Comments on: Medic- Alert Service Dogs http://www.starchwars.com/2007/04/medic-alert-service-dogs/ Glycogen Storage Disease Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:08:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jillian http://www.starchwars.com/2007/04/medic-alert-service-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-162 Jillian Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:36:43 +0000 http://starchwars.com/control/lib/blog/2007/04/30/medic-alert-service-dogs/#comment-162 I've heard rumors that they use vials of normal blood and vials of hypoglycemic blood to train dogs. The trainers place them at different places in the room and every time the dog sniffs at the vial of low blood sugar, they praise him and give him a treat. If he goes for the normal blood, they just don't do anything. Again, these are rumors, I'm not really sure how it is done. We're just in the "training a puppy to be a service dog" stage. Although, whenever we have a hypoglycemic episode we take the puppy to the kid and let him sniff and lick (something we don't normally allow). We also give him lots of praise, and I suppose we should give him a treat. Hope this helps, please let us know if you find out anything else. I’ve heard rumors that they use vials of normal blood and vials of hypoglycemic blood to train dogs. The trainers place them at different places in the room and every time the dog sniffs at the vial of low blood sugar, they praise him and give him a treat. If he goes for the normal blood, they just don’t do anything.
Again, these are rumors, I’m not really sure how it is done. We’re just in the “training a puppy to be a service dog” stage.
Although, whenever we have a hypoglycemic episode we take the puppy to the kid and let him sniff and lick (something we don’t normally allow). We also give him lots of praise, and I suppose we should give him a treat. Hope this helps, please let us know if you find out anything else.

]]> By: Amy http://www.starchwars.com/2007/04/medic-alert-service-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-158 Amy Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:37:26 +0000 http://starchwars.com/control/lib/blog/2007/04/30/medic-alert-service-dogs/#comment-158 I have been doing an online search on how to train a dog to detect low blood sugar and have not been able to find anything and came across this positing. I have a Border Collie/Sheltie mix who is very smart and loves to work. I would like to train him to detect low blood sugar levels since I am hypoglycemic and live alone, and often get low without realizing it. I don't even know how to determine if he is a good candidate for this type of detection. Has anyone discovered any tips on where to begin? I have been doing an online search on how to train a dog to detect low blood sugar and have not been able to find anything and came across this positing. I have a Border Collie/Sheltie mix who is very smart and loves to work. I would like to train him to detect low blood sugar levels since I am hypoglycemic and live alone, and often get low without realizing it. I don’t even know how to determine if he is a good candidate for this type of detection. Has anyone discovered any tips on where to begin?

]]> By: Connie http://www.starchwars.com/2007/04/medic-alert-service-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Connie Sun, 05 Aug 2007 06:13:20 +0000 http://starchwars.com/control/lib/blog/2007/04/30/medic-alert-service-dogs/#comment-69 Dogs are amazing. Our dog trainer has a service dog that can smell when she is going to have a seizure. He can dial 911 on the telephone and all sorts of things. So far, our dog may have been receiving covert training from our daughter; our dog gets totally in my way if I'm trying to test her blood sugar while she's sleeping. But I want the dog in the room...just in case she decides to smell a low blood sugar and alert me.... I need to start training her to respond to the alarm. It's really easy to do, but I haven't begun yet. If you have my email, feel free to write me. Dogs are amazing. Our dog trainer has a service dog that can smell when she is going to have a seizure. He can dial 911 on the telephone and all sorts of things.

So far, our dog may have been receiving covert training from our daughter; our dog gets totally in my way if I’m trying to test her blood sugar while she’s sleeping. But I want the dog in the room…just in case she decides to smell a low blood sugar and alert me…. I need to start training her to respond to the alarm. It’s really easy to do, but I haven’t begun yet.

If you have my email, feel free to write me.

