When Luke Hengen含羞草研究社檚 diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home.
Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or low. He felt like life was closing in on him and he wasn含羞草研究社檛 confident going off into nature alone or working in his job as a carpenter.
That changed when the former Victoria man got Logan, a Dog Guides Canada yellow lab who含羞草研究社檚 trained to alert him when his sugar levels are off.
When Hengen was 20, he was hospitalized after passing out after a lengthy hike. He knew he needed to make a change for his own safety.
含羞草研究社淗ad that event happened when I was still out in the woods, there含羞草研究社檇 be no saving grace for myself,含羞草研究社� he said. He eventually decided to go the service-dog route and about a year later, he was on a plane to Oakville, Ont. to get Logan.
A month later, the two went on their first nature outing, a deer scouting trip near Mount Arrowsmith. That含羞草研究社檚 where Hengen saw Logan dive into his service dog responsibilities, but it was also where the two became extensions of one another. Logan含羞草研究社檚 natural hunting and tracking instincts made it as if their thoughts were picking up where the other含羞草研究社檚 left off while they ventured through the woods.
含羞草研究社淭he personality was an exact match for myself,含羞草研究社� Hengen said. 含羞草研究社淭hat first summer spent with Logan was some of the most fun I think I含羞草研究社檝e ever had.含羞草研究社�
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The connection is indescribable, Hengen says, and only by seeing the tandem in seamless action can one understand. They含羞草研究社檙e never far apart, whether that含羞草研究社檚 on the job site, as Logan含羞草研究社檚 fetching dropped tools and climbing ladders behind Hengen, or just relaxing after a long day.
含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 sitting there on the couch snoring just as loud as I am, it含羞草研究社檚 really a perfect pairing,含羞草研究社� he said.
But when Logan senses his owner含羞草研究社檚 levels are off, he含羞草研究社檚 on him like a 含羞草研究社渂ad habit,含羞草研究社� pestering Hengen and nipping at his heels until he corrects his blood sugar.
含羞草研究社淭he school trains him to raise a paw and just pat you, but Logan was never really good with that one so he just jumps full on me, springs right for the chest, letting me know 含羞草研究社榶ou含羞草研究社檙e dyin含羞草研究社� son.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Hengen used to worry about having a low-blood-sugar episode while working several stories up. But having Logan by his side and monitoring his levels, those job site worries that dogged him faded away.
含羞草研究社淗e was just flying, running across ladders, across joists, he含羞草研究社檚 a better carpenter than most I see on sites,含羞草研究社� he said.
Dog Guides Canada dogs are trained in diabetes alert, seizure response, autism assistance and vision and hearing guidance. The dogs are free to recipients and each one costs $35,000 to train. The donation-run group is fundraising $1.3 million through their annual Pet Valu Walk on May 30.
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