SDWR Review: A Family’s Letter About Their Diabetic Alert Dog

SDWR Review

Diabetic Alert Dog Team: Mavis & Haley

Our daughter’s service dog was delivered this week and we are so thrilled with everything from the dog to the trainer. Cheri was amazing and I can’t describe the impact she had on our family. She was so calm and relaxed and put us at ease. Mavis is just the most beautiful and special dog. When she alerted the first time, it was truly a touching and special moment.

Our daughter Haley has quickly formed a bond with her and we know it will just get stronger and stronger. I cannot say enough good things about this organization from beginning until now. I feel like we have a family. An incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and special family. We are so thankful for SDWR, Cheri and Mavis. We can’t wait to see her again soon.

Cara Manns

Mother of Diabetic Alert Dog Recipient

To find out more information about our Diabetic Alert Dogs at Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers please visit http://www.sdwr.org/service-dogs/diabetic-alert/.

4-Year-Old Boy Receives Diabetic Alert Service Dog in Brentwood, Maryland

Mylon, a 4-year-old in Brentwood, Maryland, received a very special delivery today! A Diabetic Alert Service Dog named Slash was delivered to his family today from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers.

PRESS RELEASE  UPDATED: OCT 19, 2017

BRENTWOOD, Md., October 19, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Mylon, a 4-year-old boy in Brentwood, Maryland, received a very special delivery today! A Diabetic Alert Service Dog named Slash was delivered to his family today from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers. Based in Madison, Virginia, Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, or “SDWR,” has a mission to provide specially-bred and trained dogs for adults and children with invisible disabilities like Diabetes, PTSD, Seizure Disorders, or in the case of Mylon—Type One Diabetes. SDWR has almost 600 service dogs working across the U.S. and around the globe. SDWR is currently serving nearly 1,000 families.
Slash, a labrador retriever Diabetic Alert Service Dog, has already received thousands of hours of training through SDWR’s service dog raiser program where volunteers raise puppies in training for about a period of one year. The dogs and raisers must follow through the foundation and skillset training provided through SDWR trainers at the facility in Virginia.
Mylon not only has Type 1 Diabetes, but he also suffers from cardiac issues and has a pacemaker and uses a defibrillator as well. Mylon’s mother, Katherine, states that “My son is now four and has had diabetes for the last year and four months... I am the only caregiver to him and I need more overall help.” One of the ways Slash will help Mylon and his family is by alerting when his blood sugars get out of range at nighttime. Slash is a service dog and is therefore covered under laws in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means that Slash will be able to accompany the family everywhere — from restaurants to doctor visits to even the grocery store. He will work with SDWR trainers to gain the full public-access certification.
SDWR uses a proprietary scent training method to teach Diabetic Service Dogs to detect fluctuations in blood sugar that fall outside of a handler’s healthy range. This training program is what sets SDWR apart from other nonprofit service dog organizations. In the coming 18 months, SDWR will return to Mylon’s home every 3-4 months to continue working on Slash’s customized training, follow up training and training the human to make a successful team and public access certification. This certification can only be given to Mylon after a progression of hard work and dedication to the SDWR training program.
Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers is a nonprofit organization based in Madison, Virginia, and relies on donations to help the Organization in its mission, “Until there’s a cure… There’s a dog.” To make a donation or learn more about SDWR, please visit the website, www.sdwr.org. To learn more about Diabetic Alert Service Dogs visit www.sdwr.org/service-dogs/diabetic-alert. To find out how you can volunteer as a service dog in training raiser visit www.sdwr.org/volunteer-opportunities.

Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers Delivers Diabetic Alert Dog to Boy in Colorado Springs

PRESS RELEASE  UPDATED: JUN 6, 2017

Shelby, Diabetic Alert Dog, reporting for duty at Fort Carson Military Reserve

Colorado Springs, CO, June 6, 2017 (Newswire.com) - June 6 is the first day of duty for a Diabetic Alert Dog delivered by Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers to Alex, a 10-year-old who lives with his parents at the Fort Carson Military Reservation. Alex’s dog, a Labrador Retriever named “Shelby,” has already received thousands of hours of training as a diabetic alert dog and it will continue to learn under the careful guidance of a certified trainer from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers (SDWR) and through the rapport it develops with Alex and his parents, Valerie and Josh. SDWR has a mission to provide specially bred and trained dogs for adults and children with invisible disabilities like Autism, PTSD, Seizure Disorders, and Diabetes.

