• What is the Diabetic Alert Dog Fundamentals Program?

The Diabetic Alert Dog Fundamentals Course is an intensive 12 week board and train style course, for your qualified dog. This course requires you to provide a dog for training. This course is designed to get your dog off to a great start in becoming a Diabetic Alert Service Dog. This program gives your dog the beginning fundamental skills of Obedience introduction, Public Access exposure, and an introduction to Scent detection with an active paw alert signal. At Diabetic Alert Dogs of America, we use a positive reinforcement training method that rewards your dog with healthy treats for a task well done. This course is solely an introductory course, designed to get your dog off to the right start so that you may personally continue on your self-training.

 

• Benefits of The Fundamentals Program

 

The Fundamentals Program offers your dog a head start on his or her Service Dog work. It includes the beginning phases of obedience, public exposure, and scent training with an active alert. Your dog will benefit from gaining the fundamental knowledge it needs prior to advancing on to more specific training. This program can be extremely beneficial for dog trainers or budget-minded individuals looking to self-train their Service Dog. 

 

 

• Training Itinerary

 

• The first part of the curriculum includes the start of obedience training. Your dog will learn many basic commands that are vital to performing service dog work. These commands will include both verbal and hand signals. They are the basis for communication with your service dog and are imperative for building that special bond between you and your dog. These commands help set the order in which your dog sees you as its leader and handler. We use positive re-enforcement training that’s designed to reward your dog for completing the requested tasks. We find these methods highly successful and allows for greater retention and a happy dog that loves to please.

 

• The second part of the course curriculum includes Public Service exposure. This is where your dog gets to go out in the world as a service dog in training. Your dog will experience many new sights and sounds that will be tailored towards your lifestyle and daily routines. Your dog will get to experience these surroundings with a Certified Service Dog Trainer who will teach your dog manners in public using the obedience commands that have already been taught in the previous week. Your dog will spend 24/7 with his or her trainer and accompany that trainer throughout a wide variety of different environments. Some of these environments include restaurants, libraries, schools, crowded shopping areas, and office buildings. The fundamentals program does not certify a Service Dog in public access, however allows your dog to get a great start for future certifications.

     

• The last part of the curriculum is the fundamental start of diabetic scent recognition and active alert. We train your dog to alert you to any blood sugar level lower than 80 or higher than 150. It has been shown that these scents are present in the environment approximately 20-40 minutes before a blood glucose meter can read an unhealthy number in your blood from a finger prick. Your dog will be able to smell those scents and actively alert you before you get into an unhealthy or emergency situation. Your dog will learn to actively alert you by using his or her paw to get your attention. 

 

 

• Included with The Fundamentals Program 

 

• Obedience Training includes the use of 20 voice and hand commands

• Public Service exposure  

• Beginning Scent Recognition and Active Alert start    

• A Diabetic Alert Service Dog manual 

• A Service Dog in training vest

• A Diabetic Alert Dogs of America Intermediate Certificate 

• A training dog collar

• A flat buckle collar 

• A Service Dog coupler lead

• A bag of motivational dog treats

• A tote bag

• Temperament evaluation

• One day of private training and demonstrations 

• A lifetime of support and training assistance from our amazing trainers 

• Unlimited lifetime discounted training