What is a DAD?
Diabetic Alert Dogs — affectionately known as DADs — are service dogs that are trained specifically to assist diabetics.
Their primary task as service dogs is to alert diabetics of an oncoming hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic event (low or high blood sugar!)
DADs are able to do this by reacting to particular smells that are emitted from the human body due to chemical shifts caused by either hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia (undetected by a human nose).
There are various ways that the dog can alert their human of a low or high blood sugar, which all depends on how it is trained. These skills require rigorous training from professional service dog trainers.
In addition to being on alert for blood sugar malfunctions, Diabetic Alert Dogs are known to provide a tremendous amount of love and emotional support to its owner, resulting in an increased sense of security and balance in the daily life of someone with Type 1.
How much does a trained DAD cost?
The exact cost will depend on the particular organization and training program selected. There are non-profits that grant dogs for free and only require that you pay for your training with the dog. While pet owners may spend from a few hundred dollars to as much as $3500 for a dog, But on average — an investment in a Diabetic Alert Dog costs between $20,000 and $40,000. True service dogs are bred for temperament, intelligence, and suitability to the task they’re expected to perform. As a result, they’re often bred from top working lines that are more expensive than the average “puppies for sale” ad found in the local paper.
Self-Training your own DAD
Can you train your dog to be a diabetic alert dog?
Possibly, due to the high cost of either buying a diabetic service dog or having it trained in an organization, more and more people prefer to find a reliable trainer or train the house dog themselves
Self-Training steps from the start
Northwest Ohio DAD Self-Training Group
Northwest Ohio DAD Self-Training Facebook Page
So many choices, which way to go. Do research.