Category: Blog

Here’s a quick activity to get started with clicker training:

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/167

Start with a really good dog trainer, an older dog with decent manners who is operant and some imagination.  Also do some internet research and have some conversations.

I have been collecting scent samples when I am out of range.  I have been using 2×2 gauze pads, rinsing my mouth with water, then putting them in my mouth.  Put them in a zip lock bag and then freezing them.

To train a scent dog, you need identical containers that will release scent.  You want some containers to have scent and some not.  I am using salt shakers, really tiny ones from a restaurant supply store.  They are about $1.00 a shaker.  They already have holes.

I started by clicking her whenever she looked at the scent one.  Then I started hiding them in my pockets.  I also used to, a scent one and a non-scented one, and clicked whenever she showed interested in the scented one.

At the same time, I worked on the alert.  I want her to pick up her leash whenever she senses I am out of range.  I tied a knot in the leash so that she would know that there was something different and clicked when she nosed the knot.  Once she was consistent nosing the knot, I progressed to open mouth, then grabbing knot, then picking up knot.  All basic clicking 101 stuff.

I also take her everywhere I go now, reinforcing good behavior, verbally correctly atrocious behavior and taking her out on a regular basis.  Just basic stuff.

Now that I have an alert, I’m just reinforcing alert behavior whenever it is appropriate.  If my blood sugar is high, we do sessions without the shaker, if my blood sugar is in range we use the shaker.

Today was much calmer at the workshop and after three days, the environment much more familiar, so I had the cage door open the majority of the day.  The goal is to not have the door on the crate at all.  Gives Dulce boundaries, and gives her added safety from getting stepped on as she snoozes the majority of the day.  Yes, people, your dog spends most of its day snoozing.

At lunch, I went without cage (and dummy me forgot she had put a carbineer on her belt loop for this purpose) to the cafeteria, and managed to get lunch and drink without spilling any.  I actually had a meal without her in the crate.  We did move to the back of the room as she wanted to each plate of food when it came in. 

I did end up with a high blood sugar and took it as a training opportunity.  Unfortunately when you still cheesecake from a friend, it still has carbs.

We have been at the IBM Innovations Summer Camp this week, and while the kids were taking a tour of UTD, I stayed in the lab with Dulce.  Took some time to work on our indication, and I am going to get someone to take a photo tomorrow as it is beyond freaking cute.

What I have been wanting is for Dulce to pick up her leash when my blood sugar is high. To make it easier, I’ve tied a know. 

For several sessions she’s been touching the knot, but since before lunch she has been consistently picking it up.  In fact this afternoon I started adding my scent as a cue for the pickup and doing some scent discrimination work.  She seems to get it.

It helps that she is extremely operant.  It helps that she already knows when my blood sugar is high.  Put the two together and it doesn’t take much.

And yes, I’ve very proud of my smart girl!

Finally have the right mix:

Medications

Lap band fill

Stress (or lack there of)

Exercise

To let me lose weight.  It’s nice.  Still don’t feel like I’m lugging less around, but I know I’ll get there.  And I’m sorting out clothing.  Thought I wouldn’t be able to wear today’s skirt, but as long as I wear a nice long t-shirt, I’m good.

Not entirely stress free, but the stress is a fun event.  Hopefully the next two weeks will be that way too.

Access

So far haven't been denied. Of course, it's a million degrees in Texas, she is cute and the economy sucks. No one is going to risk losing money.

Principal replied to my email request and will abide by district decision, they meet on August 2.

Privacy

There is none. You have a service dog, you are going to get questions. My standard answer is "you are not allowed to ask but she is a diabetic alert dog and I am the diabetic.

Training

When is she in training and when is she a service dog? She alerts on high, its rude – licks my face and difficult in public. Working on a socially acceptable alert.

I haven't been low since we started training. Haven't been low in years which is why A1C is so freaking high.

In public she has been good except when Home Depot was rolling lots of furniture around. I might barked too.

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I spent the afternoon with a diabetes alert dog trainer. Nice guy and nice family. Nice dogs. Still don’t want  a lab.

Had Dulce seeking out the sample pretty quickly. He was impressed.  Especially since we were interrupted and he had to go out for a while.  When he came back, I was hiding the sample in various places and she was looking for it. 

Have also decide that a good alert would be for her to grab her leash and bring it to me as an alert.  His wife suggested I keep a knot which was a good idea.  We’ve done two training sessions on that since I got home and she is doing well at looking for the knot. 

Basically, he confirmed that Dulce is a good choice for a scent dog, she is extremely trainable, high energy, and everything else you would want in a scent dog.  He also agreed that for safety sakes the small crate isn’t a bad idea in public, as people aren’t expected to see a small dog.

I have heard from my principal on the issue and he is waiting for the district’s decision. 

According to Texas State law, trainers have the same rights are users of Service Dogs

admit a trainer of service dogs accompanied by a dog for training purposes.

Office of the Governor Rick Perry: Committee on People with Disabilities – Service Dogs

Things are going well.  I have her in a crate at the gym, and today for the first 10 minutes left the cage door open.  She challenged that, so I closed it for the last 20 minutes so I could concentrate on training.

Friday is not the best day to go to American Girl, but I have been wanting to since they opened, so we did.  The girls there were great, the staff was good and we did our first escalator.  The rest of the mall was a mess, so we went to Valley View which is in such bad state financially they don’t care who is there as long as you spend money.  Unfortunately found nothing to buy.

So far, no access issues.

We started at the endo, and I have a form from him stating that I have hypo and hyper glycemic unawareness and that a diabetic alert dog would help.

We went to Home Depot.

Had a low tire alarm and ended up at Discount Tire.  Did mat work there.  That is a tough place, people coming from three doors, constantly.

Then the gym.  Definitely crate there so I can change and workout, so we need to train her to alert while crated.  I can see that in restaurants too, and at school.

Brief stop at home, then Union and Human Resources.

We both taking a break.

I have paper work now, stating that I am an insulin dependent diabetic with hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic unawareness and need the dog. signed by the endo.

She went to the doctors, an other Home Depot trip and now at Discount Tire which is letting us work on mat training.

We are trying the gym next.

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