Diabetes Alert Dogs - Misc Warnings

Like so many good things where there is an honest dollar to be made, you can bet that someone is there to make a dishonest dollar by defrauding people.  So as a warning – please, please, do your homework before acquisition of a service dog of any type.

For the four categories below, enter the name of the person or business and the word complaints in a search engine (example: insert name of [breeder or kennel] – complaints).  You will need to do the same for trainers.  I was surprised at the results of several random picks.  Therefore, please read the full story including the comments below the story.  Some complaints are legitimate while others are mean spirited or are written by competitors.  Also do not forget to check with the Better Business Bureau in the area.  Use any other sources you can.

Trainer Problems

Happily, there are more trainers interested in helping you sincerely, but be careful.  Even good trainers have bad days, but normally they will have your interests foremost.

The trainers we want to avoid are those that do not train the dogs.  While harsh training methods are a method of training, I do not advise using trainers using these methods – aversion, force, shock and choke collars.  Some trainers can really talk the talk, but produce no results, can not walk the walk.  Be careful in dealing with those trainers that want a lot of money up front and have demands that have to be followed.  Requests and suggestions are acceptable.

Puppy Mills

Puppy mills exist most everywhere in the US.  As long as we continue to patronize them instead of boycotting them and the pet stores they supply, they will continue to cause problems for healthy dogs and local animal shelters.  The shelters and ASPCA’s often have to put many of these animal to sleep when local law enforcement steps in.  While ASPCA’s can take action, they need assistance from local law enforcement and thus their record is less than stellar.

Most of these puppy mills have recurring health problems in their animals.  The pet stores often do not care, know that the health certificates are not up to date or are a total fake, spread this problem on to consumers.  Avoid these operations if you want a healthy service dog.


Problem Breeders and Service Dog Scams

These can be separated or combined depending on the way you look at them.  Since many unreliable breeders use unreliable trainers and the reverse.  They both will use and sell untrained or untrainable dogs as service dogs.

There are organizations at work trying to record and maintain records of the undesirable breeders and trainers.  Before retaining a trainer, take a look at this site.  For breeders be sure the look at this site.

Service Dog Registry Scams

These people are diminishing the rights of owners of legitimate service dogs.  This blogger is calling attention to it, while at the same time selling the equipment he is complaining about. 

Service Dog Registry is FREE.   Why would anyone pay $ 35 to $ 350 (or more) for something that is free?  Apparently many people who do not research the rules and regulations.  Many people think the the fake certificates will qualify their pet as a service dog.  They also use these fake certificates to get their pets into places they otherwise would be prohibited, and make it more difficult for legitimate service dogs.  But a word of warning, if you travel outside the United States, you may need papers that meet the requirements of the country or countries in which you will be traveling.

For information on service dog registry check out this site and this one.

There are many medical doctors that are writing prescriptions for what are loosely termed “comfort dogs” to get their owners around the “No Pet” rules in many housing situations.  The American Disabilities Act needs an enforcement provision powers to curb the abuses being foisted upon us by scammers and their own lack of definitive rules.

Other Planning

Get your service dog micro-chipped.  This is in your best interest.  What happens if your dog bolts away and you are miles away from home – it happens.  There are dog-nappers that kidnap dogs for ransom or for sale to labs using dogs for experiments.  The following are some of the sites you should be familiar with for using microchips.

Site 1.  Costs vary from $ 45 to $ 60 or higher depending on the charge by the veterinary.  Microchips are important. but do not replace collars, ID tags, and rabies tags.  These are still the primary means for getting your service dog back when they are lost.  Microchips become more important in cases where the animal is stolen and you need to positively identify the dog or in cases where the collar has broken away and the shelter has picked up the animal.

Site 2.  This site tells about a universal microchip reader which many shelters do not have.

Site 3.  President Bush signed a bill in 2006 that charged the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) with standardizing microchips. However, APHIS only exercises authority over organizations that are regulated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

Site 4.  The American Animal Hospital Association on September 22, 2009 created the AAHA Pet Microchip Lookup Tool.   This is not available to the public for use, but you need to know that it exists and ask your local shelter, ASPCA, or veterinarian if this can be used if you lose your dog.

