Nose that knows is a boy's best friend

[responsiblek9]

Nose that knows is a boy's best friend
Adopted dog reveals talent for sniffing out low blood sugar levels
http://www.monticellotimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=76&ArticleID=13695&TM=53016.43

When JaniRae and her husband, Ed, allowed their older son, Brady, 14, to adopt Gracie from the Tri-County Humane Society, they had no inkling the bright-eyed Welsh Corgirat terrier mix had hidden talents that would prove to be so uniquely useful to their family.


a change in Gracie's attitude, she added, is often her first indicator that Riley's levels are slipping out of the normal range
But while Gracie's accuracy is undeniably top-notch, her bedside manner often leaves something to be desired.

"She's not always nice to Riley," JaniRae said. "She runs at him, snaps at him and knocks into him.""No, she's never bitten anyone," JaniRae agreed. "But she runs at him and pushes at him with her front paws. Her tail's not wagging, and she bumps and pushes him."

And while Riley is happy to know that Gracie has nothing against him personally, the feelings he has for her are mixed, at best.

"I like it that she knows when I'm low," he said, "but I don't like to have to go measure because of her.""He told me," JaniRae said, "that's the worst thing about this: His mom always tells him to measure, his dad always tells him to measure, and now even the dog is telling him to go measure, too."


her doctor told her it's more likely that the dog is detecting changes in his tissues. It's also possible, he told her, that Gracie's responses are natural and instinctual.

"When animals in nature are sick or starving, they go off to die and the other animals shun them," JaniRae said. "When Riley's levels are too high, he has too much sugar and his cells are starving. That's when she has nothing to do with him - she doesn't like him. When he's low, she doesn't like that, either. When he's balanced, she's fine."


A friend who's affiliated with Service Dogs for America has told JaniRae that given Gracie's natural knack, formal training would probably not take much time.

[fledchen]

A friend who's affiliated with Service Dogs for America has told JaniRae that given Gracie's natural knack, formal training would probably not take much time.[/b]

Right...because task training is the only kind of training needed...  :

[Kirsten]

Good grief.