PURPOSEFUL PAWS
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Isla tells her person when her blood sugar changes. Havana knows if there’s gluten in something. Alex and Emma support people with Parkinson’s Disease. Millah and Paris are learning to detect seizures. And Loki’s in training to do it all, including proper napping technique. These are just some of the incredible canine superheroes trained by the passionate team at Honey’s Garden for Medical Alert Dogs, near Cape Town
HONEY AT YOUR SERVICE
When Canine Behaviour Practitioner, Lucy Breytenbach, was contacted in 2016 by a family with a rescued Golden Retriever named Honey, she had no idea that it was to be the start of something truly remarkable. Lucy headed up dog behaviour consultancy Just Dogs, and the family hoped to train Honey to become a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) for their son who has Type 1 Diabetes.
Lucy reached out to the SA Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind, to be told that the training didn’t really exist in South Africa. Daunted but motivated, Lucy set to work, “We raised funds with a Just Dogs dog show, and flew over a trainer from America to teach me the ways of DADs. Honey taught me many tough lessons, and we learned so much through trial and error – and a lot of hard work. Two years later, Honey was ready. We could confidently say that she knew what her job was!”
But, it didn’t stop there. The visiting trainer shared knowledge on various assistance dog roles – both physical and psychiatric, helping Lucy lay the foundation for Honey’s Garden. Since then, the team has trained many dogs for diabetes, seizure response, PTSD, and more. Says Lucy, “With every dog, we learned countless lessons and jumped over many hurdles, knocking plenty over on the way.”
THE BEST ASSISTANTS
Thousands of years ago, humans realised that canines made excellent partners. Dogs soon became an integral part of our lives, developing ace skills like scent tracking, herding, and extra emotional sensitivity. But wait, there’s more…
Dogs have extraordinary noses and can sniff out subtle odour changes associated with body processes, hormones, stress, and disease states. Their hearing is exceptional (in fact, your pooch may be listening to your heartbeat right now – from the other side of the room), and their flair for body language allows them to pick up slight alterations in breathing, heart rate, and muscle tension. They’re intelligent, can tackle complex tasks, have powerful instincts and are amazingly agile – yes, even the one snoring on your couch right now. Best of all, they just make us feel better. One cuddle can boost feel-good hormone release and lower stress and blood pressure.
But, amazing as they all are, not every pup is cut out for the medical service life. Spotting potential candidates and channelling their abilities takes an expert eye, tons of work and a deep passion. That’s where Honey’s Garden comes in.
FROM HOPEFULS TO HEROES
Dogs love having a purpose, but it needs to match up with what they find enjoyable and fulfilling – the right personality type for the right need. Good medical service dogs are confident, motivated, good-natured, adaptable, focused and highly trainable. Honey’s Garden assesses candidates with a suitability test, followed by a 3-month trial. Some are scent-work naturals (great for diabetes); others excel at visual or auditory work (ideal for seizure or hearing alerts). Strong, mouthy dogs make for powerful multipurpose or mobility dogs, and emotionally sensitive dogs thrive in psychiatric or therapy roles. Environmental factors matter too – some dogs are more suited to quiet homes; others thrive in busy environments. Surprisingly, breed is no barrier. In fact, many Honey’s Garden graduates are mixed-breeds and rescues. As Lucy says, “Because we have so much variety in the types of people and lifestyles, we need a variety of dogs!”
Ideally new recruits are younger, although very young pups may have a longer training time. The ideal age is between 10 months and 2 years, but the team has seen dogs of 5 years sail through training. It’s all dependant on the history and personality of the individual dog. Some people only need a dog to help at home; others require full assistance-dog status, which affects the intensity and duration of their training journey.
Some dogs already have a home (‘Owner Trained Programme’), while others – aka “zeroes-turned-heroes” – are trained by the team, then matched with their perfect person later (‘Pre-trained Programme’).
No matter their skills or goals, all the training is intense. Dogs reach multiple milestones and earn qualifications like KUSA Canine Good Citizen, Public Access (so they can enter places which other pets can’t, like restaurants) and Task Facilitation awards. They live in home environments – their own or with fosters – making regular visits to the centre, and they’re consistently tested to ensure that they’re coping and able to do their work. To train just one medical assistance dog takes 2.5 years of rigorous work and costs around R120 000. For the people who rely on them, they’re worth it.
HEALTH AND HAPPINESS FOR HEROES
Super dogs deserve super care. That means everything from regular deworming, comprehensive veterinary care and checks, to emotional regulation, comfortable equipment, and a yummy, healthy diet to ensure longevity and tip-top health. Lucy emphasises the importance of letting dogs just be dogs, too – they need time to relax, hang out with doggy friends, play, be enriched with exercise and mental stimulation, and interact with people away from their duties. The team regularly checks on graduates to ensure they’re still receiving their dog down-time and enjoying their work.
MORE THAN JUST MAN’S BEST FRIEND
Every wagging tail at Honey’s Garden is a bridge for the person who needs one, be it life-saving seizure alerts, nudges to check glucose levels, or a calming presence during panic. Thanks to the dedication of the Honey’s Garden team – and the generosity of donors and volunteers – these super dogs keep changing lives. In a world full of challenges, isn’t it good to know that sometimes the best medicine really does have four paws and a heart full of love?
Want to help or learn more? Visit www.medicalalertdogs.co.za
Hello, doggy
Tempting as it, interacting with service dogs, be it greeting them, trying to get their attention, petting or feeding them, distracts them – with potentially disastrous consequences. If the dog looks like it’s resting, you can politely ask the handler for permission to say hi, but respect a “no.” After all, you wouldn’t interrupt Superman at work, would you?
