Recently we introduced you to Jim Murray, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for twelve years.
Now we’d like to introduce you to Sugar, his diabetic alert dog. Sugar is a British Labrador breed who was trained to alert Jim of potentially dangerous high and low blood sugar levels.
With Jim’s type 1 diabetes, his body is more comfortable in the lower blood sugar range and doesn’t trigger the low symptoms until he’s dangerously low. Following a scary situation where Jim became unconscious after suffering from low blood sugar, he and his wife decided to acquire a diabetic alert dog to help manage the disease. Prior to acquiring Sugar, Jim’s wife would often wake up during the night to check on him because she never knew if he was going to have a low while sleeping.
Sugar has been trained to alert Jim of a high or a low approximately 20 to 30 minutes ahead of the meter. She has alerted Jim through closed doors and often from great distances. It’s a 24/7 job for her and her most important work occurs at night when she’s sleeping in a bed next to Jim. Jim’s wife now rarely notices when Sugar wakes him up to test his blood sugar.
We asked Jim for some specifics about living with a diabetes alert dog and here’s what he had to say:
How was Sugar trained?
Her training started when she was just two days old, where she was introduced to low blood sugar samples I sent to the trainer. The training continued with scent samples and eventually real time highs and lows. Usually this training continues for two years or more, but I received Sugar as a “started” dog when she was just 10 months old. I was taught how to continue the training myself.
Her training started when she was just two days old, where she was introduced to low blood sugar samples I sent to the trainer. The training continued with scent samples and eventually real time highs and lows. Usually this training continues for two years or more, but I received Sugar as a “started” dog when she was just 10 months old. I was taught how to continue the training myself.
What does Sugar do when she senses a high or a low?
Sugar is trained to retrieve a bringsel, which is a small stuffed stick. She brings it to me and if I don’t take it she’ll find someone who will. She’s then told to sit and watch while I test my blood sugar. Then I ask her to show me. She will wave her paw for a high or bow for a low. At times she has alerted me more than 30 minutes ahead of the meter. She is then always rewarded through the use of praise, toys, and petting.
Sugar is trained to retrieve a bringsel, which is a small stuffed stick. She brings it to me and if I don’t take it she’ll find someone who will. She’s then told to sit and watch while I test my blood sugar. Then I ask her to show me. She will wave her paw for a high or bow for a low. At times she has alerted me more than 30 minutes ahead of the meter. She is then always rewarded through the use of praise, toys, and petting.
Does she alert others with diabetes?
She recognizes the scent and could alert any diabetic. There have been some instances where we’ve been in public and she has sensed someone has a very high blood sugar level. It has clearly bothered her and she has alerted because of it. However, I don’t reward Sugar for alerting other people because she has been trained to be my guardian.
She recognizes the scent and could alert any diabetic. There have been some instances where we’ve been in public and she has sensed someone has a very high blood sugar level. It has clearly bothered her and she has alerted because of it. However, I don’t reward Sugar for alerting other people because she has been trained to be my guardian.
Where is Sugar allowed?
She is allowed anywhere the public is allowed, unlike a therapy dog which must be invited into an establishment. Sugar has been to amusement parks, casinos, the zoo, malls, movies, and on planes. She can go where ever I go, though there have been a few instances where employees have needed education about the rights of my diabetic alert dog. Here’s a story Diabetes Health wrote about an experience Sugar and I had with a local store employee.
She is allowed anywhere the public is allowed, unlike a therapy dog which must be invited into an establishment. Sugar has been to amusement parks, casinos, the zoo, malls, movies, and on planes. She can go where ever I go, though there have been a few instances where employees have needed education about the rights of my diabetic alert dog. Here’s a story Diabetes Health wrote about an experience Sugar and I had with a local store employee.
Where did you get Sugar?
I got Sugar from Wildrose Kennels in Oxford Mississippi. I was on a waiting list for many months before Sugar was even born. Diabetic alert dogs are an expensive investment and can cost as much as $25,000 or more. In my case, since I took Sugar home early and was able to self-train her, I paid around $7,500. Sugar is a ton of work but in the end, she is well worth it. She is a true lifesaver.
I got Sugar from Wildrose Kennels in Oxford Mississippi. I was on a waiting list for many months before Sugar was even born. Diabetic alert dogs are an expensive investment and can cost as much as $25,000 or more. In my case, since I took Sugar home early and was able to self-train her, I paid around $7,500. Sugar is a ton of work but in the end, she is well worth it. She is a true lifesaver.
Using alert dogs as a diabetes management tool is still fairly new and they can be difficult to find. The waiting lists are long and dogs like Sugar are costly, but Jim recommends that you do your homework and don’t rush the purchase. These dogs aren’t just pets, they are a tool to guard your life day in and day out.