[chris]

A trained German shepherd helped save Joe Stalnaker's life in Scottsdale, Arizona, by using a specially programmed phone to call 911 after he collapsed during a seizure on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, police said.

Buddy grabbed the cordless phone in his mouth and hit a speed dial button set up to reach 911. Dispatcher Chris Scott answered and heard only whimpering and barking. "Hello, this is 911," Scott said, asking repeatedly if anyone needed help.

Stalnaker's address had already been flagged in the dispatch system noting that a trained assistance dog lived there and might place a call on its owner's behalf, according to Scottsdale police. Officers were sent to the home and arrived within about three minutes, greeted by Buddy barking loudly at the door.

Stalnaker's seizures stem from a head injury he suffered about ten years earlier during a military training exercise. He adopted Buddy as an 8-week-old puppy from Paws with a Cause, a Michigan nonprofit that trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities, and taught the dog to recognize the signs of an oncoming seizure and fetch the phone.

The September 10 call marked the third time Buddy successfully summoned help for Stalnaker, after two earlier seizures dating back to the previous month. Scottsdale police Sergeant Mark Clark called the case remarkable. "It's pretty incredible," Clark said. "Even the veteran dispatchers, they haven't heard of anything like this."

Stalnaker was hospitalized for two days following the seizure and made a full recovery.