Diabetes detection dogs are assistance dogs trained to detect high or low levels of blood sugar levels, known as hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia in humans with diabetes. They can then prompt a human to take insulin.
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History
The first dog trained to detect hypoglycemia was a Californian dog called Armstrong in 2003. The success of Armstrong led to the foundation of Dogs for Diabetics, a charity that trains diabetes detection dogs.
Medical Detection Dogs, a charity in England also trains detection dogs.
Companion Training is another organization whose service dog experts specialize in helping people train their own diabetic alert dogs.
Detection
When owners with type 1 diabetes begin to experience hypoglycemia, the detection dogs perform a predetermined task (e.g. bark, lay down, sit) to inform the person.