INDIANAPOLIS -- As many as 750,000 adults and children in Indiana have diabetes – but far fewer have diabetic alert dogs that could potentially save their lives.
At the Medical Mutts training facility on the northwest side of Indianapolis, dogs – many of them from local shelters and rescues – train to become diabetic alert dogs and service dogs.
"They might potentially wake them up at night," said Medical Mutts founder and owner Jennifer Cattet. "They can also go get help if a person is unresponsive."
Cattet was part of the first study to show that dogs can sense glucose levels in diabetic patients, and that those senses can be refined through positive training experiences.
"We don't use any choke chains, prong collars … you'll never find a device like that in our place," Cattet said. "Everything is through positive reinforcement."
This fall, Cattet will be offering families the opportunity to bring their own dogs to receive training at Medical Mutts.
"They'll learn everything about dog psychology, dog behavior, you know, how to take a dog into the public," Cattet said. "I assess the dog to make sure it is safe to take out in public and has the ability to learn to be a service dog."
The program is about a year-long and group classes begin on September 10. To learn more, visit the Medical Mutts website here.
