
15/08/2022
Good low, Dove!
We’ve been a bit absent on this page, and it has reflected the step back we’ve taken in our blood sugar training. Not to worry—we definitely still put in the work! But I also recognize that Dove, at now 16 months, is very much a teenager and I want to give her the appropriate space to get through this phase.
We are working mostly on maintaining the expectations set as a baby—loose leash walking and engagement around distractions (mainly other dogs). But I do make sure to sprinkle in low blood sugar training in short, successful sessions.
And because she likes to show off, Dove has learned that any number over 230 smells different than normal and has started alerting to that, without any training on that scent. I’m planning on pairing high blood sugars with a different alert than her nose nudge for lows, but I’m excited that she is using her brain so well! I’ll be sure to take videos of teaching her to grab a leash tab and bring it to me when my sugar is high.
Here are photos from tonight, when she alerted me at the perfect number—80. That number is the cutoff for normal ranges and anything below it I consider low. For all she can frustrate me with teenage antics, she pleasantly surprises me just the same. It’s also a selfish relief to me, knowing that I must be doing a few things right. Luckily, she’s forgiving of my other mistakes.
So—take a breath, trust your training, and give your angsty adolescent dog the space to be exceptionally dumb and incredible intelligent all at once.