Diabetes Alert Dogs

13365 Views 30 Replies 15 Participants Last post by lillybooelizabeth, Jul 28, 2013

stripes

Discussion Starter · Mar 24, 2010

Hi everyone!

I first heard a few years ago about Diabetes Alert Dogs, who alert you when your glucose is high and/or low, and I found it very interesting.

In Australia, it hasn't yet become a big thing - we're still only getting assistance dogs for things other than blindness, so a Diabetes Alert Dog is a new thiing here in Australia.

I was on twitter today, and saw that the American Delta Society (dog training with positive reinforcement) posted a link about Diabetes Alert Dogs.
Service Dog Alerts To Low Blood Sugar - cbs4denver.com That's the link there if any of you want to have a loook.

So I googled to see if there were yet any organisations in Australia for alert dogs, and I found one! PAWS for Diabetics.

It sounds like it is very expensive (going up from $1000 initially!) but I am wondering if it would help me. I don't go low often at all, as my anxieties prevent me from getting my glucose into normal ranges, but I think maybe an Alert Dog would give me some piece of mind and help me to conquer these anxieties.

I'm actually a dog trainer myself, and I deal more with training for solving problems behaviours rather than general obedience training (although I do that too!) and I find this area very interesting.

Has anyone here got an Alert dog, knows someone who has one, or is interested in it? Thoughts?

stripes

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1 - 20 of 31 Posts

onaughmae

· #2 · Mar 24, 2010

I have heard of it, but dont know anyone personally that has had one. Would be a good thing for those very brittle diabetics though I would think.

Cheers
Pam

Shanny

· #3 · Mar 24, 2010

I've heard of it too, and having had some really smart dogs of my own, I get how they can learn to alert like this. I swear some dogs are smarter than some humans! heheh!

breezeonby

· #4 · Mar 24, 2010

stripes said:
Hi everyone!

I first heard a few years ago about Diabetes Alert Dogs, who alert you when your glucose is high and/or low, and I found it very interesting.

In Australia, it hasn't yet become a big thing - we're still only getting assistance dogs for things other than blindness, so a Diabetes Alert Dog is a new thiing here in Australia.

I was on twitter today, and saw that the American Delta Society (dog training with positive reinforcement) posted a link about Diabetes Alert Dogs.
Service Dog Alerts To Low Blood Sugar - cbs4denver.com That's the link there if any of you want to have a loook.

So I googled to see if there were yet any organisations in Australia for alert dogs, and I found one! PAWS for Diabetics.

It sounds like it is very expensive (going up from $1000 initially!) but I am wondering if it would help me. I don't go low often at all, as my anxieties prevent me from getting my glucose into normal ranges, but I think maybe an Alert Dog would give me some piece of mind and help me to conquer these anxieties.

I'm actually a dog trainer myself, and I deal more with training for solving problems behaviours rather than general obedience training (although I do that too!) and I find this area very interesting.

Has anyone here got an Alert dog, knows someone who has one, or is interested in it? Thoughts?

stripes

Hey stripes, have you ever thought of getting a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)? It would alert you when you were going low. One of the moderators on this forum, Richard157 has a CGM and he says that it has really helped him out. I am sure there are dogs for alerting people with diabetes. Dogs are very smart and help many with handicaps.

stripes

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 24, 2010

breezeonby said:
Hey stripes, have you ever thought of getting a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)? It would alert you when you were going low. One of the moderators on this forum, Richard157 has a CGM and he says that it has really helped him out. I am sure there are dogs for alerting people with diabetes. Dogs are very smart and help many with handicaps.

Never heard of them before!

I do quite like the idea of a dog though. I'm an animal person

Plus being able to take an animal wherever would be pretty cool. Except for the restrictions.

G

· #6 · Mar 25, 2010

Hearing Ear Dogs..

I'm Deaf to the point of not being to hear at all without HA's. Ginger, who is our "Goldador" (half Golden Retriever and half Yellow Lab) is my Service Dog. She alerts me to various situations that has to do with sound.

