that a category 5 hurricane isn't
41:45
barreling toward your house just because
41:46
the dog seems fine.
41:48
>> No, you can't.
41:48
>> The dog might have a slight ear
41:50
infection that is masking the barometric
41:52
pressure change, or they might just be a
41:54
really heavy sleeper.
41:55
>> Precisely. They are our companions first
41:57
and potential disaster predictors a very
42:00
distant second.
42:01
>> That's a great way to put it. Their
42:02
instincts are a fascinating, deeply
42:05
rooted biological mechanism that can
42:07
serve as a highly valuable secondary
42:10
alert, a personal localized cue for you
42:13
to be more vigilant and to check your
42:14
primary sources.
42:15
>> It prompts you to look at your phone.
42:17
>> Yes, but we must always balance animal
42:19
instinct with human technology. Our
42:22
sophisticated Doppler radar systems, our
42:24
debirth seismographs, and official
42:27
government emergency broadcasts must
42:29
always remain our primary trusted
42:31
sources of life-saving information.
42:33
>> Technology saves lives.
42:35
>> Expecting a family pet to replace a
42:37
billion dollar network of geological
42:38
sensors is completely unfair to the
42:40
animal and immensely dangerous for the
42:43
owner.
42:43
>> It all comes down to respect. respecting
42:46
their incredible biological abilities,
42:48
but also deeply respecting their
42:50
limitations and their proper role within
42:52
our families.
42:52
>> Beautifully said.
42:54
>> Bringing this entire deep dive full
42:56
circle, I think understanding these
42:58
hidden depths of perception only serves
43:00
to profoundly deepen the bond between a
43:02
human and their dog.
43:03
>> Oh, absolutely.
43:04
>> When you look at your dog sitting there
43:05
and you realize that they are physically
43:07
tuned in to the very heartbeat and
43:09
geological stress of the planet itself,
43:11
it completely changes how you view them.
43:13
>> It really does. They aren't just goofy
43:14
pets waiting for a treat. They are
43:16
incredibly sophisticated, highly tuned
43:19
biological organisms navigating a
43:21
complex world of invisible physical
43:23
forces that we are entirely blind to.
43:26
>> It truly is a paradigm shift in how we
43:28
understand and interact with our canine
43:30
companions.
43:31
>> And as we wrap up this exploration into
43:33
the science of canine senses, I want to
43:35
leave everyone listening with a final
43:38
slightly provocative thought to mull
43:40
over.
43:40
>> Oh, I love a provocative thought. Let's
43:42
hear it. We spent this hour discussing
43:44
how incredibly sensitive dogs are to
43:46
subtle natural shifts, the micro
43:48
vibrations, the static charges, the
43:50
faint infrasound, right?
43:52
>> But consider the modern environment we
43:53
force them to live in today.
43:55
>> As our human world becomes increasingly
43:57
louder, filled with a constant, heavy
43:59
urban vibrations of subway trains and
44:01
construction machinery.
44:02
>> Oh wow.
44:03
>> A dense, inescapable web of electronic
44:05
and radio frequencies and persistent
44:08
chemical pollution altering the air and
44:10
groundwater. Are we essentially jamming
44:12
our own dogs natural radar?
44:13
>> Are we blinding them with our noise?
44:16
>> Exactly. Could the loud industrial
44:19
modern environment we've built around
44:20
ourselves be actively dulling and
44:23
overwhelming an evolutionary superpower
44:25
that took millions of years of natural
44:28
selection to perfect?
44:30
>> That is wow. It is a question that
44:32
challenges us to consider not just how
44:34
dogs sense the natural world, but how
44:36
our unnatural world is impacting their
44:39
incredible senses.
44:40
>> Oh, that is a deeply chilling thought to
44:43
end on. Are we jamming our own
44:45
biological early warning systems with
44:47
the sheer volume of our modern noise?
44:50
That is definitely something to think
44:51
about the next time you are walking your
44:53
dog down a busy vibrating city street.
44:55
And they seem a little overwhelmed.
44:56
>> They're processing a lot.
44:58
>> They really are. Well, thank you so much
44:59
for bringing your incredible insights
45:01
and breaking down the deep science for
45:03
us today. It has been absolutely eye
45:04
opening.
45:05
>> Thanks for having me. It was a blast.
45:06
>> Thank you for listening, dear Brigaders.
45:08
And if you have any questions, visit the
45:09
source article on Dogazilla magazine at
45:11
dogazilit.com.
45:12
>> Bye everyone.
45:13
>> That was all for this episode. And until
45:16
the next time, bye to all listeners of
45:17
the Bark Brigade
#Pets & Animals