As of October 2023, our application process has changed to better assist our applicants. We now have just 1 application and applicants will either be waitlisted or redirected. Anyone who is placed on the waitlist will automatically be considered for each dog that becomes available. To apply for an MD Dogs DAD and view the steps in our process, please visit our "Apply" page. To view our available and upcoming trained dogs, see below. Feel free to reach out at anytime with questions about our dogs in training.
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BirdiCareer: Diabetic Alert
Type of DAD: Full Public Access Training Stage: Looking for a human! Earliest Graduation: March 2024: $20,000 Birdi is a high energy dog who has two loves in this world: her humans and her ball. She will get up and go in a flash and can be described as a tiny tornado. But all that energy and drive is perfect for monitoring blood sugars!
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ChipCareer: Diabetic Alert
Type of DAD: Limited Access Training Stage: Foundations Earliest Graduation: February 2024 Chip was rescued in August 2023 in rough shape, but after a few vet trips and a lot of meals, he has turned into a phenomenal dog! He is a testament to the breed, because despite his condition he has always been downright "chipper". Chip is a little calmer than our other spaniels, although still plenty energetic! He loves prancing with toys in his mouth, getting all the scratches from his favorite people, and playing with other dogs.
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BeeCareer: Diabetic Alert
Type of DAD: Started or Fully Trained Training Stage: Obedience Earliest Graduation: February 2024 Bee is from MD Dogs' first Neonatal Scent Imprinted litter so was first exposed to the odor of low blood sugar at 24 hours old, and received daily classical conditioning to the odor for the first 8 weeks of her life. She also is receiving the traditional scent training techniques on top of imprinting, and is learning how to behave as a Service Dog.
Bee is the daughter of Birdi, and you can certainly tell! She has inherited her mother's drive, energy level, and desire to please. She is built quite small and is very agile. Bee has also already been PennHIP tested and has phenomenal scores! She lives to be pet and for snuggles on your lap, but also loves balls and working for her food. She will be available as a fully trained Diabetic Alert Dog, or if someone has experience with training we would consider placing her as a Started DAD. Due to her high drive, high energy, small build, and great PennHIP scores, her ideal home would be someone who wants to compete in dog sports such as agility, in addition to having a Diabetic Alert Dog. |
Want to know what our DADs in training day to day lives look like? Or learn more about each of their personalities? Follow us on instagram! You'll get more details about their daily lives than you ever wanted to know :-)
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Types of MD Dogs DADs
Type of DAD |
Short Description |
Discount |
Fundraising Fee |
Full public access |
Our most extensively trained DADs who have passed all health testing with flying colors. This is the required level of training for dogs that are needed at school or high stress work environments. |
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$22,000 |
Started |
Dogs who have passed their age appropriate health testing and have excellent potential, but aren't quite mature yet. These dogs are perfect for those who would like a full public access DAD, but who have training experience and are comfortable maintaining the training themselves as the dog matures. |
-$7,000 |
$15,000 |
Limited Public Access |
DADs who are suited for only certain, occasional public environments - best for those who mostly want an in-home DAD that can travel or attend specific events the dog has been prepared for based on the client's needs |
-$9,500 |
$12,500 |
In-Home Only |
DADs who have decided that they'd prefer to essentially be a pet, who also alerts! They do not have extensive obedience training of any of the other types of DADs - they are scent trained, know the basics, and are crate and house trained. But nothing fancy! |
-$12,000 |
$10,000 |
Imprinted Puppy |
Our imprinted puppies are just that, puppies! They receive MD Dogs NSI -neonatal scent imprinting - which exposes them to low blood sugar odor daily from birth, classically conditioning them to it so by the time they go to their new homes they already have a positive association and are ready for you to begin their training. |
-$17,500 |
$4,500 |
Full public access
Our full Public Access DADs are the most extensively trained and are capable of handling most reasonable public environments. During their training they have flown on airplanes, attended large gatherings such as conferences, walked around chaotic situations like carnivals or fairs, and can handle frequent distractions of other dogs and people. These dogs are required to have an incredibly high level of confidence as well as exceptional level of obedience and impulse control.
A full public access DAD is suited for those who would like a DAD with them the majority of the day to alert in all environments, and children who would benefit from having a dog accompany them to school.
A full public access DAD is suited for those who would like a DAD with them the majority of the day to alert in all environments, and children who would benefit from having a dog accompany them to school.
started
Started DADs are dogs who have the potential to become a full public access DAD, but who haven't quite finished up their training yet. They have a great start and are capable of working in most public environments, but need additional exposure to new scenarios as well as continual, quality scent training. These dogs are placed around 8-14 months of age, so they aren't quite mature enough to be fully trained but are well on their way. They are trained for public access and have had scent training - however until they are mature they will need more maintenance training to keep up the standards and their may be a few more bumps in the road as dogs go through maturity.
Started DADs are perfect for those who would like a full public access DAD, but who have training experience and are comfortable finishing up the training themselves.
Started DADs are perfect for those who would like a full public access DAD, but who have training experience and are comfortable finishing up the training themselves.
Limited public access
These dogs started working in public but decided that they don't have a desire to go in public every day with their handler and would prefer to only occasionally go out and about in certain scenarios. These dogs are not suited for full public access because their confidence might be a little lower or stamina might not be quite as high, or their health testing shows they are at a greater risk for eventually developing a condition dependent on their activity levels. Dogs who are placed as limited public access are unique and will be looking for matches specific to their needs. E.g. some of these dogs won't be suited for airplane travel, but could be suited for road trips. Others could handle airplanes but not chaotic environments like Disney World.
These dogs are best for those who would mostly like an in-home DAD, but who can travel with them when needed or attend specific, occasional events that the dog is prepared for during training at MD Dogs.
These dogs are best for those who would mostly like an in-home DAD, but who can travel with them when needed or attend specific, occasional events that the dog is prepared for during training at MD Dogs.
In-home only
In-home DADs are dogs who have decided that they'd prefer to essentially be a pet, who also alerts! These dogs have not received the extensive obedience training of any of the other types of DADs. They will know how to be generally mannered in the house, crate trained, walk nicely on a leash, and a few basics like sit and down. But their main job will just be to be a pet dog, and respond to out of range blood sugars. Sometimes dogs can become in-home DADs if they decide being in public isn't for them and is a little too overwhelming, they have quirks such as not being able to ignore dogs or people, or if they don't pass all the health testing requirements.
These dogs are perfect for those who don't want to have to manage a dog in public on day to day activities, aren't comfortable with the attention a dog in public brings, or just aren't as concerned about their blood sugars when out and about with other people around.
These dogs are perfect for those who don't want to have to manage a dog in public on day to day activities, aren't comfortable with the attention a dog in public brings, or just aren't as concerned about their blood sugars when out and about with other people around.
imprinted puppy
Occasionally MD Dogs has a litter of puppies who receive NSI - Neonatal Scent Imprinting - from the day they are born. These puppies are raised and developed with the goal of all becoming Diabetic Alert Dogs, and then matched with families looking to self-train their own Diabetic Alert Dogs. These puppies go to their homes at just a few months old, but have already had daily positive exposures to the odor of low blood sugar and most naturally respond to it within days of going home. To learn more about this program and upcoming litters, visit our tab above, "Imprinted Puppies"