I have just joined your group and was wondering if any of you know much about Diabetic alert dogs. i volunteer for a non-profit organisation call Paws for Diabetics Inc. (www,pfd.org.au). My son is a type one, I am pictured with my sond alert dog! he does not know when he is having a hypo and his dog tells him. Would love to talk to other that might be interested in knowing a little more or just have questions. If you like check us out you never know we might be able to help you.
Hi I am a new member of Tu Diabetes I have type One Insulin Dependant Diabetes, Insulin Resistance and I am completly Hypo Unaware so my life has had many ups and downs along with alot of other medical complications. I am also volunteer for Paws for Diabetics Inc (www.pfd.org.au) my dogs name is Winston he has been nicknamed “Winston the Wonder Whippet” by all of my health care professionals because he is truly a wonderful and amazing whippet and my little life saver.
thanks I will check it out and read there stories
My interest has just been piqued by a long discussion over on CWD regarding the alert dogs. I have long been aware of them. I did not know they had such a high accuracy rate, nor did I realize these dogs alert for highs, as well as lows AND that you can train an alert dog what high or low range to alert to (as in 70 to 180). We have always had dogs. DN would love another dog (she is always willing to add another animal to the four in the house already, LOL). I have gathered the organizations that train these dogs insist that the dog accompany the owner 24/7 or the dog will not alert. Does anyone have experience with obtaining these dogs for PART TIME use, as in the dog would be with the diabetic child while the child is home but not with the child while the child is at school or at an activity where the dogs would make it uncomfortable to participate? Will these dogs alert if only used when the child is at home and overnight? Would be willing to put in the training required, but DN would not like to be attached to the dog all the time.
We train for the dog to be 24/7. The issue of a part time dog as you say is they are a dog and don’t have a on off switch. They will always be wanting to work. This is what they are trained for to alert with out prompting. What would you be doing with the dog for the main part of the day? You say that you have other dogs in the house, I would assume that the alert dog would be with them. The alert dog would want to stay with the other dogs and not bond strong enough with DN. This is why the dog would not alert or be inconsistant and then untrust worthy for accuacy. We would not accept or train a dog in our program if they wanted a part time alert dog.