Loyalty

Dogs have been referred to as "Man's Best Friend" for as long as anyone can remember because they fill a unique role that no other creature can.  These remarkable animals have an incredible ability to relate to humans with intense loyalty and insight.

A few weeks ago, a news story came out from Los Angeles where two Labrador retrievers made headlines.  Apparently, the Labradors had wandered from home and made their way into traffic.  One was hit and killed, and the other stayed loyally by her side as cars zoomed all around.  A concerned passerby stopped, placed traffic cones, and called the authorities to come take her in out of harm's way. (See story and videos here: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-Labrador-stays-by-friend,0,1719168.story) . 

I could write a LOT about their owners' irresponsibility....  But that's a whole other story!

This dog risked her own safety while displaying loyalty towards a downed companion. 

Labradors have the reputation of being overly joyous social butterflies that will interact and play with anyone.  In fact, this is one of the primary breed characteristics that make Labradors well suited to Service Dog work. 

There are other breeds that can do service work, but few breeds of dog can be as easily handed off to another handler.   In many Service Dog programs, a puppy goes from the school to a puppy raiser's home, then back to the school and (eventually) to their owner/handler's home for service work.  During that time the puppy/dog will have to be handled by many different people in order to learn the skills he will need as a working Service Dog. 

Consider "Roselle," a Seeing Eye dog from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  Her human partner, Michael Hingson, worked on the 78th floor of Tower One at the World Trade Center.  Partnered together since 1999, their teamwork and that dog's loyalty were put to the test on September 11^th, 2001.   After the Tower was hit, amidst all the chaos, Roselle led Michael (and others from his floor) 78 floors down to safety through a dark stairwell.  They exited to safety only moments before the building fully collapsed. (Read more about Roselle and her passing this past year at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/6/prweb8608483.htm)   

In a moment of chaos, fear, devastation, and darkness, this one dog followed her training and led her human to safety. 

Dog training is never foolproof, and one never knows if training will hold up in extreme conditions where absolute safety is on the line.  But at the end of the day, intense loyalty is what causes a dog to follow through no matter what…  That kind of loyalty goes far beyond training… It's based on relationship.

You may have a loyal dog that waits for you to return home and call his name.  While he may not have been "put to the test" in extreme life-or-death conditions, his friendship probably meets a need for you that is special and unique. 

On this Memorial Day weekend, I remember the men & women I served with in the military.  I remember the sacrifices we made together… some that nobody else will ever know, and few can relate to.  I remember the intense loyalty toward each other that grew out of a need to survive and persevere.  And I remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice…  Some of their faces are etched in my memory along with sounds and smells from a world far away.

Let's make a point of honoring the heroes (human and canine) that have made an impact on our lives.  Their loyalty and wholeheartedness serves as an example, and their memory lives in our hearts.

   

The 2012 Diabetic Alert Dog Training Conference

I was privileged to attend the 2012 DAD Training Conference at Wildrose Kennels a week ago.  As a professional Labrador breeder/trainer, I came away highly motivated, encouraged and energized. 

As a relative newcomer to this training niche, I was eager to meet other trainers who had already placed successful DAD dog/handler teams.  My hope was to glean from their experience and knowledge base, and to fill in the gaps in my knowledge.

I was not disappointed.  Rachel Thornton was very gracious, and made a point of introducing me to other trainers that came to the conference.  She shared her inspirational story, and the many lessons she learned as a pioneer in the DAD training arena.  In the span of a few short years, she has progressed from being a mom without dog training experience to a highly respected dog trainer with deep insight and a passion to help others produce high-quality Diabetic Alert Dogs.  Visiting with other trainers, it was helpful to compare training models, methodologies and philosophies.

Getting acquainted with existing DAD dog/handler teams was extremely valuable, and it was inspirational to see those teams in action.    Those teams will be valuable resources to trainers like us, and we look forward to benefitting from their own experiences with dogs in service.

I particularly appreciate a discussion regarding use of volunteers who are diabetics themselves.  The concept of using these diabetic volunteers to help the prospective DAD make the transition to live alerts makes a lot of sense.   This model allows us to proof the dog in advance of placement, documenting the dog's success with BG logs and the corresponding alerting log of the DAD-in-training.

We spent considerable time (as trainers) discussing appropriate screening of DAD candidates.   Integrating a service dog into the already busy (and stressful) lifestyle is not realistic for many diabetics or their families.   Not every family is prepared for the level of responsibility or commitment to continued training necessary for a successful DAD dog/handler team.  As trainers, we all agreed that proper pairing of DADs and diabetic candidates was crucial. 

Collectively, the volume of DAD inquiries we have all received is enormous.   In the case of Brooks Labradors, 115 candidates have completed our online Questionnaire in 5 months…  Simply screening and following up on these inquiries is somewhat overwhelming.  Long term, there may be merit in some national-scale database of DAD candidates to facilitate matching of suitable candidates with reputable trainers in their own region.

We also discussed how non-profit organizations will play a big role in making DADs available to the people who need them.  Professional trainers are generally for-profit businesses… which means that to stay in business, we can't be "upside down."  So ultimately trainers will need to be able to set price-points where they need them to be (to stay in business).  At the same time, the net cost to the diabetic needs to be at a level that they can feasibly afford.  The only way close that gap is with the help of non-profit organizations.   

We're grateful to Mike Stewart, Rachel Thornton and the staff of Wildrose Kennels for their hospitality.   I look forward to building on our new trainer relationships.  Collectively we have the opportunity to significantly enhance the safety and quality of life of diabetics and their families.  It's a great job for great dogs, and I left the conference feeling like we're now networked with other ethical trainers who share our heart to make a difference.

Brent Brooks

Brooks Labradors LLC

www.brookslabradors.com

http://brookslabradors.com/the-2012-diabetic-alert-dog-training-conference