What about training a GSD to alert for a diabetic crisis? My child was recently diagnosed with Diabetes- I had absolutely no idea how difficult it is to manage, nor how precarious- and I would like to know if it's possible to train a GSD to alert for unconsciousness (how is the dog to distinguish between sleep and uncounsciousness... it's difficult for me!)Also, when the blood sugar levels drop very low, seizure and ultimately coma result.

It's my understanding that seizure alert dogs identify an oncoming event BEFORE there is any outward sign, so I assume this indicates that the animal has a sensitity to something we can't perceive. Even high-tech equipment doesn't detect many oncoming seizures...

I'm also interested in resources regarding techniques for training a dog to assist in removing a person from a dangerous predicament, which professionally trained seizure alert dogs do. Any ideas?

By the way... 25% of Medicare covers Diabetes-related illness... the highest incidence of Diabetes I in the world is Sweden, followed by Finland, then the State of Wisconsin! It has been recently announced by numerous sources that Diabetes has reached the critical numbers requried to be disignated an "epidemic." If anyone designs a program to train dogs to assist/alert diabetics, there's a big, big market out there...

Hi Liz, These are very good questions. I will start by saying that few dogs will alert ahead of a seizure or crisis, and unless it is proofed I would highly doubt someone claiming it.
Next, The only reliable way that I have found for training the response is using very clear cues.
Cause/effect. You would have to figure out what the cue is that tells the difference between sleep and unconsiousness. In the case of diabetes there can be a breath smell. I don't know how you would be able to collect the scent, but if it were possible you could scent train the dog and teach it how to react when the scent is present. All of the training is taught step by step as with any training and should be taught motivationally. I.E. make it fun to find the scent and highly praise. You would first need to train the dog to recognise the scent (assuming you are scent training) then go on steps from there. I'm sure there are many on this board that can help with that. I personally have no scent training experience. The other and most important aspect is the bonding of the dog and person it will be helping. They will have to do most things together and the person will have to be the one to feed, let the dog out etc...The dog will have to sleep in close proximity etc...
There is another aspect to service work, and that's whether the dog will go into the community with the person, if so they should be well tempered, under control and able to pass the access test. http://www.assistance-dogs-intl.org
You will find the access test at this site. Now if the dog is only going to be in the house, the access test isn't an issue. I hope this is helpful, let me know if there are more questions I can try to help you with.