Dog experts agree that all dogs will never pass as created equally. Some dogs show exceptional talents at things others are not passionate about, which is fine. From Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, Lucy is one of such notable canines who failed miserably at a guide dog school but proved she possesses a unique talent few dogs showcase.
The canine Lucy, a cross between an Irish water spaniel and a Labrador Retriever, went into training to become a guide dog but soon quit after not meeting the standard expected outcome.
The trainers described her character as excitable and easily distracted by the random scents in her master’s path. Lucy soon dropped out of the program after attempts to change her habit failed unceremoniously.
However, Lucy’s owner refused to give up on her and decided to rethink how they should maximize and play along with her strong qualities instead. They knew their intelligent dog held great promise within and needed to find it. The owners then shifted their focus, started thinking outside the box, and eventually changed their approach to Lucy.
That moment led to their sudden eureka, for Lucy focused on developing her nose, which belongs to a hunting dog bloodline. The owners decided to train Lucy to use her vital sniffing skills to her advantage and become useful.
So, the canine went to specialized training for seven years using her sniffing abilities to detect cancer in various human organs.
Lucy also participated in studies where she successfully detected cancer cells 95% more accurately than other lab tests. Thanks to the 300 million robust sensors she has on her nose, she now helps a program to develop the Medical Detection Dogs organization in the UK.
Experts hope a cancer sniffing diagnostics program will be available soon to help patients cope with fighting the disease due to early detection.
Source: CNN