Working on Stimulus Control

In today's CGC prep class we talked about the principle of stimulus control and learned how we could work on achieving good stimulus control with our dogs. 
Defintion of Stimulus Control:
A conditioned stimulus becomes a discriminative stimulus (or cue) when it is followed by a specific learned behavior or reaction. The response is said to be 'under stimulus control' when presentation of the particular stimulus fulfills these four conditions: the behavior is always offered when that cue is presented; the behavior is not offered in the absence of that cue; the behavior is not offered in response to some other cue; and no other behavior occurs in response to that cue.

There is an easy to understand article about stimulus control on the blog Dog Willing LLC.

In  today's class, I learned we have an opportunity to improve Bo's stimulus control. For example, while he sits nicely when cued with the word 'sit' and the sit hand sign, while he is looking at my eyes --- he struggled with the command when he only heard the verbal cue and was looking at my back. So, this week we will work on improving his stimulus control for several basic obedience commands. We will start with the commands  sit, down, stand and back. We will work with just the verbal cues (no hand gestures) and we will practice having Bo receive the commands at our sides and behind us.

Alert Log

As of July 10, 2014 our alert reward range for a low is 85 or lower and for a high it's 173 or above. Prior to this date it was 100 and below for low and 173 or above for high.

Date | Time | Blood Sugar | Alert Type | Notes

August 8 | 1:25 pm | 72 | Alert | Rewarded
August 8 | 1:11 am | 72 | Re-Alerted | Rewarded 
August 8 | 1:02 pm | 102 | Alert | Watching
August 8 | 11:28 am | 53 | Alert | Rewarded
August 8 | 11:03 am| 93 | Alert | Watching but forgot to re-check
Austin away from home, without Bo, from August 3-7.

August 1 | 8:15 am | 180 | Alert | Rewarded

August 1 -2 alerts not recorded.

Austin away from home, without Bo, from July 28-31.

July 26 | 6:27 am | 86 | Alert | Rewarded

July 26 | 9:38 pm | 236 | Alert | Rewarded
July 26 | 8:14 pm | 64 | Missed Alert |
July 26 | 5:19 pm | 65 | Alert |Rewarded (This would have likely been a higher number if I checked when Bo alerted. I was saying good bye to guests and delayed in getting to Austin to check. My bad!) 
July 26 | 1:10 pm | 69 | Missed Alert | At school outdoor basketball court
July 26 | 11:58 am | 137 | Alert | Watching
July 26 | 10:53 am | 168 | False Alert 
July 26 | 9:56 am | 66 | Alert | Rewarded
July 26 | 7:16 am | 187 then 136 with Freestyle & 114 with  One Touch | False Alert
July 26 | 6:55 am | 77 | Alert | Rewarded

July 25 | 8:25 pm | 132 | False Alert | Not rewarded
July 25 | 8:05 pm | 126 | False Alert | Re-alerted
July 25 | 7:53 pm | 126 | Alert | Watching
July 25 | 7:23 pm | 87 | Alert | Rewarded
July 25 | 3:51 pm | 75  Alert | Rewarded
July 25 | 12:19 pm | 66 | Missed Alert | Used as live scent training

Austin away from home, without Bo, between July 20-24)

July 19 | 4:03 pm | 66 | Alert | Rewarded (Bo was in Austin's room with door shut. Did not alert to Austin but when door opened, came directly to me to alert.) 
July 19 | 3:02 pm | 81 | Alert | Rewarded
July 19 | 12:46 pm | 95 | Alert | Watching (Bo didn't re-alert and we didn't check.) 
July 19 |11:37 am | 190 | Alert | Rewarded

Austin was at the ocean, without Bo, between July 13 - July 19.

July 12 | 8:58 pm| 290| Alert | Rewarded (Austin came home high after being gone with a reduced temp basal for activity.) 
July 12 | 5:58 pm | 74 | Alert | Rewarded ( This alert was to Austin when it happened when Austin was walking Bo on the street in front of our house.) 
July 12 | 1:02 am | 78 | Alert | Rewarded (This alert was to Austin. Adult family member was outside when it happened inside the house. When adult family member came in the house 14 mins after Austin treated the low and rewarded Bo, he re-alerted the family member and BS was 95.) 
July 12 | 7:53 am | Alert | Rewarded


July 11 | 9:11 pm | 87 | Alert | Rewarded
July 11 | 5:26 pm | 179 | Alert | Rewarded
July 11 | 10:02 am | 77 | Alert | Rewarded
July 11 | 8:51 am | 101 | Alert | Watching at 5 min recheck 118
July 11 | 7:30 am | 89 | Alert | Rewarded

