STUDIES show that dogs are as bright as a two-year-old child but Robert Stuhldreer’s canine friend Flora can lay claim to outsmarting even doctors.

Holloway local Robert has suffered regular epileptic seizures ever since he was involved in a serious car accident 20 years ago, the cause of which no-one has been able to pinpoint.

But seven years ago, when the Dunford Road resident was returning from a puppy training class with new pooch Flora, something remarkable happened.

Whilst walking down a deserted alleyway, Robert blacked out, before coming round and finding Flora resting across his chest.

And although it wasn’t immediately apparent, it soon became clear that Flora had a remarkable gift.

“I’d never really considered an assistance dog before, but Flora – almost automatically – as a puppy picked up when I was going to be unwell,” Robert explained.

“I didn’t really make the connection, but it continued and continued; the seizures kept coming and she kept giving me signals.

“I don’t get any warning signs or signals, so if I have a seizure I just hit the ground. I’ve broken my nose, I’ve broken my cheekbone, my jaw, my arm, shoulder.

“She gives me really clear signals now, so if I’m stupid enough to ignore them, it’s at my peril.

“The first thing she’ll do is stop dead, she’ll then walk directly in-front of me. If I’m stupid enough to ignore that, she gets hold of my hand and forcibly pulls my arm in a downwards motion, so I know at that point I’ve got to lay down really quickly.

“She’s done that without any formal training at all, just automatically.”

And Flora’s talents don’t end there; a career on the silver screen as well as the stage followed, with appearances in the 2016 film Trespass Against Us alongside Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson a notable credit.

But sadly, dogs of Flora’s breed – the Japanese Akita – aren’t always so well-cared for, their protective nature sometimes leading to difficulties without the requisite training.

That’s why Robert – who has owned Akitas for 20 years – has nominated Flora in the hero assistance dog category for The Kennel Club Friends for Life award at Crufts, celebrating all assistance dogs, from guide and hearing to medical detection and autism assistance.
The Kennel Club wants to celebrate and share the amazing stories of how dogs give back to us every day of our lives. There will be one winner per category, decided through a public vote, and the overall winner will be announced in the NEC arena at Crufts 2019.

The winner will also be awarded £5,000 and the runners up will each receive – for their nominated canine charity – £1,000 from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust – helping to make a difference for dogs.

“I’m a huge advocate of the breed,” continued Robert.

“Sadly, most times that you read about an Akita in the press it’s not for positive reasons. It’s usually a dog that’s not had any training or structure and will react.

“I’m a huge advocate of championing the breed and just showing what they really are capable of, given the right training.

“I’m realistic about the breed; they’re not for everybody; they can be a handful, but they can be superb dogs. I’ve done things with Flora that even the most experienced of Akita owners have said that they wouldn’t dream of doing.”