Uninsurable Service Dogs  

In most states, insurance companies, in particular home owners insurance, will not cover certain breeds or mix of certain breeds in their insurance policies.  So before you look for a service dog, check with your insurance carrier to see what the provisions are and what breeds might be excluded.

Food for Your Dog

Before purchasing food for your dog, you would do well to read the following articles about dog food and talk to your trainer or breeder about the foods they use.  Just be careful as many of the commercial dog foods may not be suitable for your dog.  Your veterinary may be a trustworthy source also, but use care.

Summary

The warnings are not all inclusive and you should do your homework before laying out money for a service dog.  There may be additional information that is published that is applicable.

Separation of Diabetes Alert Dogs from Exploring Diabetes Type 2

The blogs are copies of prior blogs on the my other blog. Now the reader can read about the area they need without other distractions.

Thanks for your patience.

Information about Purchasing Diabetic Alert Dogs

                       I have heard so many horror stories about families paying at lease $ 20,000 for a diabetic alert dog and it not working. First their was Heaven Scent Paws which was sued and can never train or work with diabetic alert dogs again.Now their is another company out there doing the same thing. Both of these companies have preyed upon people’s desperation for a diabetic alert dog. I always have to warn people to be careful and ask a great deal of questions before agreeing to purchase a diabetic alert dog. I have learned a great deal about what can happen watching people who paid large sums of money who ended up with a dog that did not do the job they were trained for. I have to say that when you get a diabetic alert dog and do not continually work with the dog they will stop alerting. The diabetic alert dogs have a very delicate balance necessary to keep them working. There is so many things that can affect if the dog will alert or not for instance if you let the dog be in charge they will not alert, or if you let the dog do what it wants it will eventually decide it does not want to work anymore. Even with a well trained dog they do have off time periods which I have experienced with Duchess which I increased training and changed the routine we have in order to get her more motivated.

                      I have learned that if you let a diabetic alert dog get too much attention from people they can craze attention from strangers instead of focusing on you the handler. That is why I have a strict no pet policy because Duchess is defiantly one that would crave that attention. I do have to say that applies to some of the service dogs and not all of them. I have of things to do before you purchase a dog from a company. I know many families have trained their own service dogs but they spent a lot of time getting their dog fully trained if you have the time that is a great option. Please be aware that sometimes having a teenager with a service dog can be problematic there was a girl who got a dog from the trainer who trained Duchess who experience some major issues. The kids in the high school kicked and pulled the dogs tail and terrorized the service dog. So there is a need for the school to be willing to protect the dog and not ignore the situations like this girl’s school did. Dealing with schools and service animals can be difficult from the stories I have read so keep that in mind as well if you are planing on having the dog with your child in school.

1. Make sure they use a positive reinforcement training methods
2. Talk to families who have received the dogs from the company.
3. Look for reviews of the company.
4.Ask to be able to visit kennels before you purchase.
5. Spend time with trainers of the dogs and talk with several times before making a decision.
6 Ask what type of follow up support is provided because you will run into some issues. I had phone support for a year and ability to do refresher training at no cost for that year as well.
7. Ask what the policy is for dogs who do not work well or what options are available.

Diabetes Alert Dogs – Part 3

There are no trainers presently certified as diabetes alert dog trainers. This is good in a sense that they have adapted from training other service dogs and thus have a history that can be checked to learn if they are good and knowledgeable trainers.

Most dog trainers today are knowledgeable in animal behavior and learning theory plus sufficient experience. Excellent trainers do exist as independent trainers, trainers working for breeders, and as trainers for some tax-exempt organizations. Some trainers are certified as professional dog trainers (CPDT). In fact, over 1400 people have been certified as CPDT since September 2001.

In selecting a trainer, make sure you know what types of dogs the trainer works with best for training. Some trainers work best with certain types of dogs and not others. After the trainer does an evaluation of your situation, is the type of dog they are suggesting, one that you are comfortable having as a 24/7 companion. The closer you and the trainer are in the selection of a dog, the more successful your experience will be.