July 3 | 9:46 pm | 198 | Alert | Rewarded
July 3 | 9:14 pm | 146 | False Alert | Didn't recheck
July 3 | 5:04 pm | 99 | Alert | Rewarded
July 3 | 4:49 pm | 118 | False Alert | Watching (.45 IOB from correction)
July 3 | 3:42 pm | 290 | Alert | Rewarded
July 3 | 3:12 pm | 339| Alert | Rewarded (This alert came right when we got home from being gone since 10:45 am)
July 3 | 10:09 am | 111 | False Alert | Didn't recheck
July 3 | 8:15 am | 189 | Alert | Rewarded
July 3 | 7:55 am | 192| Missed Alert | Live scent training

June 10 - July 2 Not Recorded

June 9 | 7:45 pm | 73 | Alert | Rewarded
June 9 | 7:32 pm | 103 | Alert | Rewarded

June 7-8 Not recorded

6 June | 10:35 pm | 175  | Alert | Rewarded
6 June | 7:29 pm | 71 | Alert | Rewarded
6 June | 7:16 pm | 60 | Alert Rewarded
6 June | 6:49 pm | 90 | Alert | Rewarded
6 June | 6:28 pm | 114 | False Alert | Watching

5 June| 7:23 pm | 181 | Alert | Rewarded
5 June | 6:13 pm | 77 | Alert Rewarded

4 June | 8:54 pm | 76 | Alert | Rewarded

3 June | 8:45 pm | 212 | Alert | Rewarded
3 June | 7:55 pm | 181 | Alert Rewarded
3 June | 7:19 pm | 241 |Alert | Rewarded

2 June | 8:54 pm | 164 | False Alert | Not Rewarded gave correction
2 June | 8:43 pm | 156 | False Alert | No Reward meter wouldn't give correction
2 June | 8:05 pm | 138 | False Alert | No Reward - Watching
2 June | 12:21 pm | 99 | Alert | Rewarded

1 June | 6:05 pm | 75 | Alert Rewarded
1 June | 9:43 am | 94 | Alert | Rewarded
1 June | 7:50 am | 80 | Alert | Rewarded
1 June | 7:06 am | 97 | Alert | Rewarded

May 29-30 Not recorded

28 May | 8:17 pm | 201| Alert | Rewarded
28 May | 5:16 | 152 | False Alert | Watching (Forgot to recheck) 
28 May | 4:34 pm | 84 | Alert | Rewarded

May 27 Not Recorded

26 May | 3:34 pm | 102 | Alert | Watching - 92 at 15 min post alert
26 May | 2:29 pm | 141 | False Alert | No Reward 
26 May | 2:15 pm | 132| False Alert | No Reward - Watching


25 May | 5:14 pm | 86 | Alert | Rewarded
25 May | 4:55 pm | 87 | Alert | Rewarded
25 May | 4:45 pm | 104 | Alert | Watching
25 May | 4:17 pm | 207 | Alert | Rewarded
25 May | 12:15 pm | 253 | Alert | Rewarded
25  May | 10:22 am | 97 | Alert | Rewarded
25 May| 8:36 am | 92 | Alert | Rewarded

May 20-24 Not Recorded

19 May | 9:18 pm | 134 | False Alert | Watching (15 mins later Austin was 120)
19 May | 8:53 pm | 169 | False Alert | Not Rewarded
19 May | 7:50 pm | 212 | Alert | Rewarded

18 May | 7:40 pm | 146 | False Alert | Bo re-alerted
18 May | 7:28 pm |159 | False Alert | Watching18 May | 2:25 pm | 49 | Alert | Rewarded (Austin walked in the door from being at the gym and Bo alerted to this low immediately.)
18 May | 12:35 pm | 148 | False Alert | Watching
18 May | 12:10 pm | 195 | Alert | Rewarded
18 May | 10:55 am | 45 | Alert | Rewarded (Austin walked in door from being gone overnight and Bo alert to this low immediately)

17 May Austin at a friend's house all day and overnight

16 May | 7:01 pm | 309 | Alert | Reward
16 May | 6:28 pm | 253 | Alert | Reward
16 May | 5:35 pm | 138 | False Alert | No Reward
16 May | 8:30 am |174| Alert | Rewarded

