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Now offering virtual group classes so you can train your own Diabetic Alert Dog! Scroll down to see upcoming classes. Classes start in the Spring and Fall.
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Fall 2025 Classes
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MD Dogs Puppy Class
Status: FULL
Start & End Dates: August 3, 2025 to January 25, 2026 Meeting Time: Sundays at 2pm EST Class Duration: 1 hour each week for 6 months Monthly Cost: $500/month Who is this for: Families who are bringing home an MD Dogs puppy from the Birdi x Double litter Description: This class covers everything you need for your first 6 months with your new puppy! Basic puppyhood topics like crate training, sleeping through the night, and biting, but also how and when to introduce low blood sugar odor (especially since these puppies have received NSI), and the best way to start socialization and public access. By the end of the 6 months, puppies will likely have given at least a few live alerts, and be starting formal public access training. |
Future DAD Puppy Class
Status: Open
Start & End Dates: September 7 to February 22 Meeting Time: Sundays at 12:30 EST Class Duration: 1 hour each week for 6 months Monthly Cost: $500/month Who is this for: Those who have, or will have, a puppy that will be 2-4 months old by September 1, 2025. Description: This class covers everything you need for your first 6 months with your new puppy! Basic puppyhood topics like crate training, sleeping through the night, and biting, but also how and when to introduce low blood sugar odor (especially since these puppies have received NSI), and the best way to start socialization and public access. By the end of the 6 months, puppies will likely have given at least a few live alerts, and be starting formal public access training. If you would like to get a puppy in preparation for this class, email us at [email protected] and we are happy to provide a free consult for how to find the right puppy to maximize your chance of success! |
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Scent Training Class - Start to Finish
Status: Open
Start & End Dates: September 6 to December 29 Meeting Time: Saturdays at 1:00 EST Class Duration: 1 hour each week for 4 months Monthly Cost: $500/month Who is this for: Anyone who wants to train diabetic alert task and has a food motivated dog that is 4+ months old. Description: This class will cover everything from creating scent samples and determining alerting thresholds, to live alerts and how to track your dog's accuracy. |
Public Access - Level 1
Status: Open
Start & End Dates: September 6 to February 28 Meeting Time: Saturdays at 11:30am EST Class Duration: 1 hour each week for 6 months Monthly Cost: $500/month Who is this for: Anyone who wants to train their dog for public access and whose dog is 6+ months old and has either no obedience or basic obedience. Description: This class is focused on socialization and early public access training - it will start with exposure to new places and building confidence and work toward the beginning stages of public access training. Level 2 will take your dog from this class to passing the public access test, but this class will not reach passing the public access test. |
About Virtual Group Classes
Our virtual group classes are designed to empower you to train your own diabetic alert dog from home—guided by one of the most trusted names in the field. Each class is led by Libby Rockaway, founder of MD Dogs Inc., who has spent over a decade training Diabetic Alert Dogs and placing them with clients from 2 to 80 years old, as well as helping others train their own Diabetic Alert Dogs. You’ll learn from an expert through a mix of live demos, interactive sessions, and step-by-step guidance that makes progress clear and achievable.
Here’s what’s included in your enrollment:
- Live weekly classes with direct feedback from Libby
- Class recordings available if you miss a meeting or want to review anything
- Private student group to ask questions, share wins, and post videos for feedback between classes
- Full slide deck access, even after the class ends
- Weekly homework assignments with clear goals so you always know what to work on
- A shipped starter kit of scent training supplies—no guessing, no hassle
- Supportive, small-group environment to stay motivated and inspired (3-8 students in any class, depending on type)
Virtual Group Class FAQs
Who should take the class?
- These classes are suited for those who have a dog that they'd like to train as their own Diabetic Alert Dog and who are dedicated to spending about 8-10 hours a week on the dog's training. Self-training takes commitment and is a risk because you can never know whether a dog will succeed as a Service Dog, but if you are willing to take that risk, have the availability to focus on your dog's training, and self-motivated then you may be a great candidate for our classes!
- Candidates for service work should be incredibly food motivated, confident, friendly, and persistent. If you'd like to discuss more about your dog's eligibility in particular you can reach out and schedule a consultation where we can identify if your dog is a good fit.
- No. While we'd love to say that taking the class will mean you'll end up with a successful Diabetic Alert Dog, that is just not the case. Even with professional trainers, not all of our dogs are capable of achieving full Diabetic Alert Dog work. With that being said, the biggest challenge is having a dog who is capable of the public access work. So if you are committed to the training and have a food motivated dog then you have a very very high chance of successfully training your dog to at least be an in home Diabetic Alert Dog.
- They absolutely can be! But it does depend on the dog you are working with, your training skills, and your commitment to training. Self-training does not at all inherently mean your dog will be less accurate though.
- Libby Rockaway, founder of MD Dogs and author of the DAD Training Steps book, teaches all the current classes.
- Most classes begin in the Spring and the Fall and last for 6 months. Each individual meeting is 1 hour.
- We understand life happens and we don't expect you to be available every week for 6 straight months! So every class is recorded and the recording is posted within a few days so that you can review missed meetings and catch up before the next week.
- Every student is added to a private facebook group for the students in their class and they can post videos for review. Feedback is given a 3-4 times a week and you can post as many or as few videos or questions as you'd like. During class, we also try to include at least a few live training sessions where students can get feedback in real time as well. For the most personal feedback and a training plan with extensive trainer support, you can check out our Trainer for a Month option where it is 1:1 assistance, one month at a time.
- This depends on the age of your child - teenagers typically should be the one to train the dog if they are interested. But those under 13 should usually just be involved in individual exercises and not solely responsible for the training and handling of the dogs in order to maximize chance of success.
- You are welcome to take our class if you are training a different type of scent based medical alert dog, but we will have everything focused on teaching blood sugar alerts and you will be responsible for the modifications for your target odor.