Some trainers work best with the larger breeds and some the small breeds. Therefore, this should be a factor in the selection of a trainer. Conversely, just because you like a particular dog or breed of dog, does not mean that this type of dog will be the best fit for you. Learn to be flexible.

I will now cover training standards and hope that I do not confuse you. The standard in the dog training profession is the Canine Good Citizen program started in 1989 by the American Kennel Club. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs in the public arena.

Several organizations have established standards and do have enforcement procedures in place to curb violations. The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) is one organization. The other organization is the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). These two organizations do have certification procedures and continuing education units (CEU’s) as a requirement for staying current with changes in dog training. They also have procedures for dealing with trainers that do not stay current.  Another organization worth checking out is Assistance Dogs International.

After following part-time with a mobility dog trainer for the last four months, I have a better understanding of how these organizations work and their requirements. So in the process of selecting your trainer, do your due diligence in checking them out.

One of the weakest parts of the Americans for Disabilities Act (ADA) is their abstaining from setting up enforceable standards for public access of service dogs and an agency to enforce these standards. Too many “fake credentials” are getting untrained pets into public places where trained service dogs are allowed, thus sometimes creating problems for legitimate service dogs.

One standard that needs to be in place and enforced for any type of service dog is the prevention for use of prong and shock collars and force. Many trainers use them and some boldly advertise that they have and use them claiming that certain dogs will not train without their use. This is an accepted training technique unfortunately. When a service animal is certified as trained, this method should no longer be necessary.

In my opinion, if the animal is not trainable without force, then it needs to be rejected as a candidate for a service dog of any kind and considered for another occupation such as being a guard dog. While it is my opinion only, large dollar fines need to be imposed on trainers using force when a dog is to be partnered with a young person. I would even consider banning these trainers from service dog training. This may not be enforceable, but should be considered. Again, this is my opinion.

The Delta Society totally surprised me in the discussion of service dogs being appropriate for young children. They mention some age ranges that trainers are using and I agree that age limits need to be set. I also respect those that look farther on an individual basis. While it is difficult to be so arbitrary, child maturity factors are necessary. Service dogs should never be a “tool” for the parents to abdicate their responsibilities as some parents are doing.

One of the positive discoveries I have found in training are what a few trainers are almost insistent on and for good reason. The good trainers realize that for a service dog, training must continue after they are out of the picture and for the rest of the life of the service animal. These trainers are training the person and occasionally persons involved with the animal. They want the person partnered with the animal to feel success in training and in the ability of the animal to do its tasks.

More trainers today are training for hand signals (signing) that the dog will understand and follow without verbal communication. While this has been used for the hearing impaired, trainers are starting to use this for other medical disabilities. This has some definite advantages for communicating with the service dog without surrounding persons even knowing that anything is taking place, especially in the public setting.

While I am not in favor of the use of puppies for training to task other than behavior and house breaking, I am finding that I am in the minority view on this. I do question the usefulness of a service dog less than 10 months old. I know that for diabetes, it may be possible to train for some tasks before 12 months, but I will continue to question how effective the dog will be. Again, after following a mobility service dog trainer, I better understand why some training is necessary once the dogs are weaned. This is not concentrated training, but slowly working on habits that will become part of the dog as it matures.

Before training can begin, some determination needs to be made as to how successful the service animal will be in providing the healthcare needed. The primary concern should be the capacity of the individual receiving the service dog and their ability to learn and handle the needs of the animal and training of the animal. Some have said that the abilities of the trainer and the dog are all important. The trainer and the dog can be of no value if the person receiving the dog is incapable of the ongoing training and taking care of the needs of the dog. The service dog is a living animal and not a machine that can be shut off and turned on as some people are want to do.

Most trainers will want to know the following information:

1. Who will be the recipient of the service dog and the type of service dog that is needed.
2. The age of the recipient.
3. Whether other pets will distract the training and effectiveness of the service dog. Most trainers are very careful about this requirement. A household of trained animals can be accepted, but unruly animals cannot be accepted.
4. Whether the owner or family will be able to take care of the needs of the service dog in all situations.