15 May |7:20 pm | 213 | Alert | Rewarded
15 May | 6:56 pm 119 | False Alert | Watching
15 May | 6:45 pm | 113 | False Alert | Watching

May 13 and 14 Not Recorded


12 May | 8:20 pm | 105 | False Alert | Watching will recheck in 15 mins
12 May | 2 am | 65 | Missed Alert | Bo and Austin sleeping. Used as live scent training

11 May |9:48 pm | 274 | Alert | Rewarded
11 May | 9:22 pm | 232 | Alert | Rewarded
11 May | 7:57 pm | 211 | Alert | Rewarded
11 May | 7:34 pm | 222 | Alert Rewarded
11 May | 5:36 pm| 231 | Alert | Rewarded
11 May | 5:15 pm | 210 | Alert | Rewarded (Changed an expiring pod)
11 May | 3:56 pm | 71 | Alert | Rewarded
11 May | 2:30 am | 239 | Missed Alert | Bo and Austin sleeping. Used as live scent training

10 May | 5:32| 93 | Alert | Rewarded
10 May | 5:19 pm | 112 | False Alert |
10 May | 4:29 pm | 105 | False Alert | Watching (Austin had 8g flavored water drink)
10 May | 3:25 pm | 62 | Alert | Rewarded
10 May | 8:34 am | 179 | Alert | Rewarded
10 May | 7:51 am | 193 | Alert| Rewarded
10 May | 6:27 am | 72  Alert | Rewarded
10 May | 6:12 am | 61 | Alert | Rewarded
10 May | 1:37 am | 218 | Missed Alert | Austin and Bo were sleeping

 May | 9:01 pm | 259 | Alert | Rewarded
9 May | 8:24 pm | 241 | Alert | Rewarded
9 May | 7:42 pm | 191 | Alert | Rewarded
9 May | 7:24 pm | 159 | False Alert | Watching will recheck in 15 mins
9 May | 1:49 am | 340 | Alert | Rewarded

8 May | 9:12 pm | 300 | Alert | Rewarded
8 May |8:37 pm | 240 | Alert | Rewarded
8 May | 2:00 am | 283 | Alert | Rewarded

7 May | 9:54 pm | 193 | Alert | Rewarded
7 May | 8:02 pm| 105| False Alert | Austin was eating dinner (and had not bolused yet) when Bo alerted. Austin had just got home from a 1.5 hour basketball practice. Will cover 15 g less carbs from total dinner carbs.

7 May | 7:33 pm |105 | False Alert | Austin ate dinner instead of waiting to recheck
7 May | 7:22 am |197 | Alert | Bo alerted again before 15 mins. Rewarded for correct alert
7 May | 7:11 am |167 | False Alert | Watching will recheck in 15 mins
7 May | 4:35 am |130 | False Alert | No reward
7 May | 2:33 am | 245 | Alert | Rewarded
7 May | 2:25 am | 231| Missed Alert | Family member didn't do live scent training

6 May | 11:21 pm | 283 Missed Alert | Family member didn't do live scent training
6 May | 9:43 pm| 261 | Alert | Rewarded
6 May | 9:22 pm | 277 | Alert | Rewarded
6 May | 8:32 pm |211 | Alert | Bo alerted again before 15 mins. Rewarded for correct alert
6 May | 8:22 pm | 153 | False Alert | Watching will recheck in 15 mins
6 May | 5:47 am | 113 | False Alert | Intended to recheck but Austin ate brkfast w/out chk 


5 May | 9:20 pm | 104 | Non Alert | Rechecked as part of 'watching'
5 May | 8:23 pm | 123 | False Alert | Not rewarded but 2.10 IOB so watching

