Everyone who knows me knows I love dogs. So when I heard about Dogs4Diabetics, I was all over it like a pup over a bowl of kibble! Dogs4Diabetics was founded by Mark Ruefenacht back in 2004. Ruefenacht, a diabetic and volunteer with Guide Dogs for the Blind, went to New York on business and took along his trainee guide dog, Benton. During his stay, at night in his hotel room, Ruefenacht experienced a dangerous drop in blood sugar. While he says he had no idea anything was wrong, he was startled by Benton's response. The pooch started pawing frantically at Ruefenacht, until he got up and ate something to raise his blood sugar. The experience made Ruefenacht realize dogs could perhaps be trained to detect low blood sugar levels in diabetics and to alert their owners. He then launched Dogs4Diabetics, which has so far trained and placed three dogs with Type1 diabetes adults. The group aims to work primarily with children, because diabetic kids are less adept than adults at regulating their own blood sugar, which is of course extremely stressful for their parents. Interestingly, dogs for the program are "rejects" from the Guide Dogs for the Blind. Dogs that don't do well in guide dog school because they are "too sniffy and active" are just right for Dogs4Diabetics, says Ruefenacht. Which goes to prove my belief that there is no such thing as a bad dog! To read more, visit the group's website at www.dogs4diabetes.com. Pictured at right is Armstrong, a Dogs4Diabetics graduate who lives in the San Francisco area.