WAFF in Huntsville shared an amazing story about five-year-old Paislee Landreth and Tracker, an adorable, loving Goldendoodle who is also a diabetic alert service dog. Shelby Landreth, Paislee’s mom, said Paislee was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was three. The family realized lifestyle changes had to be made to help Paislee, and the idea of adding a service dog to the family came about. Since that time, Paislee and Tracker have become TikTok sensations, captivating over 45,000 viewers with their loving relationship.
Paislee’s mom told WAFF that recently, during a snow day, Tracker shocked the family with his unique skills. While Paislee was playing at a friend’s house down the street without Tracker by her side, the dog began alerting her parents at home. At first, the family was confused, as Paislee wasn’t even in the house. However, Tracker’s persistence led the parents to follow him outside. He guided them five houses down the street to the porch of Paislee’s friend’s house, where he refused to leave until she came outside.
It turned out Tracker’s instincts were correct—Paislee’s blood sugar was low; however, Paislee was still okay.
The incredible moment was captured on video and has since gained widespread attention online. Paislee’s mom also shared the video on Facebook. Tracker’s devotion and life-saving skills have continued to highlight the impact service dogs can have on families managing chronic conditions.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act website, dogs can be trained to perform many important tasks to assist people with disabilities, such as providing stability for a person who has difficulty walking, picking up items for a person who uses a wheelchair, preventing a child with autism from wandering away or alerting a person who has hearing loss when someone is approaching from behind. They have also been used to help individuals suffering from PTSD to relieve stress and anxiety. Diabetic service dogs, also called diabetic alert dogs or DADs, are trained to let you know when your blood sugar has spiked too high or dropped too low.
Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may reach her at sablevins@farmerstel.com.