]]> By: Jillian http://www.starchwars.com/2007/04/medic-alert-service-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Jillian Sat, 04 Aug 2007 16:06:24 +0000 http://starchwars.com/control/lib/blog/2007/04/30/medic-alert-service-dogs/#comment-68 Hi Connie, I hope you do move here. I've never met another GSD family either. We'd live within 10-20 minutes of eachother. Sounds like you have a good dog to train... other than the whole carsickness thing. When we first started our search for hypoglycemia sniffing service dog we came across an excellent organization called Dogs 4 Diabetics. They're based in Concord, California, but were unfortunately unable to help us because 1. We don't live in California and 2. They limit themselves to working exclusively with diabetics. Through their website site, however, we found out that they had labradoodles donated to them to become service dogs by an organization in Boise, Idaho called Genesis Sevice Dogs http://www.genesisservicedogs.com/default.asp. We got a hold of them, and while they can't train the dogs, they did just have a new litter, and are going to give our oldest son a puppy. My husband is going to help them out with some web site work, and a little marketing advice, and when they take their puppies to be donated to Dogs 4 Diabetics, we're hoping that they will be able to get some tips as to how to train these dogs. From my very limited understanding, I think there is a certain scent that people who are becoming hypoglycemic give off. They then train the dogs to recognize the smell and respond appropriately. From the small amount of research we've done, we've found out that some dogs will recognize that their owner's blood sugar is getting low naturally. The trick is finding out how the dog tries to tell you. I'll pass on any info I get to the blog and you. If you make any more discoveries, please share! Hi Connie, I hope you do move here. I’ve never met another GSD family either. We’d live within 10-20 minutes of eachother. Sounds like you have a good dog to train… other than the whole carsickness thing. When we first started our search for hypoglycemia sniffing service dog we came across an excellent organization called Dogs 4 Diabetics. They’re based in Concord, California, but were unfortunately unable to help us because 1. We don’t live in California and 2. They limit themselves to working exclusively with diabetics.
Through their website site, however, we found out that they had labradoodles donated to them to become service dogs by an organization in Boise, Idaho called Genesis Sevice Dogs http://www.genesisservicedogs.com/default.asp. We got a hold of them, and while they can’t train the dogs, they did just have a new litter, and are going to give our oldest son a puppy. My husband is going to help them out with some web site work, and a little marketing advice, and when they take their puppies to be donated to Dogs 4 Diabetics, we’re hoping that they will be able to get some tips as to how to train these dogs.
From my very limited understanding, I think there is a certain scent that people who are becoming hypoglycemic give off. They then train the dogs to recognize the smell and respond appropriately. From the small amount of research we’ve done, we’ve found out that some dogs will recognize that their owner’s blood sugar is getting low naturally. The trick is finding out how the dog tries to tell you. I’ll pass on any info I get to the blog and you. If you make any more discoveries, please share!

]]> By: Connie Silvester http://www.starchwars.com/2007/04/medic-alert-service-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Connie Silvester Sat, 04 Aug 2007 04:42:44 +0000 http://starchwars.com/control/lib/blog/2007/04/30/medic-alert-service-dogs/#comment-65 We have thought of that, too. We are going to train our lab to wake up to the alarm and then lick our kid to death so she will wake up and take her cornstarch. (Okay...our daughter is 4 yrs. now...but in the future...)How do you train the dog to recognize hypoglycemia, though? Our dog is really smart and is only a year old. We are trying to get over a huge hurdle of carsickness...can't have a service dog that gets carsick. If you get a dog, make sure he/she doesn't get carsick. Anyway, do you have any addition info. on this? (Dog training to smell hypoglycemia...not the carsick part.) Also, we were in Idaho this summer, but I didn't have time to look you up. We are going back, maybe in January. We are thinking of relocating there, either in Star or in Eagle. I did remember that you are there, though, and it was tough knowing you were close, but I couldn't meet you. I've not met an actual GSD family, yet. Also, if we do move next summer, how on earth would we get our poor dog there? Between the cornstarch, the potty breaks, and the dog getting sick...that would be pretty slow traveling! Please let us know about the dogs...because we have the dog, she's gradually getting trained, but haven't decided to go the whole 9 yards for service dog training yet...and how would they train for sniffing out hypoglycemia? Thanks, Connie Silvester from So. Ca. We have thought of that, too. We are going to train our lab to wake up to the alarm and then lick our kid to death so she will wake up and take her cornstarch. (Okay…our daughter is 4 yrs. now…but in the future…)How do you train the dog to recognize hypoglycemia, though?

Our dog is really smart and is only a year old. We are trying to get over a huge hurdle of carsickness…can’t have a service dog that gets carsick. If you get a dog, make sure he/she doesn’t get carsick.

Anyway, do you have any addition info. on this? (Dog training to smell hypoglycemia…not the carsick part.)

Also, we were in Idaho this summer, but I didn’t have time to look you up. We are going back, maybe in January. We are thinking of relocating there, either in Star or in Eagle. I did remember that you are there, though, and it was tough knowing you were close, but I couldn’t meet you. I’ve not met an actual GSD family, yet.

Also, if we do move next summer, how on earth would we get our poor dog there? Between the cornstarch, the potty breaks, and the dog getting sick…that would be pretty slow traveling!

Please let us know about the dogs…because we have the dog, she’s gradually getting trained, but haven’t decided to go the whole 9 yards for service dog training yet…and how would they train for sniffing out hypoglycemia?

Thanks,
Connie Silvester from So. Ca.

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