As a example.. phone ringing, door knocks, door bell, someone in our yard or approaching, etc., etc. We, over here in the U.S., have had and used various animals (and not just dogs), for many different types of medical reasons.

So what's the situation with HED's down there on the island?

Breeze 2 User

stripes

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 25, 2010

Sounds like you've got a reliable companion, Breeze 2 User! That's always good.

I got an email from the Director of Training today from Paws for Diabetics. She said each dog has to be temperament assessed, I'm assuming to make sure it will suit the job and that it can cope in lots of situations. She was very helpful!

Assistance dogs (apart from seeing-eye dogs) are pretty rare here in Aus. I did have a client who had a little dog and she came to us to get an official note recommending her dog become a qualified assistance dog as the lady was quite anxious. She got approved and came back really happy a few months later. Aww.

btyler

· #8 · Oct 6, 2010

Diabetic Alert Dogs

I will be receiving a Diabetic Alert Dog in about 8 weeks from Warrens Retrievers and receive training from Dee Bogetti in Richmond VA. I have research this for a long time and had some trouble finding a place with good reputation and that would let me have a dog since I was
1. on the east coast
2. not a diabetic, I have Reactive Hypoglycemia and rarely have an highs, but live in the land of really lows.

I am excited and following many blog sites of others with DAD's (diabetic alert dogs), Warrens Retrievers and Dee Bogetti have facebook pages.

Beverly

stripes

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 13, 2010

That's great news btyler! Let us know how the dog goes hey!

Good luck

stripes

btyler

· #10 · Oct 13, 2010

I will keep you updated. I cannot wait to meet this puppy, but a lot of training ahead.
Thanks for the support,
Beverly

lia

· #11 · Oct 13, 2010

I saw a tv program, probably on the discovery channel about them. One of them hadn't been trained, but when the owner's bg was low, the dog would try to pull her over to the tea kettle. (she took sugar with her tea) It took a couple of times before the owner understood what was happening.

Personally I really don't like pets in the house. I'm mildly allergic to cats and find the smell of any other pet unpleasant. But this show did impress me, and it was a new appreciation of pets. A few of the owners had little stories about the dogs and low bg.

It's amazing the intelligence, the attitude, the senses they have, and they are willing to cooperate with us. Love that sort of stuff. (But they are still not going to get in my house.)

GailA

· #12 · Mar 7, 2011

I have a Diabetic Alert Dog

I have had a Diabetic Alert Dog for 4.5 years I live in Sydney Australia. I'm a volunteer for assistance dog program. Our dogs are free, we rely on donations and corporate sponsership.
I have had britttle diabetes for 44 years and have hypo unawareness among other diabetic complications. Shania my 4.5kg Chinese Crested has given me back my independence.
Before Shania came into my life a had multiple hypos a day and a family member would have to used glucogon injections 2 to 3 times a week. Not catching my lows until my BSL levels wer well under 1 meant I would often rebound to a high reading. This yo-yo effect was my life. Now with the help of Shania I have a far tighter control of my BSL's and I feel that I can go anywhere by myself and sleep through the night not having to test just incase my BSL in dropping. I enjoy full independence that most adults take for granted. Admittedly an assistance dog isn't for everyone. Although they are true guardian angels for those that need their support.
Thanks for reading I hope this will help anyone who might be in need of this extra BSL monitor ( A Dog)

Regards Gail ,

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baredul

· #13 · Apr 1, 2011

Hi, I am new here and found this forum due to this topic specifically. I have a pup named Rufus who alerts to my lows and highs. Either and he is not a happy puppy. He started alerting at 8 weeks old on his very own. Drawn to the odors of a hyper attack he licked my face so much I wondered what could be wrong did I taste funny? It occured to me to first wash my face and while my hands were clean I tested my blood sugar. It was high.

After many such instances, I was thrilled again tonight when he did it again. I woke to my now 4 month old pup standing dead over me slurping my nearly dead to the world face. I had sweated my sheets soaked from a diabetic high. He would take no answer that I was awake until I actually turned the tv on and checked the time, sat up and made sure to check my sugar. Good pup!

