Dash, a Labradoodle is in training to become a Service Dog (Diabetic Alert Dog) at Michigan Dog Training (MDT) in Plymouth, Michigan. She and her owners have been participating in MDT’s TRAIN YOUR OWN SERVICE DOG program which is a combination of private training sessions and group classes. Sessions focus on alerting to a Diabetic’s low and high blood sugar levels, advanced obedience skills including learning to retrieve (fetch) and public access training.
A dog trained to alert on their handler’s change in glucose level is an important part of their medical management program. Often times, Diabetics do not realize they are beginning to crash. The dog trained to notice the change in their handler’s breath can help alert them to this potential medical emergency.
If the handler is unable to obtain snacks or medicine to raise their blood level, the Diabetic Alert Dog can retrieve a bag or purse containing the snacks or medicine. In the below video, Dash demonstrates the steps in training a dog to fetch: Â 1. Hold, 2. Carry, and 3. Fetch.
