How to Train Your Dog to Alert for Seizures

Hello, Yes, seizure alert can either be taught using saliva scent samples taken right after a seizure, or by acting out a seizure and teaching an alert to it. Some seizures cause chemical changes in the body before they are visible, allowing the dog to alert the person before the seizure symptoms begin. Some seizures don't cause those changes that can be detected ahead of time, and the dog can only be taught what to do once seizure symptoms are happening. When you teach a dog to alert to acting out the seizure, the dog will be trained to respond to a seizure that is happening, versus learning to detect the scent of an oncoming seizure (which may or may not be possible in her case depending how seizures are happening in her body anyways). Sometimes, after being taught to alert to a visible seizure - something like going to get help or applying pressure, a dog will begin to make the connection between the external symptoms of the seizure and what they smell during a seizure, and the especially bright dog might notice that smell before symptoms begin and alert on their own beforehand if the seizure is detectable beforehand. Only expect pup to respond to a seizure happing with the acting training in most cases though - so pup can be taught to do something like get help during one. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Oct. 3, 2022

Hello Ginny, There are different types of seizures as you probably know. Some cause chemical changes in the body before the seizure is evident, and some don't until the seizure is evident. What a dog can be trained to do partially depends on whether something happens in your body before the seizure is evident. If the seizure changes your chemistry before its evident, many dogs can be taught to alert before a seizure has begun. If your chemistry doesn't change until after the seizure is evident, then the dog can only be taught to alert people that one is actively happening to you. Training a dog to alert before one is evident when your body chemistry changes, is often done by taking saliva samples right after a seizure and teaching pup to perform an alert like barking whenever they smell a saliva sample taken after a seizure, opposed to your normal daily saliva samples pup is taught not to alert to. If your body chemistry doesn't change, or if you want to train pup to also alert when one is actively happening - like to get help, then you can either teach pup to alert with a saliva scent sample or by pretending to have a seizure. Pup is taught an alert on cue, like Barking when you say speak. Then you act out the seizure while saying "Speak", and practice it until pup will bark before you say Speak, when you just pretend to have the seizure. Once pup is starting to bark when you act out the seizure before you are saying the word, then act out the seizure but wait seven seconds before giving the verbal command - to see if pup will alert to just the acting without the word, giving the verbal cue after seven seconds if pup doesn't, like a hint, to help pup learn to pay attention to the acting more. For scent detection, pup is taught an alert on cue like Speak, then pup is given that command when they sniff the seizure saliva sample, practicing until pup will Speak when they sniff the sample before you say Speak, doing the same seven second delay described before, until pup can alert consistently to just the scent sample without needing that verbal cue. Once pup is alerting to the seizure saliva sample, then you also take normal samples at non-seizure related times, and practice with both samples - rewarding the alerts to the seizure one and not rewarding the incorrect alerts to the normal sample, until pup is able to tell the difference consistently. When pup can tell the difference, then you would plant the seizure saliva sample on yourself, like a pocket, and reward pup for alerting to that whenever they detect that smell on you. Samples are generally taken by sucking on a piece of gauze immediately after the seizure while your body chemistry still smells the way it likely did during the seizure, putting that sample in a freezer ziploc bag, then the bag into a container with a lid, and taking the sample out of the freezer for practice sessions, to keep that scent viable for several practice sessions. There is a lot of practice then helping pup be able to do it reliably and only when the sample or situation mimics a seizure, and not at other times. Connecting with other owner trainer in your city through social media groups on facebook, instagram, or youtube can also be helpful, in addition to watching videos of how this is trained. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

July 11, 2022