MISSOURI – From choosing the winner of seven Kentucky Derbys to accurately guessing the gender of unborn babies, “Jim the Wonder Dog,” a Llewellyn setter in Missouri, became the state’s official “wonder dog” in 2017 for his bizzare talents.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State, Jim was born in 1925 and first gained attention for his hunting ability. Allegedly Jim had tracked over 5,000 birds, an amount no other dog had ever attained.

After reaching such an achievement, Outdoor Life Magazine named Jim “The Hunting Dog of the Country,” according to the Jim the Wonder Dog website.

Jim’s talents go even further than hunting; he could even locate a car by make, color, or license plate number. Additionally, Jim could follow commands given in foreign languages like Italian, German, French, Spanish, and even Morse code.

Missouri’s wonder dog even proved to be psychic by his accurate pick of the winner of several Kentucky Derby’s, the victories of several baseball teams in World Series games, and the gender of unborn babies.

Despite the fame, Jim the Wonder Dog started out as an underdog. When he was born in Louisiana, he was sold to his owner, Sam VanArsadale, for less than half the amount of his littermates of pureblood Llewellyn setters.

Courtesy of Missouri State Archives and Friends of Jim the Wonder Dog

According to the Lawrence Public Library, VanArsadale took Jim to the University of Missouri to be tested by top veterinarians at the school. The only difference they could physically find between Jim and other dogs is that his eyes were more prominent and the middle portion of his brain was broader.

This didn’t stop Jim, and from that point on, he continually amazed all who met him. In 2017, the Missouri general assembly designated Jim as a state symbol and the official wonder dog of Missouri.

Jim’s fame even went nationwide, making headlines across several newspapers and magazines, and eventually he was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Jim passed away in 1937 and was buried in Marshal, Missouri. He is still remembered as a bronze statue at the Jim the Wonder Dog Museum and Garden.