This claim came in June 25, 2004...from a woman who is convinced that she is communicating telepathically to her dog, and to her friend's dog.
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I would like to apply for your Million Dollar Challenge. My project involves communicating telepathic commands to dogs, especially my own dog but also my friend's dog. I am confident that I can show you my ability. Ideal conditions for the demonstration would be at my friend's house. Her dog "Tess" would be used for the demonstration. - Wendee Jacobson
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I wrote to Ms. Jacobson asking for "more details"...as in, WHAT will the dog be psychically commanded to do, how many successful psychic commands would constitute a passed test, etc...I got this reply a few days later:
=============================================I am able to give telepathic commands instead of verbals commands to my dog and my friend's dog. I would use either my dog or my friend's dog in the demonstration. The dog(s) would be asked to sit, lie down and jump up. No verbal communication would be used; the commands would be given teklepathically.
I would use a dog treat as a reward for the dog once it completed the command.
An observer would watch either behind a mirrored glass so my dog would not see or be distracted, or if that is not acceptable, an observer could be in the same room watching as I demonstrated my abilities with my friend's dog at her home.
The dog is able to perform with 100% accuracy, but for demonstration purposes, I would say that the dog would perform successfully two out of three times...
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Two out of three. Wow. Not bad, for a dog.
Well, it was a bit hard to contain my sarcasm on this one. I wrote back to remind the applicant that the JREF Challenge was offered to anyone claiming paranormal ability, and that dog tricks were hardly paranormal.
The applicant continued to insist that her powers were real, claiming that she could "command any dog telepathically". When I asked if she could demonstrate her power on dogs other than hers or her friend's, she said she had never tried. I asked her to try. She replied by stating that it was her claim and her ability (no debate there), and that she wanted to offer evidence that she felt was best. Shortly thereafter, she had ceased to insist that she could command ANY dog.
I tried to remind the woman that dogs were notoriously adept at receiving non-verbal commands from their owners, and other facts that might explain the phenomenon she so strongly believed to be paranormal. But, nothing would sway her.
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Dear Kramer,
My application proves that animals can be trained telepathically. I assure you that I do not use any physical cues or aids. I thought that telepathy was one of the claims you would investigate. - Wendee Jacobson
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Dear Wendee,
Your application proves absolutely nothing. Only an actual demonstration will suffice. A successful demonstration of telepathy would certainly win you the million dollar prize. A successful demonstration of a dog trick would not. If you are 100% isolated from the dog's sight and hearing, and the dog then responds to your telepathic commands under such isolation, you would qualify for the Challenge. Can you send telepathic commands to your dog while he is in the backyard and you are in the kitchen? Can you put your dog in the garage and send these telepathic commands from down in your basement? If you will agree to be tested while 100% isolated from your dog, we will accept your application and test your claim, as this is the only protocol I can think of that would rule out trickery. If you can offer an alternative, please do so.
-KRAMER, JREF
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Dear Kramer,
I think your terms are unreasonable. My being in the room is I think important as the dog knows by my presence that we will be doing obedience work. I can try to see if he will respond with me not in the room and get back to you.
- Wendee Jacobson
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"Obedience work". Precisely. Funny how some people can know exactly what they're doing and still manage to delude themselves into believing the event to be "special", or in this case, paranormal.
Suffice to say, I never heard back from Wendee Jacobson.
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I would like to apply for your Million Dollar Challenge. My project involves communicating telepathic commands to dogs, especially my own dog but also my friend's dog. I am confident that I can show you my ability. Ideal conditions for the demonstration would be at my friend's house. Her dog "Tess" would be used for the demonstration. - Wendee Jacobson
==============================================
I wrote to Ms. Jacobson asking for "more details"...as in, WHAT will the dog be psychically commanded to do, how many successful psychic commands would constitute a passed test, etc...I got this reply a few days later:
=============================================I am able to give telepathic commands instead of verbals commands to my dog and my friend's dog. I would use either my dog or my friend's dog in the demonstration. The dog(s) would be asked to sit, lie down and jump up. No verbal communication would be used; the commands would be given teklepathically.
I would use a dog treat as a reward for the dog once it completed the command.
An observer would watch either behind a mirrored glass so my dog would not see or be distracted, or if that is not acceptable, an observer could be in the same room watching as I demonstrated my abilities with my friend's dog at her home.
The dog is able to perform with 100% accuracy, but for demonstration purposes, I would say that the dog would perform successfully two out of three times...
=============================================
Two out of three. Wow. Not bad, for a dog.
Well, it was a bit hard to contain my sarcasm on this one. I wrote back to remind the applicant that the JREF Challenge was offered to anyone claiming paranormal ability, and that dog tricks were hardly paranormal.
The applicant continued to insist that her powers were real, claiming that she could "command any dog telepathically". When I asked if she could demonstrate her power on dogs other than hers or her friend's, she said she had never tried. I asked her to try. She replied by stating that it was her claim and her ability (no debate there), and that she wanted to offer evidence that she felt was best. Shortly thereafter, she had ceased to insist that she could command ANY dog.
I tried to remind the woman that dogs were notoriously adept at receiving non-verbal commands from their owners, and other facts that might explain the phenomenon she so strongly believed to be paranormal. But, nothing would sway her.
============================================
Dear Kramer,
My application proves that animals can be trained telepathically. I assure you that I do not use any physical cues or aids. I thought that telepathy was one of the claims you would investigate. - Wendee Jacobson
=============================================
Dear Wendee,
Your application proves absolutely nothing. Only an actual demonstration will suffice. A successful demonstration of telepathy would certainly win you the million dollar prize. A successful demonstration of a dog trick would not. If you are 100% isolated from the dog's sight and hearing, and the dog then responds to your telepathic commands under such isolation, you would qualify for the Challenge. Can you send telepathic commands to your dog while he is in the backyard and you are in the kitchen? Can you put your dog in the garage and send these telepathic commands from down in your basement? If you will agree to be tested while 100% isolated from your dog, we will accept your application and test your claim, as this is the only protocol I can think of that would rule out trickery. If you can offer an alternative, please do so.
-KRAMER, JREF
=============================================
Dear Kramer,
I think your terms are unreasonable. My being in the room is I think important as the dog knows by my presence that we will be doing obedience work. I can try to see if he will respond with me not in the room and get back to you.
- Wendee Jacobson
==============================================
"Obedience work". Precisely. Funny how some people can know exactly what they're doing and still manage to delude themselves into believing the event to be "special", or in this case, paranormal.
Suffice to say, I never heard back from Wendee Jacobson.