There are other questions of course, but the above are the important questions to determine whether the potential recipient is a good candidate. So be prepared and I urge all to do their research and due diligence in selecting a trainer. Take time to read the sites I have posted with the colored text.

Charity Awards Diabetes Alert Dogs to Families During National Diabetes ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Charity Awards polygenic disease Alert Dogs to Families During National Diabetes … PR Newswire (press release) 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Dallas-based Diabetes affable Foundation will honor type A number of four-legged friends and their families during its second annual “K9s for Kids” benefit connected Nov. 19. The foundation, which focuses on rising the lives of … Fit for You: Nov is Diabetes Awareness time period NewsOK.com all 5 tidings articles » Link To Article

How to Find a Diabetic Alert Dog

There have been lots of questions about how to get a diabetic alert dog.  The most frequent questions seem to be: “Do I purchase one or do I self train?”  Personally, I believe self training is the best way to go!  By self training you get to learn how your dog learns, how your dog thinks, and in general, WITH PROPER TRAINING, the bond happens much earlier!

Is it is easy?  ABSOLUTLY NOT!  It is not for the faint of heart!  It takes a lot of time, effort, and resources. The scent portion is probably the easiest part. It is the public access stuff that is very difficult!  Not just because of the hours and hours of obedience, but because YOU ARE ALWAYS IN THE PUBLIC EYE and YOU and YOUR DOG will be paving the way for other teams behind you. It is a daunting task!  Get help if you need it, but by doing the training yourself, you will create the trust and bonding that you need in order for your DAD to work with utmost joy and dedication to you.

What should you look for in acquiring a pup to train for this purpose?  First off, you want to ASK LOT OF QUESTIONS of the breeder.  Be cautious, when the breeder is hesitant to provide the answers you need!  You want to know the temperament of the parents.  You want to know the health history of the parents.  You want to know if they have met basic health clearances specific to the breed. For example, in Labrador retrievers, you want to ask about hip clearances (OFA or Penn Hip), eye clearances (CERF), EIC, and CNM.  Each breed has heath issues that are specific to that breed.  You want to ask if there are contracts and/or guarantees in writing.  Here is a copy of the contract I use:

 Puppy Health Guarantee

Fetch Express Kennels breeds their dogs in an effort to significantly reduce the possibility of genetic hip and eye problems; however, due to reasons beyond our control, these problems still occur.  If these health problems arise in a dog purchased from Fetch Express Kennels, the following puppy replacement agreement applies:

Hip Guarantee:

1.      The dog must be X-rayed for Hip Dysplasia after 24 months of age and before 26 months of age.  The X-rays must be submitted to the OFA for examination at that time.

2.      If the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, INC) finds the dog to be dysplastic, in order to qualify for a replacement the following must be fulfilled:

A.    KC Owens is to receive a copy of the hip x-ray and a copy of the OFA written report.

B     The dogs AKC registration number and the microchip or tattoo number must be reported  to OFA at the time test results are submitted for evaluation.  It is also recommended that these identification numbers be noted on the x-rays when they are submitted to OFA.

C.    If the dog is found to be dysplastic, the dog will be replaced after the return of the dog to KC Owens and the dogs registration papers are to be signed over to KC Owens.

D.    All freight charges are to be paid for by the owner, for both the replacement puppy as well as the dog that is returned.

     E.    The OFA shall be the sole judge regarding hip dysplasia.

F.    Purchaser agrees to provide proof that the dog has been spayed/neutered prior to replacing dog with another dog from like breeding.

3.       The replacement puppy will be from a breeding with a comparable pedigree and will be the same breed and sex.  The puppy will be replaced when one becomes available. The replacement puppy will be chosen by KC Owens.

This guarantee is void if the dog has an traumatic accident such as being hit by a vehicle, a large fall, or any injury resulting in a broken leg.

