sniff and tell

We had a real treat at the gym this morning - a visit from a couple of ‘sniff and tell’ dogs.  (I don’t have my camera with me, so you’ll have to make do with my plastic pooch.)

Sniff and Tell dogs - medical detection dogs to give them their proper title - are based just outside Milton Keynes and are being trained to detect a number of medical conditions through that amazing sensor stuck on the end of their snout.

Their success rate with prostrate cancer is over 90%.  This beats the current blood test results.  They’re also working on sniffing out other cancers and Parkinson’s disease.

Today we met a lovely labarador whose speciality is detecting Type 1 diabetes.  These dogs can sniff out highs and lows in blood sugar levels and then tell their owner through a friendly bark.   

She comes over to me for a pat, but I decline, telling the trainer that she’d better not start sniffing me because I’m a bit of a hypocondriac.

But the real highlight of the visit is a little bundle of chocolate curls.  I curse not having my camera because it’s something I’ve never seen before - a Yorkie-Poo - just 5 months old. 

I kneel down (groan) to make a fuss and she leaps onto my lap.  I could easily slip her into my coat pocket and take her home.  Hmm.

The cutie-factor works because I end up sponsoring a dog for training.