Dogs of Distinction Trivia Quiz

Answer: Barry.

In 1810, Barry retired to to Berne, Switzerland. The way station continues to honor their most famous Saint Bernard by making sure that there is always one dog in the kennel named "Barry". A statue in honor of Barry may still be viewed in Paris, France, but is inaccurately inscribed, "He saved the lives of 40 persons.

He was killed by the 41st". A legend had sprung up that Barry was killed in error by the last person he tried to rescue, which is perpetuated by this erroneous inscription. Finally, if you would like to visit Barry himself his remains are on display at Berne's Natural History Museum.

Answer: United States Postal Service.

Postal workers used to award Owney tags and/or medals when he visited, which resulted in John Wannamaker, Postmaster General, having a harness custom made to display them on. Of course, over time even the harness could not accommodate the hundreds of medals Owney had acquired.

Upon Owney's death postal employees raised money to have his remains preserved for posterity. Those wishing to remember Owney may find him today wearing his harness and medals at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D. C.


TREAT YOURSELF TO A FILM "The Story of Owney" AT THE SMITHSONIAN LINK BELOW:

http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibits/2c1f_owney_movie.html

Answer: Capturing a German forward observer.

Stubby captured a German forward observer by flushing him out, chasing him down, and clamping his jaws on the soldier's buttocks until he was taken into custody by members of the 102nd Infantry Division.

Stubby performed all of the actions listed in the answer choices, but received his rank of sergeant specifically for the capture of the German forward observer.

Sgt. Stubby returned a hero to the U.S. with his companion Pvt. John Robert Conroy of the 102nd Infantry Division. Sgt. Stubby met President Roosevelt, was inducted into the American Legion, and was awarded a Humane Society medal from the leader of the American Expeditionary Forces, Gen. Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing.

Answer: Togo.

Togo traveled with his team led by Edward Seppala 170 miles across Alaska just to pick up the serum and then made the 91 mile run to hand off the serum to the next musher in the relay. Although Balto is more readily remembered due to the fact he and his team under Gunnar Kaasen actually delivered the serum they had only traveled 53 miles in comparison to the total of 261 miles traveled by Seppala's team.

On a previous trip across Norton Sound Seppala and his team were marooned on an ice floe. Nearing land (but not close enough to gain purchase) Seppala picked up Togo wearing his harness and braces and threw him across the gap to land. Togo began to pull with the goal of bringing the ice floe close enough to land for Seppala and the team to cross. The lead snapped, which Seppala said denoted a death sentence. Togo taking the initiative jumped into the icy water and returned to land with the lead in his mouth. After rolling around to wrap the lead around himself Togo pulled the ice floe to land thereby saving Seppala and his team.*


* An additional reference to the overall reference at the end of the quiz:

Salisbury, Gay & Salisbury Laney (2003). The Cruelest Miles. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, NY.

Answer: All of the answers are correct.

Jim's extraordinary abilities were exhibited before a joint session of Missouri legislators and a panel of professors at the University of Missouri. As reported by the Rural Missouri magazine the professors were so impressed that they told the crowd that, "Jim possessed an occult power that might never come again to a dog in many generations".

Today visitors to Marshall, Missouri that wish to remember Jim can visit his grave at Ridge Park Cemetery or the Wonder Dog Memorial Park located downtown.

Answer: The return of his deceased master.

Eisaburo Ueno was the professor that Hachiko so loved that he accompanied him to the train station every morning to see him off to work at the University of Tokyo's Agricultural Department. Conversely, Hachiko eagerly awaited his master's return in the afternoon and must have known that when Ueno didn't return it was because something was keeping him from returning.

As word of Hachiko's love and devotion spread across Japan he became a national icon immortalized in the media, books, and a bronze statue of which he was present at the unveiling.

Answer: All of the choices are correct.

Bamse was a national hero in Norway during WWII and was featured both on Christmas cards sent to Norweigan soldiers and during the May 17 Constitution Day celebration. When Bamse died of undetermined causes in Montrose, Scotland there was a period of deep mourning with businesses closing for his funeral. During the funeral procession approximately 800 children lined the route to Bamse's grave near the sea where he was buried facing Norway.

In 2006, Bamse was honored with a bronze statue erected in Montrose, Scotland. During the same year Bamse was also awarded the prestigious Gold Medal for his wartime service by Britain's People's Dispensary for Sick Animals.

Answer: North and South Poles.

During the Transglobe Expedition Bothie was tethered by harness to the ship deck during rough weather and embarassingly enough had to suit up in custom made caps, booties, and stockings in cold weather environments. However, he became a celebrity and was awarded the Great Britain's Pet of the Year Award (1982). Also, Bothie met the love of his life in the Yukon a huge Newfoundland-Husky-Labrador mix named "Black Dog".

The happy couple subsequently set up house (living without benefit of matrimony) in Great Britain.

Answer: World Trade Center

Dorado's companion, Omar Eduardo Rivera, was working at the World Trade Center as a computer technician on 9/11 when the north tower was hit by a highjacked airline. Amid the panic and smoke Omar unleashed Dorado, so that at least one of them would have the chance of escaping the building. Dorado left for a few minutes and then came back to Omar and nudged him toward an exit. By chance Omar's boss was passing as they emerged, so between the efforts of Dorado and the boss they were all three able to make it out of the building and were a few blocks away before the building collapsed.

Answer: Called 911.

Belle received 9 months of medical assistant training that cost $9000.00. One of the things she was trained to do if Kevin became totally incapacitated was to punch the number "9" on the telephone. This action resulted in the automatic dialing of 911 for medical assistance. Subsequently, when emergency hit Belle had to find Kevin's mobile telephone, bite the "9", wait for contact with the operator, which once established she began barking nonstop in a hysterical fashion until the ambulance arrived. After his recovery Kevin Weaver told the Associated Press, "Belle is more than a lifesaver, she's my best friend". Truer words were never spoken.


Reference Applying to Entire Quiz:

Stall, Sam (2007). 100 Dogs who Changed Civilization: History's Most Influential Canines. Quirk Productions, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.