Seizure Alert Dogs Hobo and Holly

“I want he” is what our daughter, Melorah, said when she saw Hobo for the first time in 2005. Melorah was 4 years old with a severe seizure disorder called Dravet Syndrome. Her speech at the time, was very fragmented and hard to understand but she made her wants known when she saw Hobo.

We had been researching seizures alert dogs for many, many months. I had yet to find a trainer or organization that fit with our family… until we met Hobo, Liz and Lori (Hobo’s foster mom). Things started to move at warp speed once we met Hobo. I had to catch up to him with regards to training. We took him home the night we met him, then driving back and forth to Frankfort to finish our training. Within two weeks of having Hobo, he alerted when Melorah stopped breathing, not due to a seizure but due to central apnea. Hobo soon learned to respond to seizures and then started to alert to seizures before they occurred.

It took some time to adjust to bringing a dog everywhere. We were one of the few people in our area that had a service dog that wasn’t a guide dog. The year after Hobo was placed with us, Melorah had her Make A Wish trip to Disney. Hobo, of course, went with us. His training was spot on and he handled Disney like a pro.

During his time working, Hobo was consistent in alerting to Melorah seizures. He traveled with us everywhere we went. He was my demo dog when I was speaking about service dogs at various medical conferences. When he was 10 years old, he started to shake with loud sounds. I knew retirement was coming and it broke my heart.

Holly came to us as a puppy, not an already trained adult dog like Hobo. It was a different experience – not a bad one, just different. As with people, all dogs have different personalities. Hobo was a pleaser, Holly not so much. I had to remember to not compare the two. Hobo was gracious in his retirement. One day, I got down his service vest and he didn’t put his head through it, he just laid down. Holly, meanwhile, threw her whole body into the vest. The next generation was ready for work.

Holly has spent more time in the hospital with Melorah than Hobo ever did since Melorah’s seizures have gotten worse over time. When in the trauma unit, the staff has Holly check Melorah when they think the seizure is over. Melorah stays stiff afterwards, so it is not always easy to tell if the seizure is over. If she is still seizing, Holly will lay facing her, with a paw on either shoulder. If the seizure is over, Holly will sniff Melorah’s breath and then lay down on her feet. Holly is 100 percent accurate.

Hobo is now 15 and slowing way down. We know his days are limited with us. He has been pampered and greatly loved and will continue to be until the end. Holly is now 6. I already have started to mentally prepare for when it is time to start thinking about her retirement. As with Hobo, I can’t imagine there will be another dog as great at their job but there will be thanks to Liz and Pawsibilites Unleashed.