How Seizure Alert Dogs Assist Their Owners
Seizure alert dogs are service dogs that assist individuals who have seizures by alerting them prior to a seizure so the individual can find a safe place, take their medication, or do whatever they need to do to prepare for the seizure.
How a Seizure Alert Dog Is Trained
We collect scent samples from the individual before, during, or immediately after they have a seizure. The recipient sends us several different scent samples, and we work with the dog to ensure they can recognize that scent enabling them to alert their recipient in advance.
Dogs have an extremely sophisticated olfactory system; thus, they can smell things that we cannot even fathom. Prior to a person having a seizure, their body chemistry begins to change. These are the scents that we use to train the dog. The dog learns to detect this and alert their recipient, so that person knows it’s coming, and they can take whatever action is appropriate for their situation.
What Breed of Dog Can Detect Seizures?
All dogs have a better sense of smell than people do. Certain breeds are known for their sense of smell. What we look for is whether the dog has the whole package to serve as a service dog.
For example, a bloodhound is the number one dog with the most scent receptors, allowing it to detect these scents easily. However, bloodhounds were bred for a different purpose. They were developed to follow and track scents. As a result, they typically do not make as good of a service dog as another breed would.
The German Shephard and Beagle are tied for second place for having the most scent receptors in the nose. Obviously, the German Shepard is known for being a working dog and loves having a job. They have been an extremely versatile breed for decades as a service dog, a guard dog, a therapy dog, police dog, military dog, and many other functions.
A beagle, on the other hand, is a tracking dog like the Bloodhound and is trained to trail a scent. You will have a harder time getting these breeds to pay attention to you if there is a more exciting scent somewhere else.
The German Shepard is an excellent choice, as well as Golden retrievers and Labradors, who have a particularly good sense of smell and are also good working dogs that you will commonly see as service dogs. It’s not just the breed that can smell the best since they all have a better sense of smell than humans; it’s about the whole package. The dog must have all the appropriate traits for a service dog.
Can You Train Your Own Dog to Be a Seizure Alert Dog?
The challenge with training your own dog is that service dog training is a very advanced set of skills. Typically, pet trainers do not train service dog tasks. It could be possible if you’ve had experience training service dogs in the past, but that is only one element of being a service dog.
A service dog must be able to do a lot of things. He/she must be large enough to be out in public, so they don’t get stepped on or otherwise injured in crowds. Even our bigger service dogs get stepped on in crowded areas. A service dog must be brave enough to be comfortable working in public. We expect our dogs to alert 90% of the time or more. They are usually closer to 100%.
If the dog is distracted and fearful in public, he’s not paying attention to his recipient and the recipient’s needs. He’s no longer acting like a service dog. Instead, he’s acting like a dog that doesn’t want to be there. He’s not happy. A dog like that could become so fearful that if a person reaches for them, they could bite someone. Even if they are wearing a vest that says, “please do not pet,” people still reach for them all the time without asking. At times they hug and pet them before the recipient even knows what’s happening. This could be a disaster with an inappropriate dog in public.
A service dog can never be a public safety threat under any circumstances. An individual needs to know the correct etiquette and laws that pertain to both merchants and individuals that have service dogs. The concern is that individuals who want to train their own dog may not know all of these important aspects; they may not realize all the other training that needs to go into this dog, and sadly, that’s why we see a lot of inappropriate dogs in public today because they haven’t been properly desensitized, they haven’t had their confidence built, they haven’t developed the proper public access skills that they need to have, nor the obedience and manners they need.
There are so many things that need to be known to professionally train a service dog. That is why Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is a national organization producing hundreds and hundreds of dogs that are professionally trained, thus very acceptable to be in public. Unfortunately, it’s often our dogs who are attacked by inappropriate dogs in public.
How Do You Qualify for a Seizure Alert Dog?
For any type of service dog, you simply need to fill out an application and send it in. This can be accomplished online, or you can have one mailed to you. The application asks a lot of questions because Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs must find out exactly what your needs are and your environment, etc., to make sure it is conducive for a working dog to do its job.
We ask for confirmation of disability because you must have a permanent disability to qualify for a service dog. There are different variables, but this is how you would start the process. Once you speak with our Recipient Relations Department, they will finish qualifying you through a Q & A over the phone.
If you qualify, you will receive a letter welcoming you to the waiting list. At some point, there will be a series of orientations to teach you what you need to know about your service dog before you ever get one. Once the service dog is fully trained, we pay all the expenses to have you come to our headquarters, where you will spend ten days learning about your new dog, bonding and making sure you and the dog work well together.
