MY NAME IS CHARLIE!

My name is Charlie. I'm a DAD. -a Diabetic Alert Dog. I started training on scent when I was only a few hours old. I flew all the way from Utah to live with my mom Melisa who is a Type 1 Diabetic; I watch over her and make sure her blood sugar stays within acceptable limits. When she is too high or too low, I let her know by alerting her. I am a self trained D.A.D., which means that my mom is doing most of the training her self. But she has some help from some great friends and trainers. If you see me out and about PLEASE ask first before petting me. I have a very important job to do and sometimes should not be distracted while I am working.  

Charlie is a very lucky boy!  He has an awesome mom!

The last few posts were about DADS that were born 3/4/2011 at my home.  I am so honored that these dogs and people came into my life!  I am honored that the all found each other!  It is so amazing to me how well all of them are doing!  It has taken LOTS of hard work on their part but they all are amazing TEAMS!

Barrett

Barrett's owner have also worked EXTREMELY hard with this dog and have been rewarded for their efforts!  Because they live in close proximity to me I have really got to watch them grow to together as a team!  It still amazes me when we put effort into our relationship with these dogs we get in back so much more!  Barrett's T1 charge summed it up best: "Barrett is the best part about having diabetes!"  I understand and agree completely!  However I also think the Barrett thinks that he and the family are the best part of the world!  I think she is right to!!! 

FUDGE

 

"In my house the "medicine" that could save you, could kill you. In my house juice box saves lives. In my house parents never really sleep. In my house our days are measured in numbers and "low parties" with treats and glucose tabs. In my house the child must be an adult. In my house they dread bedtime; it's when I work more diligently. In my house blood is shed every day drop by drop. In my house this is the norm. And in this house it's ok to eat candy and juice in the middle of the night some times several times a night.. -just to stay alive.

Type 1 lives in my house; but so do I. I am the Diabetic Alert Dog, Fudge" ♥  by Trista/ Kailey Hermann

Fudge choose Kailey! It was one of the most amazing things I have seen!  Another WONDERFUL TEAM/FAMILY that has done an amazing job with this dog!  I am so PROUD of them all!

This came from Trista:  The original poem of this was beautifully written by Alexis Newell she has an amazing art with words, I just changed a few to fit our circumstances.. ♥  

So thank you Alexis Newell! 

Check out her blog here : http://justicesmisbehavingpancreas.blogspot.com/p/my-poetry.html?m=1 

Tasha

Tasha as seen in the 2012 Dogs of Independent Living Vernon Calender

Tasha is a Chevey/Whitey Pup from last years March litter!  Bev and her husband drove from their home in Canada to my house in Salt Lake to pick her up!  In the first week alone Bev told me that she had "between 50 and 60 lows and that Tasha caught all of them but 3!"  Those 3 happened between 3 am and 6 am when a baby puppy normally sleeps very soundly!   Bev has done a tremendous job of self training her!

Kudos to this fine team!

I AM NO ONE SPECIAL

I am no one special!  I am NOT SOME GREAT GERU of dogs. I have worked my butt off to get to where I am in knowledge and experience! Yes, I do have a gift with animals that comes from God.  I do not believe that the gift and knowledge is limited to me! I also believe that everyone has his or her own journey to walk in life and with dog training.  Sometimes it is about time, sometimes it is about life, but the END IS NEVER TOTAL ACHIEVED or completed when it comes to dog training.  No matter how much I know I CAN ALWAYS LEARN MORE! ALWAYS!!! ALWAYS! NO ONE WAY WORKS FOR EVERY DOG OR EVERY PERSON!

It is also OK to pay a lot of money for a good DAD, but here is a little secret; you are still going to have to learn how to train it!  You are going to have to learn how THAT TRAINER communicated with that dog! It is very reasonable and feasible that the price tag would be in the neighborhood of 20 K for a well trained fully alerting dog!  However you have to remember that you still have to learn how that dog was trained.  Dogs are NOT ROBOTS!  They are living breathing, thinking, and feeling creatures!

Many people think that MORE MONEY means a better PRODUCT!  It is the way of our world!  I was taught at a very early age HARD WORK pays off!  KNOWLEDGE pays off...not always in money but in success!  I have paid for training. I have paid to learn from others. I have also learned a lot just from experience of watching dogs.  Very often if we don’t pay something we tend to not value it! For example I hate asking 1500 to 2000 grand for my baby puppies but I know what THEY ARE WORTH EVERY DIME and MORE! If you factor in the cost of the litter, my time, and training that price is VERY CHEAP!  The head start that you get with these pups is amazing.

As most know I am a huge proponent of SELF TRAINING! But it ONLY WORKS when you are willing to ask/pay for help when you need it and IF YOU ARE COMMITTED 100 percent to the cause! It takes TIME! It takes PATIENCE! It takes PERSTISTANCE!  You have to be WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE OUTCOME YOU DESERVE!  There is no TIME TABLE and life will happen but YOU HAVE TO GO THE DISTANCE…NO MATTER WHAT THAT MEANS!

No matter where that diabetic alert dog comes from you MUST BUILD A RELATIONSHIP with that dog! You have to spend time learning about dogs.  You read, watch, and listen every chance you get!  Sometimes it will not apply to your current dog! However down the road it just might so you need to file it away for future reference! My house and file cabinets are full of books, videos, cds, and assorted other dog training stuff! I learned very quickly that relationship is built through training but it is also built through just spending time with the dog!  Appreciating what the dog gives you in that moment! It is hard to not keep expecting the dog to do more and more, but a dog also needs time to just BE!

Bravo is turning SEVEN this year and I STILL have training things to do and HE STILL LEARNS NEW THINGS!  DOG TRAINING IS NEVER FINISHED! It is LIKE BEING A PARENT! You will always be a parent no matter how old the kid gets, however the roles do change and mature!  WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE KEEP OUR EYE OR THE PRIZE! WE LEARN!  WE GROW!  IT TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES!

 I try to never bash others for how they do things what I don’t understand is why I and others like me get bashed for recommending self-training.  I believe most people are smart enough to do this! They just need guidance!  I have more or as much dog experience as many of the ones doing the bashing.  I have successfully trained dogs to the upper levels in 8 venues.  WHY??? Because I believe in dogs! I believe in our relationship with dogs! And because I am still amazed by what we can teach dogs and WHAT DOGS TEACH US!  THE MORE I KNOW ABOUT SOME PEOPLE, THE MORE I PREFER TO BE WITH MY DOGS!