Sugar Dog Stories – Hope

Here’s to Hope!  Chapter 10

There are 10 easy lessons to our training method.  Basic obedience is practiced with a Sugar Dog as you live your life.

The actual story behind Hope began with June. My wife had rescued June (red standard Poodle) from a farm living in an outdoor pen at 4 months and she spontaneously alerted within a month. I got very attached to her and we did obedience school. June died at 16 months with an Addison’s attack. I went for 4 months searching for another red or dark apricot Poodle and I found Hope for sale online 5 weeks old.  We drove 2 hours to see her and waited another 5 weeks to go get her. Merry is known for search and rescue dogs and Hope was to be her first pup with this job as a diabetic alert dog. I knew she was perfect when she brought me the test kit from the table at 13-14 weeks old and I tested positive for low BG. She has since learned to sit and tap me for both high and low and has awakened me probably 30-40 times either low or high during the night in the past 2 years. She will climb up on the side of the bed and tap my arm or face gently to wake me. She gets her rest in short naps, she never goes more than 2 hours without checking on me.  -Thanks, Mark

Hope in 5′ of snow!

Mark in KY reported “about 5″ of snow on the ground, deck and steps are ice covered and it’s cold. Hope is usually walked out front but it’s too dangerous with the 1/2″ of ice on top of the snow.  So Hope is using the back yard until the weather improves. She will walk on top of it and push through occasionally so she is slow and careful, she has even used the deck a few times instead of sliding out to the yard. Apryl, our Shih Tzu just walks on top of it but our red standard Poodle weighs in at 53 pounds and can break through the ice.”

Mark and Hope have come a long way since sweet Hope was a puppy.  Sugar Dog Hope now alerts consistently and Mark’s HbA1c results are excellent.

Aiming for excellence surely pays off.  Great work!

~~~~~

We recently received a great update from Mark and Hope:

Mark found a good deal on a handle that fits higher on Hope’s shoulder blades and only has 1 chest strap so it’s more comfortable for Hope to sleep in from Sitstay.com and it was inexpensive. She doesn’t seem to mind it. Hope wears it out now with her bandana instead of her big patch harness. It is red. The bandana is from bibsandblankies on Etsy. 

Hope is doing fine:  alerting to blood glucose (BG), both high and low. She alerts about 80 and 160-170.

Mark’s Sugar Dog Hope

Mark’s Sugar Dog Hope

Mark’s Sugar Dog Hope

Just showing off the new handle

Mark’s Sugar Dog Hope’s terrific bandana

The bandana is from bibsandblankies on Etsy.

Hope is a Perfect 2 year old Sugar Dog.  Mark learned the training method before he and his beautiful wife adopted Hope.  Then they set off on their adventures:  walking city streets, visiting a farm regularly, vacationing, working and taking care of business.  Hope is certified as a diabetic alert dog & more, much more.  She’s Perfect.  She’s Hope.

Mark’s Sugar Dog Hope

Mark’s Sugar Dog Hope

Aim for Excellence!  Train an authentic, an original Sugar Dog for yourself in your own home.  Mark did and his whole family is truly glad.  We appreciate the beautiful photos.  Keep up the great work.  Aim for Excellence.

Recently, Hope experienced some health problems after finally accompanying Mark to work at his office.  Unfortunately, Mark recently lost Hope to illness.  She’ll be waiting for him at the Rainbow Bridge.

Mark is now training his third Sugar Dog.  Her name is Hannah and she’s a black Standard Poodle of a size that is between Miniature and Standard, or a smaller Standard than some of the taller Poodles.