Alex was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes two years ago and has lived with the daily challenges of this life-threatening disease. Unlike Type 2 diabetes that can often be controlled with a balanced diet and watching one’s weight, Type 1 is caused when a virus attacks and permanently shuts down a person’s pancreas causing them to need insulin 24 hours a day. Alex’s diet must contain a careful balance of foods with a special focus on the amount and intake of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have to be covered by insulin injection or through an insulin pump that is attached to the body delivering insulin through canulas — similar to small IV catheters. Blood glucose levels have to be monitored several times each day and night, as well as after exercise or sleep. Common illnesses like a cold or flu are especially difficult for people with Type 1 as viruses and fevers almost always cause spikes in glucose levels. Blood glucose levels that are too high or too low are life-threatening events for people with Type 1 diabetes. Now, with the arrival of the Shelby, Alex will have yet another tool, a four-legged one that has received foundational training to monitor his diabetes. 

Dan Warren, Founder and President of Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, indicates that the Organization’s diabetes alert dogs are trained to recognize and alert on the scent of low and or high blood glucose levels. “When Alex’s blood glucose begins to fluctuate, his service dog will pick up the scent and give the alert for ‘high’ or ‘low’ blood glucose levels,” states Warren. Often, diabetics don't "feel" their blood sugar fluctuation and their bodies are slow to react to how their insulin pumps have been programmed. These events can lead to dangerous lows, which can result in seizures, coma, and even death. Implanted glucose monitoring systems are often 20 minutes behind an alert dog’s sense of the glucose movement. Electronic systems measure parts per million while alert dogs have been shown to scent parts per trillion. 

People may also sleep right through a glucose monitor's alarm, whereas a trained diabetes alert dog is taught to be persistent to the point where it will go get another member of the household if the dog’s “person” does not respond. Shelby will not only handle “night duty” but will accompany Alex on his very active lifestyle as he is involved with church activities, baseball, soccer, and loves to hike and fish. His mother Valerie says, “Alex is always on the go, so Shelby will be on the go right alongside him!” Because she is a service dog trained to assist just one person, Shelby is covered under all Americans with Disabilities laws. Shelby will not only accompany Alex on his outdoor activities, she will also go to restaurants, school, shopping, even doctors and hospital visits. 

Additionally, these amazing dogs are trained to retrieve essentials needed such as Glucose tablets, Glucagon, insulin, juice boxes, testing meters or retrieve medication from a designated spot in the house. Alert dogs are further trained to dial out on K-9 equipped phones to summon emergency medical help if needed. All these trained activities help ease the concern that parents may have as their child ventures outside of the home environment.

Shelby will also work with the SDWR trainers and Alex toward public access certification. Dan Warren is quick to point out that “all the incredible services these dogs can provide are through progression, hard work and dedication of the Organization and the family, who must work together to build on training foundations and fundamentals. This is about an 18-month training program.”

What sets SDWR apart from other service dog organizations are the customized training methods, and SDWR matches dogs to their “person.” According to Dan Warren, “that important bonding time between dog and person can begin to happen right away. For the over seven years we’ve been utilizing this method of dog placement, we’ve achieved amazing results. To date, we have almost 600 dogs working across the country and around the globe.”

Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers is a non-profit organization based in Madison, Virginia, and relies on donations to help the Organization in its mission, “Until there’s a cure … there’s a dog.” To make or donation or learn more about SDWR, please visit the website, http://www.sdwr.org/. To learn more about Diabetic Alert Service Dogs, visit http://www.sdwr.org/service-dogs/diabetic-alert/. To find out how you can volunteer or serve as a puppy raiser, visit http://www.sdwr.org/volunteer-opportunities/.

Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers Delivers Diabetic Alert Service Dog to Child in Thousand Oaks, Ca

PRESS RELEASE UPDATED: MAY 7, 2017 08:24 EDT
Diabetic Alert Dog helps active 14 year old girl stay safe and well
Thousand Oaks, CA, May 7, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Today, Emma, a 14 year old from Thousand Oaks, California, meets her Type 1 Diabetic Alert Dog delivered by Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers. Emma’s dog, a Labrador Retriever named “Mocha,” has already received thousands of hours of training as a diabetic alert dog and it will continue to learn under the careful guidance of a certified trainer from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, “SDWR,” and through the rapport it develops Emma and her parents. SDWR has a mission to provide specially-bred and trained dogs for adults and children with invisible disabilities like Autism, PTSD, Seizure Disorders, and Diabetes.
Emma is an active young lady who enjoys dance classes, Regiment Band, camping and going to the beach. But Emma also lives with the life-threatening challenges of Type 1 Diabetes. Diagnosed at just six years of age, Emma knows the daily life with a dozen or more finger-poke blood glucose checks, counting carbohydrate intake, and night-time blood glucose checks by her parents. Unlike Type 2 diabetes that can often be controlled with a balanced diet and watching one’s weight, Type 1 is caused when a virus attacks and permanently shuts down a person’s pancreas causing them to need insulin 24 hours a day. Emma’s diet must contain a careful balance of foods with a special focus on the amount and intake of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have to be covered by insulin injection or through an insulin pump that is attached to the body delivering insulin through canulas—similar to small IV catheters. Blood glucose levels have to be monitored several times each day and night, as well as after exercise or sleep. Common illnesses like a cold or flu are especially difficult for people with Type 1 as viruses and fevers almost always cause spikes in glucose levels. Blood glucose levels that are too high or too low are life-threatening events for people with Type 1 diabetes. Now with the arrival of the Mocha, Emma will have yet another tool, a four-legged one that has received foundational training to monitor her diabetes and keep her from experiencing dangerous high and low blood glucose levels—especially frequent when a lifestyle is as active as Emma’s!
Dan Warren, Founder and President of Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, indicates that the Organization’s diabetes alert dogs are trained to recognize and alert on the scent of low and or high blood glucose levels. “When Emma’s blood glucose begins to fluctuate, her service dog will pick up the scent and give the alert for ‘high’ or ‘low’ blood glucose levels,” states Warren. These hypo and hyperglycemic events, dangerous highs and lows, can result in seizures, coma, and even death. Many Type 1 patients have implanted glucose monitoring systems but these systems are often 20 minutes behind an alert dog’s sense of the glucose movement. Electronic systems measure parts per million while alert dogs have been shown to scent parts per trillion. A trained diabetes alert dog is taught to alert and be persistent to the point where it will go get another member of the household if the dog’s “person” does not respond.
Mocha will not only take care of Emma at home, she will accompany her to band camp, dance classes and enjoy the family-favorite activities such as camping and trips to the beach. As a service dog, her right to be with Emma in all public places is protected under Americans with Disabilities laws. Mocha will go with Emma to restaurants, shopping, to doctors and hospital visits and eventually she will attend college with Emma.
Additionally, these amazing dogs are trained to retrieve essentials needed such as Glucose tablets, Glucagon, insulin, juice boxes, testing meters or retrieve medication from a designated spot in the house. Alert dogs are further trained to dial out on K-9 equipped phones to summon emergency medical help if needed. All these trained activities help ease the concern that parents of a young child with Type 1 Diabetes.
Mocha will also work with the SDWR trainers and Emma towards public access certification. Dan Warren is quick to point out that, “all the incredible services these dogs can provide are through progression, hard work and dedication of the Organization and the individual and family who must work together to build on diabetic alert dog training foundations and fundamentals. This is about an 18-month training program.”
What sets SDWR apart from other service dog organizations are the customized training methods and SDWR matches dogs to their “person.” According to Dan Warren, “that important bonding time between dog and person can begin to happen right away. For the over seven years we’ve been utilizing this method of dog placement, we’ve achieved amazing results. To date we have almost 600 dogs working across the country and around the globe.”
Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers is a non-profit organization based in Madison, Virginia, and relies on donations to help the Organization in its mission, “Until there’s a cure…there’s a dog.” To make or donation or learn more about SDWR, please visit the website, http://www.sdwr.org/. To learn more about Diabetic Alert Service Dogs visit http://www.sdwr.org/service-dogs/diabetic-alert/. To find out how you can volunteer or serve as a puppy raiser visit http://www.sdwr.org/volunteer-opportunities/ .

10 Reasons A Diabetes Alert Dog Can Change Your Life

1. A Sense of security.

Those with disabilities tend to feel vulnerable. Living with diabetes can be isolating and scary. Whether you live alone, or you’re afraid of your child being away from you, a Diabetic Alert Dog provides essential alerts and security.

