# Low blood sugar indication info



## Sherry Spivey (Sep 7, 2009)

Hi all.

My older female GSD used to indicate at night for low blood sugar episodes which was awesome because it kept me from having seizures. She has some health problems of her own now (ironically her pancreas doesn't function properly either:-() and has stopped alerting for me. I acquired a new puppy who is now almost 2. She has her CGC and her BH and is well socialized and obedience trained. Also, great at traveling and being out in public. I was hoping being around the other dog would help to give her the idea. I did get an alert the other night. I have been rewarding for sniffing and licking when my blood sugar is low. A police dog trainer gave me a suggestion for letting her sniff the top of my head.

I am basically looking for any information that would be available to assist me in my training. I have trained dogs for sport for many years, Obedience, tracking, agility and am comfortable training my own dog.

Any ideas on training would be greatly appreciated.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

I am very interested in reading replies to your question. 

I have wondered for years about seizure warning dogs and those that can detect cancer. My impression has always been that it's a special gift only a few have. Is this true or can they be trained for it?

Also, how did you figure out that the dog was indicating for low blood sugar?


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## jeff govednik (Jul 31, 2009)

My male does this with my wife when her blood sugar gets low. I think its probably due to scent since he has a pretty good nose. I have rewarded him, with food to reinforce but in all honesty it was just something he did since we got him.


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## Sherry Spivey (Sep 7, 2009)

jeff govednik said:


> My male does this with my wife when her blood sugar gets low. I think its probably due to scent since he has a pretty good nose. I have rewarded him, with food to reinforce but in all honesty it was just something he did since we got him.


That's what my other female did. She just started waking me up licking my face. It took me a few times to figure out what she was doing. I'm pretty sure that you are correct and that it is a scenting behavior. I have started with my young dog rewarding sniffing and licking of my hand when I monitor my glucose and it is low. She has alerted twice now at night (the most important time for me) and she does it by licking my feet!! One of the sights I was reading that trains dogs requested worn socks to use for training. Not sure if the feet have more of the odor? or just odor

I read a study that had been done and it apparently occurs fairly regularly for dogs to indicate even though they have not been trained. I would like to remove the randomness of the behavior, as seizures in the middle of the night really sucks.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Sherry,

There are two ways to get it accomplished. 

One is to collect scent while you have low blood sugar, and train scent detection with whatever alert behavior you want. Most scent detection is proffing the dog (eliminating false indications). It's a lot of work no matter how you go about it.

The other is to set up a working relationship with the dog and hope. 

I've had a string of nice dogs that have all worked for #2. The dog's purposes are varied - one detects low blood sugar, but the others repond to handler's pain or mental status. If you are wanting an actual Service Dog and want to count it as a physical task, you must use option 1. I have been using option 2 because the dogs already are above and beyond the legal description of a Service Dog, so as long as it works, we aren't going to mess around with it too much.

Hope that helps!


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## Sherry Spivey (Sep 7, 2009)

Anne Vaini said:


> Sherry,
> 
> There are two ways to get it accomplished.
> 
> ...


Thanks! I've been trying to accomplish #1, mind you I've never trained a scent detection dog before, and #2 seems to be happening along the way. I am thinking I need to go backwards a bit because she decided the alert was licking my feet, but what if I am wearing shoes or socks? My first dog licked my face to wake me up which worked very well. Not sure why she does feet ?? I guess that is the difference in a #1 vs #2 scenario. But it does work, twice now she has woken me in the middle of the night. Maybe I shouldn't mess with it if it is working.....


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Sherry Spivey said:


> Thanks! I've been trying to accomplish #1, mind you I've never trained a scent detection dog before, and #2 seems to be happening along the way. I am thinking I need to go backwards a bit because she decided the alert was licking my feet, but what if I am wearing shoes or socks? My first dog licked my face to wake me up which worked very well. Not sure why she does feet ?? I guess that is the difference in a #1 vs #2 scenario. But it does work, twice now she has woken me in the middle of the night. Maybe I shouldn't mess with it if it is working.....


Sherry, 

To protect yourself in the case that you would ever be in court over your dog, the alert behavior must be "obnoxious" and have a duration over 30 seconds. Licking is not preferred. A nose nudge would be better. The alert behavior should also be on a verbal cue (for the purpose of defending yourself in court, if that need should ever arise.)


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