Oh so long . . . . It's been so long since I posted anything about Rex and our Diabetic Life. Why? Because there is so much to be done to make this process proceed. Amazing alerts happen ALL the time with Rex in the lead, but he's a puppy! And puppies are a ton of work . . . a ton of work.
I am posting a video that we haphazardly taped while on vacation at the beach with our many relatives - 26 or so of them in total. I have my handsome, helpful and steady-handed nephew, Taylor, as videographer - thank you Taylor! You did a marvelous job.
Now before you get to watch it, a little preface is needed. If there are any dog trainers out there reading and watching this post, please be forgiving with your comments - we did a lot of stuff wrong in this video which we later learned from our trainer two days later - i.e. don't ask "Is it a high?" (he's too young to know that yet), we were supposed to give him his treats for the alert IMMEDIATELY, as in within 5 seconds of taking the blood sugar (I forgot the bag or treats - oops!), and we're supposed to whoop and holler when he alerts and is correct (which we didn't - I was too preoccupied with getting this on camera to do everything right). Please forgive me, forgive Rex and just watch the video.
The point of the video is to show you that Rex can alert from AT LEAST a distance of 1 block while being in one house and the boys being inside of another house. (He actually can alert from further distances than that, but most people won't believe that.)
One last word before showing the video - Rex actually alerted by whining and yelping inside our beach house - I did not get that on camera. After he alerted, I scrambled to get the video rolling and that's why I asked that pitiful question, "Is it a high?" and then he gave me his paw. That part is still being trained in him. He is coming along with it, but it's not quite there yet. Both boys were actually low and had to eat a snack to keep from going lower after Rex alerted to them in the other beach house. Rex smelled their lows.
Here goes . . . watch and be amazed . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-esMdn7LZ4
This is my journey into the unknown . . . a wife and mother trying to find ways to help us live a life pleasing to God as we muddle through the JOYS (and exhaustion) of every-day life with two active boys living with diabetes.
Oh Susan that's amazing! So wonderful that you have a helping paw :) Good Boy, Rex!
ReplyDeleteWould love to hear how things are progressing in the last 3/4 months!
love,
Amy M. Smith