Air Scenting Before an Alert

The other day Bo alerted to me while we were on my friend's deck watching Austin play basketball. Bo was in a down stay at my feet and he raised his paw and swiped my foot. I looked down at him and saw his nose sniffing vigorously while he was air scenting. At that moment, I recognized the soft breeze that was drifting past us. I called Austin up to the deck to check his blood sugar and Bo stood up and re-alerted. Austin got up to the deck where I was sitting (a good hundred feet from the court below) and checked his blood sugar. He was 82. Austin took glucose and I rewarded Bo for his alert.

One of the many things I've learned on this journey is the role air flow plays in a trained DAD detecting and alerting to a reward range blood sugar. As a result, I watch Bo for signs of air scenting which include his head in an upward tilt and his nostrils sniffing vigorously. I also pay attention to (indoors) if the heating/cooling fan has just kicked on or (outdoors) if there is a strong wind or soft breeze. 

Bo air scenting.

Austin on court below the deck where we were.