2. Confidence to leave the comfort of your home.

Many diabetics avoid leaving their homes out of fear that they will be vulnerable and in danger, that the proper care or person won’t be around. With an SDWR service dog, our clients can leave their home knowing they have a physical crutch and a helper at their side if anything goes wrong. Diabetic Alert Dogs help individuals feel secure enough for family vacations, theme parks, road trips, excursions or simply living their daily lives.

3. Assist with side effects or symptoms.

If something does occur while outside of the home, or even at home, a specially trained SDWR service dog can assist in more ways than imaginable. A service dog can retrieve medications, food, and glucose meters. Each dog is trained specifically to help individuals perform tasks that are otherwise difficult.

4. Provide A Sense Of Community.

With SDWR, you receive so much more than a service dog. You become a part of a large community of like-minded individuals who face the same struggles every day. We are always prepared to give each other the support, comfort, and lend a listening ear when needed.

5. Emergency Assistance

Each SDWR service dog is trained to dial 911 on a special device and retrieve third party support if available. Sleep easier, breath deeper, and know that our diabetic alert dogs are trained to save lives.

6. Give freedom to those being held back.

Losing their freedom is one of the largest issues those suffering from disabilities address. Their lives are affected with a fear of something occurring to them while being alone. Some patients are physically unable to complete certain tasks. An SDWR service dog enables our clients to step out of their comfort zone while having a caretaker close by in case of an issue. The feeling of not having to lean on others for assistance gives people confidence and enables them to live a full life.

7. Around the clock support.

With a Service Dog, individuals and their loved ones can breathe easier knowing that if something comes up, their service dog will take the proper action to alert them or others. Diabetic highs and lows can be dangerous, especially at night during sleep, our service dogs are trained to wake their handler or someone near if necessary. Service dogs can attend school and work with their handlers to ensure they are safe at all times. SDWR’s service dogs are trained to care for you at all times of the day/night.

8. Stability

We receive many stories from clients who tell us about scary cases where their SDWR service dog saved the day. We love those stories. The stories about a stable lifestyle now being in the place with the help of one of our service dogs are just as rewarding to us. Having a constant caretaker, companion, best friend, and guardian angel provide for a stable and as consistent daily life as one can obtain with their disabilities. Our goal is to make our client’s lives more manageable.

9. Provide motivation for exercise

Who doesn’t need a little push to get some fresh air and the blood pumping at times? Service dogs are not to be considered pets, but all dogs love to expel their energy. Giving their service dog walk is a good way for anyone and their dog to get some exercise.

10. Most importantly, alert to your highs and lows.

A unique feature of Diabetic Alert Dogs is that they are trained to alert based off of one person’s specific high and low count. If an individual has a healthy range of 70-120, their dog will be trained to start alerting when they fall out of that range oftentimes, even after just one or two points of difference. There have been many instances of service dogs alerting more accurately than a continuous monitor and even before the monitor reflects the change.

We Train Our Diabetic Alert Dogs To Help With The Following:

• High & Low Blood Sugar Alerts
• Early High/Low Detection
• Retrieve Third Party Support
• Retrieve Food & Medication Such as Glucagon, Glucose Tabs, Insulin, Juice , Meters, etc.
• Dial 911 on a Special Device
• Public Access Training, Testing, Certifications

Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers Delivers Diabetic Alert Dog to Pleasant Plains, Il

Pleasant Plains, Illinois - November 28, 2016 - (Newswire.com) 

On November 28, Aaron, a 37 year-old with Type 1 Diabetes of Pleasant Plains, Illinois, will be welcoming into his home a Diabetic Alert Dog from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers.

Aaron’s dog, a Labrador Retriever named “Samson,” has already received thousands of hours of training as a diabetic alert dog and it will continue to learn under the careful guidance of a certified trainer from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, “SDWR,” and through the rapport it develops Aaron.  SDWR has a mission to provide specially-bred and trained dogs for adults and children with invisible disabilities like Autism, PTSD, Seizure Disorders, and Diabetes.