I am also have Ptsd. This animal is calming and reassuring even when I am at my worst. He seems to not let the least thing bother him. I am wondering do any of you know where I can register him? If its required? He is very trainable and already alerts, comes, sits,stays and is crowd trained. I am in the USA.

I will also be staying at this forum it's nice and I like the fact it's busy with refreshing topics.

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baredul

· #14 · Apr 5, 2011

I found out I don't have to register Rufus in the USA I thought I would leave this tid bit of info for others to find. You can owner train in the USA and there is more information if you look up the service dog laws and the ada laws of america. Good luck to others with their alert animals.

D4Hope

· #15 · Sep 26, 2011

Stripes,
I have recently been researching DADs. It is fasinnating. A CGM has a 20 minute lag time. The dog will tell you when you start dropping. Which will always be, before you drop too far. These dogs are highly trained, expensive, lifesavers. Many parents of small children have found these dogs very helpful.
Be careful, there are, not so nice people out there, to make a fast buck. People have paid $20,000 for a diabetic alert dog, and were taken to the cleaners. The dog was trained for service, but not for DAD. The sellers, then moved on to another state and did it all over again.
do some research! !

optimist

· #16 · Sep 26, 2011

We have two dogs which has been out pets for several years.
Our poodle, a eight years old wonderful girl, has warned me several times when my BG drops down.
She has no training for this job, but still she warns me.
She lick my hands many times a day, like she is testing me. Sometimes after giving me a test, she starts staring in my eyes, put her paw on me and wont go away no matter if someone is calling for her.
Each time she does this, a test show that my BG is way below 3.

I think an alert dog is a wonderful thing, and I am really surprised that my beloved dog can do this without any training at all.

JT.

· #17 · Sep 27, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Being a Registered ANKC Toy and Standard Poodle At first I didnt know I was a diabetic.

Rustie is a Toy Poodle and Rosie is a Standard poodle.

I have both of them since 4 to 5 yrs ago, they never lick my hands or face because I didnt like that. Early Last yr..Rustie and Rosie started to lick my hands, feet and my face and when I told them to stop, they did but carry on again later.

They both started to lick me like last year ever since .. but i didnt know or never realise it or think about it..

Last month, I wasn't feeling too well and start coughing for few weeks.. I thought it was my Ciggs but then when i cough out some blood.. I got worried about if I got lung Cancer from my smoking (40 to 50 sticks a day)...

Went to see a GP to check it out and have a Chest Xray.. Got the films and went back to the GP.. Everything is fine with my chest xray but my BP was shooting up to 146 / 97... So He ask me if I want to do a blood test..

My Blood test came back found out i got diabetes T2, high cholesterol & hypertension!! After I got diagnose DT2, I realise out that my dog licks me because my sugar level was high.. So now I realise what my dog was warning me since early last year 2010..

Nowadays if my sugar level is high, they will lick my hands and feet and i will go and test it.. REALLY IT IS!!

How Smart are these dogs???? (they didnt go to proper training)

PS: My Avatar is Rustie and Rosie is below Photo!

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Shanny

· #18 · Sep 27, 2011

Rosie looks like an apricot . . . very pretty! Rusty I can't see - avatar is too small!

JT.

· #19 · Sep 27, 2011

Shanny said:
Rosie looks like an apricot . . . very pretty! Rusty I can't see - avatar is too small!

Yes, Rosie is a Apricot STD poodle... Here is Rustie! (not Rusty) lol

Pic of him when he was young and older pic of him recently..

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Shanny

· #20 · Sep 27, 2011 (Edited)

Oops, sorry about the misspelling. They are beautiful dogs.

I don't have any of Fritz sitting up & taking notice, but here's one of him
when we visited the Colorado kids last month & the kids' little kitten, Abbie,
was quite taken with Fritz (mostly because she couldn't get a rise out of him -
she'd even crawl up on his head & chew on his ears. Nothing. Fritz is used to
living with a cat - he has Waylon keeping him in line all the days of his life! =)

Fritz & Abbie

1 - 20 of 31 Posts

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