Once the dog finishes his/her training, and the recipient finishes their on-line training with us (i.e.: learning how to care for their dog and the expectations of a service dog, among other important training), we then do the actual pairing. This is when we introduce the dog and the person and teach the recipient how the dog alerts. Not all dogs alert the same way, so it is important for the recipients to understand their dog’s specific alert.
Want to Learn More About Seizure Alert Dogs? We Can Help!
At Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, we are happy to answer any questions you may have about seizure-alert dogs and other types of service dogs. How they are trained, and how they can help you or another individual. Feel free to contact us today to learn more!
U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh recognized Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs as one of the 835 recipients of the 2022 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a virtual award ceremony presented by the U.S. Department of Labor. Guardian Angels is one of only 19 Platinum awardees in the State of Florida, and one of only 66 Florida companies to receive a HIRE VETS award of any level from the Department of Labor.
The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes employers who successfully recruit, hire, and retain veterans.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Founder and CEO, Carol Borden stated: “At Guardian Angels, it is not only our mission to serve our veterans with disabilities, but to hire and train veterans for civilian career paths as well. Our veterans have given so much of themselves to serve our country and all of us. I believe, it is now our responsibility as Americans to do whatever possible to assist them in their transition from military to civilian life”.
Guardian Angels is honored to join 835 other companies from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, who have shown a commitment to hiring veterans, but also ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through their military service.
Recipients of the 2022 HIRE Vets Medallion Award meet rigorous employment and veteran integration assistance criteria, including veteran hiring and retention percentages; availability of veteran-specific resources; leadership programming for veterans; dedicated human resource efforts; pay compensation and tuition assistance programs for veterans. More than 1,400 employers have earned a HIRE Vets Medallion Award since 2018.
About Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs:
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs is a 501(C)3 Based in Florida that rescues, raises, trains and then donates individually trained medical service dogs to veterans, first-responders and others who suffer from disabilities including PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, seizure and diabetic disorders, mobility issues and much more. Over the past 12 years, Guardian Angels has paired hundreds of individually trained medical service dogs with recipients across the nation, and with your help, that number can continue to grow. Visit our website at: www.MedicalServiceDogs.org to get involved or learn more.
Pittsburgh, PA November 21, 2023: Chris Ann Phillips, Chief Administrative officer of Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs has been awarded the Pittsburgh Veteran of the Year by veteran-owned Military Friendly® in a contest sponsored by Fort Pitt Capital Group.
Phillips was chosen from among six outstanding veterans through public online voting. Those candidates included another Guardian Angels’ staff member, Mr. Jack Wagner.
Chris Ann’s story will be highlighted in the April 2023 issue of G.I. Jobs Magazine, which is distributed free to transitioning service members and veterans worldwide.
Chris Ann has been deeply involved in the veteran community for more than 20 years. Before joining Guardian Angels, Chris Ann established the military recruiting program for PNC Bank, and was the lead in creating the Community Mutt Strut. Chris Ann has served as a mentor for American Corporate Partners, and a recipient of the ESGR Patriot Award. She was a two-time finalist for the UA Chamber of Commerce’s Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award and serves as the Director of Development for Pittsburgh Warrior Hockey.
Notified about the award, Chris Ann said: “I am honored to receive this award on behalf of all of us that serve our nation’s veterans. It is a privilege to be the voice of those in the veteran community, no matter the need. In my role at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, I am blessed to be part of a mission that truly saves lives. My work is not done and as long as one veteran is in need, I will continue to serve”.
Phillips served in the United States Marine Corps from 1981 to 1985, separating as a Sergeant.
Military Friendly will present the award to Chris Ann at this year’s Gala of Angels, a fundraising event to be held on December 7 in Pittsburgh.
Gina, who was paired with her service dog Rhino in 2018, has intractable epilepsy from a TBI (traumatic brain injury). Rhino is specifically trained to alert Gina before a seizure happens so that she can get to safety. (more…)
Blake Sowers, Apprentice at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs and US Army Veteran, joined the Guardian Angels team in July 2022. (more…)
From November 14th through the 20th, we are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week! At Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, our apprentices learn to play a vital role with our organization by helping to train our amazing service dogs to assist disabled recipients. (more…)
On October 2nd, Maranda Jacob the National Recipient Relations Director at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs celebrated her 5th year with the organization. Maranda previously worked in the human services field since she received her Bachelors in 2005. Since 2013, she had been working for Child Protective Services and was looking for a change due to feelings of being burnt out and to preserve her mental health. (more…)
