The Golden Retriever Who Saved His Choking Owner by Jumping on Her Chest

Debbie Parkhurst was taking a break from making jewelry at her Maryland home in March 2007 when a piece of apple suddenly became lodged in her throat. She couldn’t breathe.

The 45-year-old tried performing the Heimlich maneuver on herself, but it didn’t work. She began striking her chest, desperately trying to clear the obstruction.

Her husband, Kevin, was away at work. There was nobody else in the house who could call for help.

But her two-year-old golden retriever, Toby, was watching.

Toby Jumped Into Action

According to Parkhurst, Toby came toward her, rose onto his hind legs and placed his front paws on her shoulders. He pushed her backward, knocking her onto the floor. Then he began jumping up and down on her chest.

The dog landed on her several times, hitting her hard enough to leave paw-shaped bruises. After several impacts, the piece of apple suddenly flew out of her throat.

Parkhurst could breathe again. Toby immediately began licking her face as she lay on the floor recovering. She was shaken, sore and still trying to catch her breath, but the immediate danger had passed.

Parkhurst later sought medical attention. She remained hoarse after the incident and told reporters that her doctor believed she probably wouldn’t have survived if the obstruction had stayed in place.

The golden retriever had never received any training to respond to a choking emergency. He had seen his owner struggling, rushed toward her and begun pushing against her chest. And his actions had saved her life.

Toby Had Once Needed Rescuing Himself

When the story began attracting national attention, people learned something remarkable about Toby’s early life. According to Associated Press reporting, Toby had been rescued when he was only about four weeks old. Someone had thrown the tiny puppy into a garbage bin and left him there to die.

Parkhurst eventually took him into her home, giving him a family and a chance to grow into a happy, healthy dog. Roughly two years later, that same puppy had become the only one close enough to help when she couldn’t breathe. Toby had gone from being an abandoned animal who needed someone to save him to a beloved family pet who had saved his owner’s life.

A Very Unusual Rescue Makes National News

As word of the incident spread, newspapers and television stations began reporting on the golden retriever whose jumping had cleared his owner’s airway. The story attracted attention because of how quickly Toby had responded and how perfectly timed his actions had been.

Parkhurst had already tried to clear the apple herself without success. Toby’s intervention provided the force that finally dislodged it.

She was left with bruises from his paws, but she was alive to tell reporters what had happened. There was even a funny detail that Parkhurst shared afterward. Once the apple was out and she was recovering, Toby ate the piece that had nearly killed her.

The ASPCA Names Toby Dog of the Year

In November 2007, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals honored Toby as its Dog of the Year. Parkhurst traveled with him to New York for the organization’s annual Humane Awards luncheon, where animals were recognized for remarkable acts of courage and companionship.

Another animal honored that year was Winnie, a cat from Indiana who had alerted her family to dangerous carbon monoxide levels in their home. Winnie’s actions had helped her owner wake up and call for help.

Toby’s award brought even more attention to the rescue in Maryland, turning an ordinary family pet into a nationally recognized lifesaver.

The golden retriever someone had once abandoned in a garbage bin was now being honored for saving the woman who had given him a home.