Aaron is the father of two active daughters and he and his wife Becky are always “on the go.”  In addition to working very demanding hours in his work, Aaron is also a soccer coach.  Managing his diabetes is a challenge and the addition of Samson will make a significant and positive difference in his life.  An active person can often experience high and low blood glucose level swings.  Those swings are not only life-threatening; they also impact the long-term overall health conditions of a person diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

Samson will help Aaron be able to avoid some of these swings by alerting before they get extreme or even life-threatening.  A three-year study of SDWR Diabetic Alert Dogs funded by the National Institute of Health found that the diabetic alert dogs were able to scent to high and low blood glucose changes often up to 20 to 30 minutes before a blood glucose monitor.  This extra time will make an important difference in the safety, security, and long-term health of Aaron.

Dan Warren, Founder and President of Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, indicates that the Organization’s diabetes alert dogs are trained to recognize and alert on the scent of low and or high blood glucose levels. “When Aaron’s blood sugar begins to fluctuate, Samson will pick up the scent and give the alert for ‘high’ or ‘low’ blood glucose levels to Aaron.”  In that same study conducted by the University of Virginia, it was concluded that SDWR service dogs are 93% accurate in their alerts.

Often diabetics don't feel their blood sugar fluctuation and their bodies are slow to react to how their insulin pumps have been programmed. These events can lead to dangerous lows, which can result in seizures, coma, and even death.  Implanted glucose monitoring systems (“CGM”) are often 20 minutes behind an alert dog’s sense of the glucose movement (from April 2013 study by University of Virginia utilizing Warren Retrievers’ service dogs).  Electronic systems measure parts per million while alert dogs have been shown to scent parts per trillion.

People may also sleep right through a glucose monitor's alarm, whereas a trained diabetic alert dog is taught to be persistent to the point where it will go get another member of the household if the dog’s “person” does not respond.  Additionally, these amazing dogs are trained to retrieve essentials needed such as Glucose tablets, Glucagon, insulin, juice boxes, testing meters or retrieve medication from a designated spot in the house.  Alert dogs are further trained to dial out on K-9 equipped phones to summon emergency medical help, if needed.

Samson will also work with the SDWR trainers and Aaron towards public access certification.  Dan Warren is quick to point out that, “all the incredible services these dogs can provide are through progression, hard work and dedication of the Organization and the family who must work together to build on training foundations and fundamentals.  This is about an 18-month training program.”

What sets SDWR apart from other service dog organizations are the customized training methods and SDWR matches dogs to their “person.”  According to Dan Warren, “that important bonding time between dog and person can begin to happen right away.  For the over seven years we’ve been utilizing this method of dog placement, we’ve achieved amazing results.  To date we have over 500 dogs working across the country and around the globe.”

Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers is a non-profit organization based in Madison, Virginia, and relies on donations to help the Organization in its mission, “Until there’s a cure…there’s a dog.”  To make or donation or learn more about SDWR, please visit the website, http://www.sdwr.org/.  To learn more about Diabetic Alert Service Dogs visit http://www.sdwr.org/service-dogs/diabetic-alert/.  To find out how you can volunteer or serve as a puppy raiser visit http://www.sdwr.org/volunteer-opportunities/.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3155689#ixzz4U2jh4iRY

SDWR Review: A Family's Look At Their Diabetic Alert Dog

Dear SDWR,

I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for our family. When I entered this program my intentions were to get a dog for my children. I never dreamed I would connect and grow to love everyone in the organization. You all have been here for us through thick and thin, for our victories and our downfalls always there to lend a word of encouragement even when I was in tears and done. I have called you in tears and you all have always been my biggest fan.

As we graduate out of your program today I can’t help but tear up and think back on my journey with you all. I have learned more about myself than I ever thought I could. Thank you for always being on my side and by my side through it all. I will always Cherish the training and love from each of you. Thank you for everything, every Alert reminds me of why I took this journey. I am so thankful and blessed to have Miracle as our DAD. I am double blessed to be Chapter Manager for and organization that I will forever stand and support til the end. I love each one of you so much. Cheri Campbell, thanks for always having my back and training this sweet boy to save lives. Dan Warren, thanks for always encouraging me and having faith in me. Sarah Gibson, thanks for all the support during my fundraising and still helping me today. Phil, thanks for the input from our first meeting in DC to this week’s training. Brenda, oh my biggest fan thank you for always helping me through those down times. Erin, thanks for always being my friend and trainer, thanks for all those late night calls when I was at my wits end couldn’t have done this without you. And last but not least Lucinda, your amazing in so many ways I love you to death. Thanks again for everything I love you guys your my family and I couldn’t imagine this life without any of you. Until There’s A Cure, There’s A Dog!!

Thank you,

April