| In the attractive city of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Rita | | | | rising for Sandler's readings, and dog owners in |
| Sandler is listening to a dog. But it's not the bark she | | | | nearby areas are hoping that she may start visiting |
| hears; Sandler claims to be a dog psychic, who can | | | | homes and perhaps hotels in Lake Oswego to give |
| channel what our four-legged friends have to say and | | | | readings there in order to help them too decipher |
| communicate it to the owners. | | | | their canine's deepest thoughts. |
| This doggy style Dr Doolittle holds consultations once | | | | Dog psychics are of course also found outside of |
| a month in West Linn, near Lake Oswego, and also | | | | Oregon, and a quick search on the internet reveals all |
| has a Cable 11 show called "Wise Woman Way", | | | | manner of psychic pet readers, who claim to be able |
| which airs once a week. The dog physic's readings | | | | to tell us what our dogs, cats, horses, even hamsters |
| last about 10 minutes, cost owners US$15 | | | | are thinking and feeling. However, there is a great |
| (£7.50) and currently take place at "Bone-Jour | | | | deal of scepticism over whether it is really possible to |
| GourMutt Bakery and Boutique", a kind of dog cafe | | | | read the thoughts of animals. Many claim the practise |
| that makes the finest doggie treats and cakes "using | | | | to be a hoax; known as "cold reading" where the |
| only the highest quality ingredients" which have been | | | | psychic throws out all manner of names and |
| approved by vets. | | | | scenarios until a member of the audience responds, |
| Local vet, Emily Stuart, is sceptical of Sandler's | | | | and they then hone in on the often vulnerable |
| abilities, although she sees the dog reading as | | | | individuals, telling them what they want to hear. |
| harmless: "I have a hard time, as someone with a | | | | Others people truly believe that such readings are |
| scientific background, truly believing in the psychic | | | | genuine, and indeed are very grateful to be able to |
| stuff," Stuart said. "I think the folks who do it are | | | | know and understand what their pets are saying. |
| relatively interpretive in reading how you word things, | | | | Whether it's really possible to read the minds of |
| or your body language, and they make open-ended | | | | animals or not, is yet to be proved or disproved; |
| statements that you can read into." | | | | however, it seems that there are plenty of pet |
| As one of Oregon's most affluent areas, it's perhaps | | | | owners the world over who are willing to believe that |
| not surprising that there is a market for gourmet dog | | | | the telepathic abilities of animal psychics, like Rita |
| food, and despite the vet's scepticism, demand is | | | | Sandler, is very much the genuine article. |