And yes, I did jinx myself with getting excited about having perfect night numbers. So the adjustments continue. =(
About the time we switched to a pump, I heard about Diabetic Alert Dogs (DAD or DADs). This was intriguing and after the first night of night checks, I read all I could about this subject! What a wonderful idea, so simple, and yet, such a life saver! I joined all the discussion groups that I could find, and I did a lot of research on a medium size breed of dog that would fit our needs. Everything kept bringing me back to a breed I've admired since high school: Shelties.
How does a DAD work? I'm glad you asked! Your blood and other bodily fluids (such as sweat) "shift" when your blood glucose level changes. You tend to smell sweet when your BG level is high, and at the other end of the scale, it smells sour when you are low. Dogs have a significantly better nose than humans do. They can smell this change long before the symptoms (high or low) kick in. With DADs, it's a matter of training the dog to realize what level of smells are bad and how to alert you when they smell it. While most people like to use Labs & Goldens, they say that just about any breed, even mutts, can be trained for this. Dogs with "smushed snouts", such as Pugs & English Bulldogs are the few that they say will have a harder time detecting. I can't help but wonder if after a while it becomes the bond between the diabetic and the dog, rather than the training, that keeps the dog alerting so well!
In high school, I baby sat for a family that had a Sheltie, and he was a cutie, smart, and a very well behaved dog! I've wanted one ever since! With all the research on the breed, it works very well for this type of service - they are intelligent, easy to train, they love to have a job to do, they are very family oriented, they have a longer life span, and they have fewer health issues. And lets face it, with Ellee and Dani, I won't complain if the dog is even willing to herd them for me!
My first call to a local breeder was beyond disappointing. It seems as though it's more important to have a line of dogs that win awards, metals, and ribbons than it is to know that you have a dog that will save some one's life. Devastated, I was nervous to call a second breeder, whom is about an hour away. I was afraid that they would operate the same way this other one did. Much to my surprise, when I finally got a hold of her, she was very willing to help me out, she asked questions and is willing to work with me!
We are still a few weeks away from being able to see the puppies for the first time, but in the mean time I have an opportunity to practice training another dog! Unfortunately, Nate's dad had a heart attack and after the bypass surgery, they told him no animals in the house for a few weeks. Bear, a 10 year old Blue Heeler will be staying with us - and the girls love this dog! He stayed with us for a night a few weeks ago, but showed no reaction to a low that Ellee had. I'm hoping that with some clicker training he will recognize what smells are not good and will start alerting.
Wish me luck, tonight will be our first training attempt! I am hoping that you really can teach an old dog new tricks!
