Pilley Bianchi
 

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Senior Executive Producer/Writer - Chaser the Border Collie

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Pilley Bianchi is the youngest daughter of Dr. John W. Pilley, Jr. the owner/teacher of Chaser the Border Collie, known internationally as “the smartest dog in the world.” Chaser has the largest formal language learning of any animal in the world. Bianchi has been involved in her father’s work with Chaser as a producer, co-trainer, writer, and media consultant. She has collaborated in television, radio and print interviews with TIME, PEOPLE, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, THE NEW YORK TIMES, BARK, MODERN DOG, THE HUFFINGTON POST, WIRED, PARIS MATCH, USA TODAY, THE DAILY MAIL etc. as well as film shoots with 60 MINUTES USA, 60 MINUTES AUSTRALIA, THE TODAY SHOW, ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT, CBS Sunday Morning, NAT GEO WILD, DISCOVERY, THE BBC, ITV, NOVA ScienceNOW, HILLS SCIENCE DIET, FOX & FRIENDS, INSIDE EDITION, THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, BETTY WHITE’S Smartest Animals in America etc.

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Bianchi partnered behind the scenes with her father and his co-writer Hilary Hinzmann on their New York Times bestselling book “Chaser, Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows 1000 Words” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) She has appeared as an expert on Chaser at SXSW, Hill’s Science Diet, Fox & Friends, PBS, Dogspot.in India, CBC Canada, SBS TV South Korea, WIRED, the AKC, the ASPCA, The IAABC, NPR Canada, Talk RADIO London, etc. Pilley is a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

 

Pilley's new book For the Love of Dog (The Ultimate Relationship Guide) with illustrator Calum Heath was released in September 2023 by Princeton Architectural Press a division of Chronicle Books. Calum's work has been featured in The New Yorker, The NYTimes, The Washington Post, The Guardian etc. It is based on Chaser, but is devoted to offering insight, inspiration and information regarding “everything dog.” It explores not only what we can teach dogs, but more importantly what we have to learn from dogs. 

       

Bianchi is Executive Producer/Founder of The Chaser Initiative, dedicated to educating Children (K-12) about the power of play and power of praise (Pop Pop.) By bringing dogs into the classroom, children will be exposed to discovering the legacy of John Pilley and Chaser’s method of learning - play. Kids will be introduced to their unique inter-species bond and how it applies to their own lives, linking them to nature. Seasoned animal rights educator Ingrid Quigg Norris is Executive Director of Education. Through the Chaser Initiative, we hope to nurture partnerships with national and international canine organizations educating their constituents in teaching dogs’ language through play, with a deeper dive into the significance of our unique inter-species relationship.

             

Bianchi has had an extensive career in the music industry for 25 years and is an award winning pianist, singer & composer. She was a featured on-air talent for MTV’s Ace awarding series TURN IT UP and Denis Leary’s Series SPOTLIGHT CAFÉ, co-writing both theme songs. She has shared the stage with India Arie, Josh Groban, Cyndi Lauper, Jo Dee Messina etc. As owner and executive producer of Bianchi Musica Productions, she has curated and performed hundreds of performances around the world and she never imagined she would be utilizing those same skills to manage an “an octogenarian and his dog.”

             

She had a remarkably close personal relationship with Chaser, with whom she shared a bedroom and finally understood her place in the family hierarchy when her father mistakenly called her “Chaser” on the phone.

 

 Woof.

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