My wife is visually impaired and has had various Service Dogs for the past 30 years – all highly trained by her. I had taught her previous Service Dog to perform some magic effects that she did with a lot of charm and “hamming it up” at the moment of astonishment. She was not an assistant – she performed the effect.

Emmie’s new Service Dog is not so highly trained as yet, and I am planning to “go with the trend” and train some Mentalism effects. Yet, I am not sure that Mentalists will be pleased, either by the inference that a dog can read minds better than a human, or that “it must be a trick” and do a dis-service to those Mentalists fighting to avoid that impression.

One presentation will be:

Using a standard or Tarot deck as a reference, I will think of a card and write it on a slip of paper as verification, show it to Branwen and fold it up. As I concentrate on the image the audience members will pick up that image or not. Branwen will go out and select the spectator with the clearest image. I will write their initials of the outside of the slip and give it to a “referee” to hold. Then the spectator will search for and remove their imaged card from the deck and place in their pocket.

This will be repeated several times with Branwen always selecting the spectator who has best picked up my mental image by going out and sitting in front of them. Naturally, when revealed the cards displayed by the spectators matches the written messages and Branwen takes a bow.

………………

Now it is Mentalism in that people apparently read my mind, but “something more” when Branwen detects which person “got it right.” Do I present it as demonstration of thought transference or a demonstration of a dog’s heightened sense of empathy?

Or do I present it as a magic trick …

Regardless, folks will be entertained by observing this beautiful Sheltie in action – ready to accept that a Service Dog has special abilities. It is my experienced guess that the audience will more readily accept the dog’s ability than mine.

What say you?

I for one would love to see that done as mentalism. I don’t know what method (if any) you would use, but think animals are a great feature for those who can handle them. I remember reading about a counting horse who, it was determined, was able to sense (no trickery) when the audience relaxed, and could thus “know” when to stop counting. In one of my various tomes is a two stage instruction for teaching a dog to select a chosen card.

I think what you propose would be well received by most. There is considerable legitimate research on questions of whether animals can predict earthquakes, weather, or other natural disasters. Why would a dog not be “sensitive” to a human’s thoughts? Many dog-owners already believe their friend can read their mind.

That sounds great!
Definitely DON'T present it as a magic trick or any other kind of trick.
It should be presented as you described. I definitely think the credit should lie with your dog, not you or your connection with it.

Thanks for the "if any"

While I consider myself more empathic than most and can demonstrate "thought control" under certain circumstance, I cannot do this without trickery.

Actually, many Mentalism effects normally done as a Prediction can employ the "Dog indicates the choice" approach. I feel that Prediction Effects are "poor Mentalism" and look for ways to not cross a spectator's "Screen of Logic."

My wife suggests I train Branwen to use a Pendulum. Hmmmm!

Most wonderful - my previous dog scooby aka houndini did magic effects (some written up in oracle magazine - I had to translate his paw prints) - and my current dog is learning the art now (the wizard of Aussie) - besides doing a mental fetch routine he also is learning p k lick

So, go for it!!!!!

(P.s. I am not joking - perhaps our canine kids can start the International pack of fuzzy magi)

Just found this Funsway - sorry for being half a decade late . . . I love your idea as a mentalism effect or a 7th sense: communication with animals . . .

There's a guy who performs around L.A. and once in awhile at the Magic Castle who does a mind reading dog act (which I have not seen)

There is a guy in Tennessee as well who does mentalism with a dog.

Old thread I know, but I hadn't seen it either. I think a well presented dog routine could be excellent as mentalism. If dogs can sniff out cancer and predict earthquakes, mind reading should be a snap.

Also, dog owners already know that dogs can be extremely perceptive at times. It's really not that far fetched.

Have you met the mind reading chook?