Stig the Wonder Dog

admin
, 30 July 2015
Stig the Wonder Dog
Stig / Alex Learmont

By Fran Southgate

Living Wetlands Officer

I’m all for the joys of having a dog as a companion, but I also notice how much damage and disturbance dogs can cause to our local wildlife if they are not properly trained. It wasn’t until I heard about Stig the dog, that I began to see a lot more potential in the close relationships that we can cultivate with our canine friends.

Stig is a spaniel of sorts, and an ex police dog from the narcotics squad who used to help arrest drug smugglers. With his fine tuned nasal talents, you’d think he might be better suited to starring in some CSI style film, but instead he has turned his attention to helping reverse the fortunes of one of Britain’s fastest declining native mammals and star of Wind in the Willows - the water vole. As far as I know, Stig may be able to claim fame as the first dog in the UK who can sniff out rare wildlife rather than the next tasty snack. But better still, this dog is so well trained that rather than scare off the wildlife, he can just stand and point at it so that we can find it.

In fact, I’m sure my colleagues won’t mind if I say that Stig is now probably the best water vole surveyor in the Country and its first eco-dog. He can smell water voles rather than relying on field signs to find them like we humans do. It’s very easy to look for wildlife signs when the wildlife is abundant, but when species are scarce and scattered across a large landscape they are really hard to detect. We know that there are frequent occasions when we miss their presence, and in doing so we are missing the chance to protect and restore their populations where they are in decline. Stig can now help us to discover these places, giving us a much better idea of the true status of water voles, and better evidence with which to try and support water vole conservation work.

For me it’s a fantastic new development in conservation, and it has some potentially far reaching ramifications. In the past I’ve seen a ranger train his dog to point at birds sheltering young in nests on the ground. With enough patient dog owners, there is the potential to create a whole new line in wildlife recorders, each with its own smelling specialism!

I’m ever so slightly gutted that Stig lives in Essex and not in Sussex, but let’s hope has some pups who inherit his skills!

Leave a comment
Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1789238856.75290 [907] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1789238856.79150.0386Matched route: news/[slug:s]
1789238856.79160.0001Server address: 216.73.216.44
1789238856.79160Using master page: /templates/pages/blog/post.php
1789238856.79160Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /news/stig-the-wonder-dog
    [s] => stig-the-wonder-dog
    [1] => stig-the-wonder-dog
)
1789238856.79180.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238856.7930.0011 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1789238856.7950.0021 [1] SELECT locationID FROM swt_shop_tax_locations WHERE locationIsHome=1 LIMIT 1
1789238856.79590.0009INSERT INTO swt_shop_cart(memberID,locationID,currencyID,cartPricing,cartProperties) VALUES(NULL,'1',47,'standard','[]')
1789238856.80280.0069 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=24970783
1789238856.80370.0009 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=24970783
1789238856.80440.0007 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-09-12 18:47:00' AND saleTo>'2026-09-12 18:47:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1789238856.80570.0013 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='stig-the-wonder-dog')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-09-12 18:47:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 10
1789238856.80860.0029 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1789238856.80910.0005 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postID=941 AND postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-09-12 18:47:00'
1789238856.810.0009 [13] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_sections ORDER BY sectionTitle ASC
1789238856.81080.0008 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blogs ORDER BY blogTitle ASC
1789238856.81150.0007 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=65 LIMIT 1
1789238856.81220.0007 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=66 LIMIT 1
1789238856.81290.0007Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1789238856.8130.0002 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1789238856.81420.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-09-12 18:47:00' AND postSlug='stig-the-wonder-dog'
1789238856.84640.0323Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1789238856.84690.0005 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1789238856.84880.002Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1789238856.8490.0002 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/news/post' OR regionPage='*')
1789238856.85020.0012 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=104 AND idx.itemRev=0)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1789238856.85210.0019 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1789238856.85540.0033 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238856.85620.0008 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1789238856.85910.0029Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1789238856.85910 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1789238856.85960.0005 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1789238856.85980.0003 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1789238856.86140.0015 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1789238856.86230.0009 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1789238856.8630.0007 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1789238856.8650.002 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' OR pageSortPath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238856.8660.001 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageHidden=0 AND pageNew=0 AND pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition
1789238856.8690.003 [1] Using template: /templates/navigation/breadcrumbs.html
1789238856.86940.0004Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1789238856.86950.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='1' LIMIT 1
1789238856.87020.0007Using template: /templates/blog/author.html
1789238856.87060.0003 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='stig-the-wonder-dog')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-09-12 18:47:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 1
1789238856.87390.0034 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1789238856.87460.0006 [1] Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1789238856.87720.0026Using template: /templates/blog/comment_form.html
1789238856.87830.0011 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_comments WHERE 1=1 AND postID=941 AND commentStatus='LIVE' ORDER BY FIELD(webmentionType, 'like', 'repost', 'comment', NULL) ASC, commentDateTime ASC
1789238856.96340.0852 [0] Using template: /templates/blog/comment.html
1789238856.96360.0002Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1789238856.96380.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='1' LIMIT 1
1789238856.96470.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1789238856.96560.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1789238856.96640.0008 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1789238856.96960.0032 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238856.97030.0007 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1789238856.97330.0029 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1789238856.97430.001 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1789238856.97570.0014 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1789238856.97640.0007 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1789238856.98050.0041 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238856.98130.0008 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1789238856.98460.0033 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1789238856.98740.0029 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1789238856.98850.0011 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1789238856.98910.0006 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1789238856.99290.0038 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238856.99370.0008 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1789238856.9970.0033 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
17892388570.003 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1789238857.0010.001 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1789238857.00180.0007 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1789238857.00540.0036 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1789238857.00610.0007 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1789238857.00920.0031 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1789238857.01070.0014Request time: 0.2596
1789238857.01070Process time: 0.2595
1789238857.01070Memory: 1.6228