Eye Guarantee:

1.      The dog must be checked by a certified Canine Opthamologist.

2.       If the CERF(Canine Eye Registration Foundation) finds the dog to have bad eyes, in order to qualify for a replacement the following must be fulfilled:

A.    KC Owens is to receive a copy of the examination from the Opthamologist and a copy of the CERF report.

B.    If the dog is found to have a congentital defect before 26 months, the dog will be replaced after the return of the dog to KC Owens and the dogs registration papers are to be signed over to KC Owens.

C.    All freight charges are to be paid for by the owner, for both the replacement puppy as well as the dog that is returned.

     D.    The CERF shall be the sole judge regarding congential

       eye problems.

F.    Purchaser agrees to provide proof that the dog has been spayed/neutered prior to replacing dog with another dog from like breeding.

3.      The replacement puppy will be from a breeding with a comparable pedigree and will be the same breed and sex.  The puppy will be replaced when one becomes available. The replacement puppy will be chosen by KC Owens.

AKC Registration Number  ______________Date of Birth__________

Sire

Dam

Breed ____Labrador Retriever________________ Color ____ Sex  _____

Then both parties sign and receive copies!

You will want to ask questions about how the pups were raised.  Were the pups exposed to the Army Biosensor program?  Were the pups exposed to diabetic scent from a young age?  There is a big bonus if the pups were raised by a diabetic!  Can the breeder tell you the weight of the pups when they were born?  Can they give you more information than you really want to know about the parents and the health history of the entire litter?  Does the breeder quiz you about your life and your needs from this dog? 

Are the pups registered or can they be registered with a well known dog registry system like AKC or UKC?  Are they sold on a limited basis meaning you do not have breeding rights unless you meet certain requirements?  Can you live with those requirements?  Does the breeder make it well known that IF FOR ANY REASON you need to give the dog up that the dog comes back to them? Are the pups temperament tested and if so can you see the results?

I would recommend being very cautious if they say they are retaining the right to make you train in a certain way or if for any reason they can repossess the dog that you have paid for in full.  Dog training knowledge is not something that is owned by any one person.  It is attained through very hard work, but anyone that has common sense and is willing to try hard can attain it!  There are many ways to achieve success, but you have to buckle down and want it!  IF IT SOUNDS LIKE A MARKETING SCAM it probably is!  A good breeder is going to try to match the pups to the people!

Sounds daunting doesn’t it?  I warned you it is hard work!

If puppyhood just isn’t for you and your family, find a REPUTABLE group to work with.  They are out there but you have to WORK HARD to find them.  Honestly, the demand is great and the resources to fill that demand are limited.  Many of the same questions and cautions apply!  A good group is going to have a very stringent application process.  They are not going to move you up because you have more money or greater need.  If they do, trust me you are soon going to be parted of some hard earned cash!  Do they bend over backwards to PROBLEM SOLVE ISSUES?  Do they think outside of the box?  What about health guarantees?  What about contracts?  Are they willing to try different things to help get you and the dog on the same page?  Can you train a dog like they do?  If they use a physical correction can you or your child use the same amount of correction?  Are you physically up to the task?  Do they work to come up with solutions that will work for you and your family? Do they teach in a style that you can learn?  Do they explain all the various training modalities that are out there?  Do they tell you that one style or another WONT WORK?  Trust me, there are successful dogs out there from EVERY modality there is!  There is NO RIGHT or WRONG way to train a dog.  You do what you have to do to explain it. Learn how your dog LEARNS BEST and the methods that work BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY! Fairness is of utmost importance to a dog learning to be a DAD so that the bonding between dog and human is created and trust and respect is the underlying component. It is FAIR to tell a dog when he is wrong and it is FAIR to reward when a dog is right. 

 Once again if they say they can take the dog back without good reason and without your consent RUN TO THE NEAREST DOOR!  DO NOT BE IN A HURRY!  Just because your child is going off to college and you want the peace of mind a DAD may bring, it is not a good reason to accept the first available dog.  Any good group is going to have a very long waiting list.  Remember, very often GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT.  Also, if they try to tell you what they are doing is a SECRET and that you shouldn’t talk about it, if they try to strip you of your right to free speech or if they make you afraid, RUN! Be careful of organizations that want to withhold the ownership on the dog they send out with someone.  When you buy a dog IT SHOULD BE YOURS WITH ALL THE RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, PRIVELDGES, and PROBLEMS that come with owning a dog.  Remember these dogs while a wonderful asset are ALWAYS and FOREVER going to be a dog first and foremost!

