Lots of folks are getting a diabetic alert dog now! I am excited and happy for them! As I have stated before these dogs are NOT AN END ALL but they are an extremely useful tool!
As folks attempt to self-train I am seeing some interesting patterns. People WANT IT NOW!!!!! They expect a dog to be a soldier in the war against diabetes. They want consistent scent work from the time the dog comes home. They want perfect obedience. Folks listen it is going to take AT LEAST 2 years to get a RELIABLE CONSISTANT diabetic alert dog IF IT HAPPENS AT ALL! THERE ARE GOING TO BE UPS AND DOWNS. There are going to be missed alerts. ALL SORTS OF THINGS CAN HAPPEN!
IF YOU WANT THE ABOVE THINGS…YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE WORK YOUR BUTT OFF! You are going to need to learn more about dog training and dog behavior than you ever wanted to know. Remember this is in ADDITION to dealing with diabetes and all the other things that you juggle in your life. The interesting thing is that YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING and still FALL SHORT of having a reliable diabetic alert dog! You might end up with a really good pet!
Bravo is an AMAZING DOG! The best I have ever owned or trained, but he is still a dog! YES! YOU HEARD ME...HE IS STILL A DOG! He occasionally throws up on my floor. He woofs when you knock on my door. If he doesn’t like you he will turn away from you. He occasionally will try to steal food. He will beg for food if you let him. Sometimes he pulls on the leash and he is ALWAYS the FUN POLICE at my house. If the younger dogs are having too much fun or gets to excited he will run over and correct them. He is amazing dog but he is STILL A DOG! Training is always and evermore ONGOING! Does it get easier…yes! But I still train or do something with him almost daily! Sometimes I do obedience, sometimes I do field work, sometimes I do agility, sometimes I do scent work, sometimes we go hunting, sometimes we go for a long walk, sometimes he jogs along side my bike, and sometimes we go play ball! EVERY DAY folks! EVERY DAY we do SOMETHING besides alerting!
If you want a quality diabetic alert dog you have to look at and address THE WHOLE DOG! This applies to ANY dog! A pound dog, an imprinted puppy, or a fully trained dog! It doesn’t matter whether you get a free dog or a 20 k one the process is still the same! They are not soldiers…they are dogs! Every part of the dog must be looked at and revisited often. Is the dog getting enough exercise? Is he getting the right food and the right amount of food? Is he healthy and getting proper checks? Is he getting consistent and persistent training in all areas? Is he getting enough rest? With a puppy, does he have a fairly consistent and routine schedule? Are you adding new and challenging things daily? Do you challenge the brain as well as the mind! Any one of these things can throw alerting to scent off, and the dog will stop alerting. Maybe he will start again and maybe not…. scent training is an OFFERED BEHAVIOR. There are so many variables that can impact it! Yes there are MANY things that can enhance and perhaps restart the alert process but STOPPING ALERTING can happen anywhere and anytime. How are you going to handle that if it happens? Are you going to blame the dog for being stupid? Are you going to be angry? Are you going to be scared? Any of those things can stop alerting as well!
Can they burn out?? YES! I have seen that! It is most often because all areas of the WHOLE DOG were not addressed! And trainers kept pounding away at what they want and the dog quits! It isn’t pretty! I have seen my dogs so EXHAUSTED from alerting that they can hardly move! I have seen the frustration build up when I can’t fix my blood glucose no matter how hard I try. Honestly, I have wondered why Bravo hasn’t told me to “go pound sand”.
Folks this is NOT an EASY process. It is always and ever HARD WORK! Is it worth it? ABSOLUTLY but there are no guarantees. It could all be in vain…are you ready for that? They are always FIRST AND FOREMOST DOGS!!! No trainer can ever make a dog anything but a dog. Dog training, scent training, public access, diabetes, and life is a lot for anyone! If you are not going to be COMMMITED to the process, if you cant ENJOY the process and the relationship of having a dog do everyone a favor and get a CBGM (continuous blood glucose monitor)! I have one in the drawer that you can have!
Ahhhhh this is aaamaazing! You summed it all up wonderfully!!!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading your posts... dogs are only human, right?
ReplyDeleteI'm in training to be a Diabetic Alert Human for my dog... I just wish I had their nose!
My son is currently on a CGM but I would far rather have a DAD. My husband's father was a veterinarian and he's amazingly good at choosing dogs that he can work with and train. We make a point of rescuing dogs that are not suited to in-house living (we have a farm, and there's a kennel with an acre of fenced land for the dogs, so they're out all day and are only in at night — and then only when it's cold or wet.) But one of these days, I would like to get a younger dog and see if we can train it to alert for him. What qualities do you look for in a dog you want to train as a DAD?
ReplyDeleteI have two CGMs in my drawer that someone can have. One will even communicate with an Animas One Touch Ping! Unfortunately, I'm allergic to the sensors and they won't read properly on me.... :-(
ReplyDeleteThis is one of many reasons why I'm on the hunt for another DAD.
Good post, KC. We started this journey, in part, because DADs are so dang expensive. (There were other reasons, too.) We got a scent imprinted puppy. When someone asks about her, I tell them a finished DAD can cost as much as $20,000 and their eyes widen and their mouths drop open. I would do this all over again, but people let me tell you, $20,000 is seeming more and more like a fair price if you don't want to work very, very hard. We are progressing well, and we all love her to pieces. We hope she works out as a scent dog, but willing to accept that if it doesn't, as you say, we'll have a great dog. We do use a CGM to a great advantage and in our management, I would not want to do without it. But - my son generally doesn't wake to alarms and CGMs don't love you. :) Looking forward to continuing the webinar with you.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the joys, tears, grrs, and sweat with my DAD, KC. I have three kids. I know I can help them to be the best they can be, but there's never a day where parenting can be shut off. Hell! There's never a day where working on my marriage can be shut off. Why would a dog be any different? I am looking forward to adding this new family member to share this crazy life with. <3
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