5 May | 7:26 pm | 235 | Alert | Rewarded

5 May | 6:37 pm | 250 | Missed Alert

5 May | 6:15 am | 90 | Alert | Rewarded

5 May | 5:21 am | 91 | Missed Alert | Whined at gate but no alert chain so not rewarded

4 May | 8:20 pm| 85 | Alert | Rewarded

4 May | 8:06 pm| 104| False Alert | Not Rewarded

4 May | 7:12 pm| 77 | Alert | Rewarded

4 May | 6:28 pm| 158 | False Alert | Not Rewarded

4 May | 6:09 pm| 159 | False Alert | Not Rewarded

4 May | 5:55 pm| 222 | Alert | Rewarded

4 May | 5:02 pm| 217 | Alert | Rewarded

3 May Not Recorded

2 May | 8:24 pm | 40 | Alert | Rewarded

2 May | 10:30 am | 83 | Alert | Rewarded

1 May Not Recorded

30 April | 10:28 am | 66 | Alert | Rewarded

30 April | 9:22 am | 114 | False Alert | Not Rewarded

30 April | 2:00 am | 66 | Missed Alert | Used as live scent training opportunity

29 April | 9:08 pm | 173 | Alert | Rewarded

29 April | 8:49 pm | 173 | Alert | Rewarded

29 April | 5:55 pm | 75 | Alert | Rewarded

29 April | 5:43 pm | 74 | Alert | Rewarded

29 April | 5:20 pm | 175 | Alert | Rewarded

28 April | 6:00 pm | 75 | Alert | Rewarded

28 April | 5:50 pm | 74 | Alert | Rewarded

28 April | 5:15 pm  | 175 | Alert | Rewarded

28 April | 3:00 pm | Low Scent Sample | Alert | Rewarded

Video: Bo Alerting to a Low

Bo broke his place on his Kuranda cot just prior to this alert. When he broke his place, I grabbed my phone in anticipation of catching an alert on video. (Bo will break his place to alert.)  I walked away from him and he followed me and pawed my leg. When I turned my body, he pawed me again and then gave a bow. In this video, you will see he gives this alert chain several times before Austin's blood sugar is verified with the meter. I responded to his alert verbally before Austin's blood sugar was verified. What I should have done is waited for verification that Austin's blood sugar was in Bo's reward range before I said anything to Bo or gave him any kind of attention for his alert. This was one of several alerts Bo gave today. 

Videos: Finding a Hidden Low Scent

In these videos Bo is using his nose to find a hidden low scent. It's hidden in a scent stick and he knows to bring it to me once he finds it. I do this training only when Austin is not home. I will hide the scent stick in different places. I also play this game without the scent stick and hide the sample in various types of containers. 

I Love Bo

My mom training Bo.

Guest post from Austin: 
I am so amazed by my mom's hard work and dedication to this dog. She knows that she won't be able to keep him but to put this much time, effort, and money into a dog and son means a lot to me. I love my mom and thank her for the work she has done. My whole family loves this dog and he is doing great work for an even better purpose. So thank you to my mom, dad and Bo for being amazing people/animal.

It's Called a Team for a Reason

Morning walk in the woods.

Bo caught two middle of the night lows this week. Both times he woke Austin from sleep by alerting with repeated paw swipes and both times Austin called out to me saying Bo was alerting. These alerts are wonderful and exciting and worth celebrating but we would be foolish to think we can always count on them. This is the exact reason why we will always check Austin on a schedule day and night.

The reality is Bo misses alerts. In fact he missed an alert earlier this morning. We let Bo outside at 7:30 am, he got his breakfast Kong shortly after and then hopped in bed with us to go back to sleep. Around 8:15 am I got up and started getting ready to take Bo for our morning walk. Bo was following me as I was collecting my coat, keys and treats to take on the walk. Before I left, I went to check Austin's blood sugar. Bo followed me into Austin's room and showed no signs that he smelled an out of range blood sugar. Given Bo's behavior I expected the meter to read 130 but to my surprise Austin was 72. I used the missed alert as an opportunity to do live scent training with Bo. 

The missed alert could be explained away in many different ways but I expect it had less to do with the meter, test strip or blood sugar trend and more to do with a young dog, with a full belly who was excited to go for his morning walk. This missed alert is not ideal but it's okay. It's okay because I don't expect perfection. I seek progress and Bo is definitely showing progress. It's also okay because I recognize together with Bo we are a team. We work together to keep Austin safe. There have been times when Bo has caught a low or high we wouldn't have caught and there have also been times (like this morning) we have caught a low or high that Bo has missed. I believe there will be less missed alerts as Bo ages and matures but I don't expect there will be none.

Note: As I was finishing the last sentence of the paragraph above, Bo came to me and alerted. I checked Austin and he was 99 -- in Bo's reward range. Love our Bo!

Alerts After School

Austin had been home for about 30 minutes after school when Bo alerted to me. He alerted with a paw swipe followed by a bow -- the alert chain for a low. I told Austin Bo had alerted and asked him to check. He checked and he was 85. Austin had a juice box while I rewarded Bo for his alert. After the juice he ate a 15 grams apple snack which we didn't cover with insulin. Nearly two hours after this low alert, Bo alerted again while I was vacuuming. This time he only pawed my leg -- the alert signal for a high. I went to check Austin and he was 174. Austin got insulin and Bo got some cheese for his good work.