John W. Pilley
John W. Pilley (July 1, 1928 – June 17, 2018) was an American behavioral psychologist best known for his research into canine cognition and language learning with his Border collie, Chaser, who had the largest tested memory of any non-human animal.[2][3][4] He was a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Wofford College and was an avid kayaker throughout his life.[1] Pilley was awarded an honorary Doctor of Psychology from Wofford College in 2016.[1][5]
John W. Pilley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 1, 1928 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | June 17, 2018 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1969-2018 |
| Known for | Owner and trainer of Chaser the border collie |
| Title | Professor of Psychology 1969-1996; Professor Emeritus of Psychology, 1996 - 2018 |
| Spouse | Sally Pilley (married 1955)[1] |
| Children | Deborah Pilley Bianchi, Robin Pilley[1] |
| Academic background | |
| Education | Ph.D. psychology (1969) |
| Alma mater | Memphis State |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Behavioral psychologist |
| Institutions | Wofford College |
Education
Pilley was a graduate of Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.[6] He studied at Pepperdine University and received his theological degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey.[1][6] He received master’s degrees from Stetson University and Memphis State University, where he also received his Ph.D. in psychology.[1]
Career
Out of the media frenzy surrounding Chaser, Pilley was asked to write a book about his journey with Chaser and the dogs that came before her. In 2013, Pilley teamed with writer Hilary Hinzmann to pen the book, Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words,[7] which became a New York Times bestseller.[1] Training Chaser was his most notable achievement as Chaser could recognize 1022 words or items.
References
- "Wofford College - Dr. John Pilley, professor emeritus, passes away". www.wofford.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
- John W. Pilley; Alliston K. Reid (2011). "Border collie comprehends object names as verbal referents" (PDF). Behavioural Processes. 86 (2): 184–195. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2010.11.007. PMID 21145379. S2CID 18753940.
- "The Smartest Dog in the World". Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- Pilley, John W. "Meet the Dog Who Knows 1,000 Words". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- Lavender, Chris. "John Pilley, trainer of the 'smartest dog in the world,' dies at 89". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
- "Wofford College - Faculty Gallery". www.wofford.edu. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- W., Pilley, John (2013). Chaser : unlocking the genius of the dog who knows a thousand words. Boston. ISBN 9780544102576. OCLC 828890720.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)