Alert dog

[Dippy3103]

Yesterday I was out shopping when I saw a lady collecting for a cancer dog charity. I was chatting to her (and making a fuss of the very friendly adorable dog she had with her) when she told me the dog She had with her was actually a trainee diabetes alert dog. Apparently this dog ( which by now had dozed off on my foot!) is being trained to pick up on hypo and hyper from the scent of it's owner. She was telling me a six year old girl had recently been given one, and the dog had changed the wholefamily's lives for the better- her parents were not on permanant waking nights as the dog was there.
How amazing is that? I didn't know there were such dogs at all. The charity were looking for puppy socialisers- I would have loved to do it, but work long hours and I think my cats would take a very dim view.

 

[hanadr]

Dogs are wonderful!
my 3 are gorgeous, but don't do anything useful, except make sure I get plenty of exercise.
Hana

 

[Dippy3103]

My Mum allways says her dog is her personal trainer!
My cats serve even less pupose, though one of them did treat me to a decapitated mouse recently.
The alert dog was gorgous- he made my 3 year olds day by being so calm and letting him stroke him.
I am still gobsmacked that a dog can be trained to do this- I knew there were dogs that could detect fits before they happened but not hypo's.
Also hearing about the little girl really put my own problems well into perspective.

 

[CarbsRok]

y

 

[Dippy3103]

Dogs do love their belly's. When I retire in another 30 years the first thing I will do is get myself a dog! I don't have the time to look after a dog properly now, but would dearly love one!

 

[jopar]

A dog doesn’t have to be specially selected dog to become a hypo aware dog... Diabetic owners of dogs would be surprised that there dog might already beware of there hypo’s but the signals the dog is given hasn’t been noticed or honed into...
When you think about it, most ill-mannered disobedient, even aggressive dogs are the product of there owners in most cases owners need training more than the dogs... train the owner how to interact with there pooch so that the pooch understands what is required from them life is a lot different indeed...

My dog which I’ve only had since September, he was 14months old and had been in rescue kennels since leaving the litter... So had no training what so ever, never gone through proper socialisation with the outside world, this had left him with zero confidence indeed, to the extent that of what only can be described agoraphobic symptoms when outside the kennel environment... totally weary of people... It has taken time and patience to slowly build his confidence up but he’s almost there now enjoying his obedience training classes... A lot different and a much happier dog indeed...

From the start he’s received hypo awareness training, simply done... Every time either I or my husband (mainly hubby) has a hypo, he gets his highest prized treat (jelly baby) at no other time does he get one... He’s starting to click now and we slowly coming to the stage I’ve indentified his reaction when either of us is hypo, so the next stage is to hone in on this a bit more, getting this behaviour more established and identifiable by us... Which is for him as he’s a German shepherd cross Corgi, is pushing us with his nose and a little nip at our cloths (corgi’s are cattle herders, so nip at the heals of the cattle) Then his GSD instinct kicks in with guarding us alongside waiting for his jelly baby....

He did the other morning wake hubby up, at first he thought that Jones just wanted to go out to the loo, but didn’t once down stairs, so he decided to test his BG’s and yep he was hypo... To say that we were pleased as punch would be an understatement indeed...

 

[Debloubed]

Jopar, I love that about your dog!! I want one! :lol: I actually don't really like dogs as a rule, I was bitten by one when I was about 10 so that put me off a bit, but yours sounds fab Pointless really, I could never have one as I am out all day and don't have a big garden to leave a dog in but would love it if I had one who could be hypo aware! For now, will have to make do with OH and daughter (who are both quite cuddly too) :wink:

 

[Mother Bear]

That's the first time I have heard of a dog being trained in that way! It is fantastic! I have 2 golden retrievers myself and wouldn't be without them! Also have 4 cats. Even if they aren't trained to life save they are good for making you feel loved and lower stress! You never need to go on a walk alone.

 

[copepod]

Rabbit spots hypoglycaemia before wife / ambulance driver - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/camb ... 441337.stm

 

[jopar]

Jones is a smasher indeed... Totally long haired GSD looking, but with little corgi legs affectionally know as either sawn off or the fury coffee table

But it's no surprise that dogs are able to pull these fets off at all... My last two dogs I had a dobie cross and a staffi, always knew when I was coming home, they would alert hubby to my pending arrival by sitting by our front door 8) which ment I always had a hot coffee waiting for me :mrgreen:

Having know guide dogs personally, it's amazing seeing the work with the owner but as soon as the harness comes off, they go back to being the usual doggy personality... Bosun was a demond for raiding cupboards and fridges, and Hepsi was a nightmare to walk off harness right old lead puller :lol: put her harness on she became the guideing angle she was trained to be...

What I do find sad in many ways,

In this country we have helping dogs, for the blind and wheelchaired bound, dogs that accomply the deaf as well as hypo alert dogs all helping individuals lead a independant life as possible, these dogs are allowed in many different shops, work places etc if they've been trained by a suitable charity to carry out there task... But there are many dogs who do similar work for there owners, they've started out as a family pet but progressed into a life line for the owner.. There is no system that accredits these so that there owners have the same options with access to shops etc.. They do have this in the USA, as system of training dogs to give to those that need them, but also a system that gives the accreditation to those pets that owners have self trained to help them...

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

Jopar, Do you know how they train hypo dogs? I would imagine training one like you have been doing with Jones. Once I have a suitable place I want to carefully pick a breed for this purpose. I have seen many wippets used for hypo dogs but I think this is more due to the short hair and size than anything else.

Love that you keep score with the hypo's with hubby. Do you take bets on hba1c too? Must be awful when both of you are sick.

 

[CollieBoy]

Dogs will train themselves to do what you need them to do for you if you give them the love and attention they crave. My in-laws had a little cross-breed (looked like a fox) that trained itself as a hearing dog or them (both V. hard of hearing) - in the end Rusty (the dog) herself went deaf with old age (~17Years old). If either of them was ill Rusty would keep an eye on them/ raise the alarm. When George collapsed in the road, Rusty tried to go and raise the alarm!! In addition they listen to all your problems without being judgemental ( apart from being slow with that tit-bit)

 

[catherinecherub]

This site explains about their dogs detecting both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia,

http://www.hypoalertdogs.co.uk/

This one, Cancer and Biodetection dogs is also raising dogs for hypoglycemia detection,

http://www.cancerdogs.org.uk/diabetes-detection/

 

[Dippy3103]

An alert dog and playmate rolled into one for Khaleb, lovely thought. Would prob make your life much easier and may even buy you some rest, which I guess is a rare thing for you.
My son is three as well, I know he would love a puppy. The cats just don't play to order!