And, do not be afraid to ask for referrals from prior customers.  A good organization should be proud to offer referrals from happy customers.  Match what the referrals are saying to your own situation!

ABOVE ALL ELSE, trust that small voice inside of you that says SOMETHING IS OFF!   Do not try to over ride it!  This is WAY TOO IMPORTANT to get derailed for any reason!  Keep your nose to the grind stone and it will happen. The right doors will open and you will find yourself exactly where you are meant to be! 

I know this seems like a lot, just to get a dog.  While these dogs another wonder tool in the battle against the disease of diabetes….they are not a cure all.  They are not going to take away the disease…they are just going to be a good friend to go through it with you.  But all friendships require hard work!

Written by KC OWENS fetchexpress@gmail.com on July 25, 2011

Please feel free to copy and cross post this as necessary!

Diabetic Alert Dogs Help People Reclaim Their Independence

By Langley Cornwell

What do trained service dogs do when they’re a bit too fun loving to be a guide dog for the blind? Some go back to school to become diabetic alert dogs.

Hypoglycemic unawareness is common among type 1 diabetics; many people with diabetes don’t realize they are experiencing a rapid drop in blood sugar until it’s too late. Unchecked, this severe drop in blood sugar can result in confusion, dizziness, sharp stomach pains or even blackouts and seizures. These unfortunate responses can make a diabetic feel confined, restricted and unable to enjoy a ‘regular’ lifestyle. A specially trained service dog empowers insulin-dependent diabetics to reclaim their independence and triumph over the disease.

Dogs for Diabetics

Dogs4Diabetics (D4D) is a non-profit organization committed to offering medical alert dogs to diabetics. These dogs are trained to identify the subtle scent shifts in body chemistry that accompany the onset of low blood glucose in their insulin-dependent human companions.

Former scientist and part-time guide-dog trainer Mark Ruefenacht started D4D in October 2004, reports Healthline.com. A diabetic himself, Ruefenacht forgot to check his blood sugar one evening and fell asleep. During the night—as he was experiencing a low blood sugar induced seizure—he was awakened by one of the puppies he was training. Sick and confused, it took Ruefenacht a few minutes to get his bearings. The dog instinctively knew something was wrong and insistently badgered Ruefenacht until he got up and ate some sugary food.

This episode prompted the scientist to consider the possibilities of dogs learning to detect the scent of chemical imbalances in diabetics. After five years of testing and experimentation, Ruefenacht was able to isolate what he believes is the smell common to the low blood sugar that a type 1 diabetic emits; a smell so subtle that it’s undetectable by humans. As a result of his findings, Ruefenacht founded Dogs4Diabetics.

How do they do it?

Established in the State of California, D4D receives their dogs from various organizations including Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, CA and Canine Companions for Independence in Santa Rosa, CA. The beauty of this arrangement is that when dogs come to D4D they’ve already been trained as assistance dogs. Professional dog training and socialization generally starts at eight weeks old for assistance dogs, so these dogs are well skilled.

Once a dog enters the Dogs4Diabetics program, Ruefenacht and his volunteers put them through months of scent-detection training. When the dog completes the D4D program he is trained and certified as a hypoglycemia medical alert dog.

In addition to dog training, D4D—an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International—qualifies people with diabetes for the placement of one of their service dogs. Then they train the diabetic (with whom the dog was placed) in the best ways to interact with the dog, how to understand and use the dog’s skills and how to care for the dog.

Their involvement doesn’t stop there. Dogs4Diabetics has excellent follow-up services to ensure that both the dogs and the diabetics are doing fine.    

To learn more, read amazing success stories and/or get involved, visit the Dogs4Diabetics’ website.

Photo by Cobalt123

Read more articles by Langley Cornwell