Do antibiotics affect a dog's sense of smell?

I was told just yesterday by an experienced search and rescue trainer/handler that antibiotics can affect a dog's sense of smell. Wow, this was news to me. I haven't found a resource to confirm this but I trust experienced dog people and will be watchful for this phenomenon in my own and other's dogs. 

I did find this in an article by a trainer who I don't know personally:

"In some cases, tracking dogs have been depleted from helpful bacteria found in their nasal lining which helps them track better and catch scents, as they are supposed to. When this occurs, tracking dogs may lose some of their sense of smell during their second week of antibiotic treatment."

Be mindful of this with your diabetic alert dog. Does he seem to lose interest in scent training when he's on antibiotics or does his alerting seem a little off. If you have experienced this with your dog or do in the future, please leave a comment and tell us about it.

If you can't get enough about a dog's sense of smell, here's a good article from the Whole Dog Journal. 

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Do you want to train your own service dog?

Coming soon! 

A guide to choosing and training your own service dog.

The second in my service dog series, this book will help those who want to train their own service dog understand what they are getting into. There are huge challenges: 

• Where should you get your future service dog? Do you work with the family pet? Take a donated dog? Find a dog at the local rescue or pound? Buy a puppy?
• How much does it cost? Can you afford it?
• How much time will you have to invest in training a service dog? 

This and much more will help you think through the process and answer the question: "Can I train a service dog?" If the answer is yes, my book will get you started down a path that will lead to success.

Let me know if you want to know the very day it publishes. 
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Ellie the Labrador Speaks Up

The first email I read this morning was from Ellie, a chocolate Lab. At nearly two years old, she is a certified diabetic alert dog. She is in college with her 19-year-old handler, Caitlin. And she has apparently learned how to type.

Dear Dee 

I have been such a good puppy! Today mom thought i should try walking off leash by myself. So we took a walk for mommy to go get her lunch from the dining hall. We walked all around the dining hall an i didnt even try to eat anything off the floor. Then while mommy was standing in line to get her wrap i sat and then laid down in my down stay for five whole minutes then mom told me to follow her up to the next spot in line. I got to lay down and listen to mommy tell a whole crowd of people about what i do and even go into details with her fellow diabetic who works in the dining hall. I even got to get petted ( i was very happy about that). Then we walked all the way back to the dorm still with me not wearing my leash. I was so focused on my mommy( she had tasty treats to give me so how could i not focus on her) I think i did well and mommy even took pictures of me and how good i did even with people tellling me to come to them and those pesky birds teasing me( and did i forget to say SQUIRREL!) So i thought i would hijack moms computer and send you this email to see how proud of me you were. Well i have to go get my bath now cuz mom says i stink so i hope i get to talk to you soon. 

Love Ellie :) 

P.S . Ellie took over the computer but i am permitted to type a few words. She did really good and im attaching a few pics of her off leash. I should be getting her hands free leash by Friday and am still trying to get the booties video and am hoping to send it to you no later than the end of the week.

The back story
Caitlin got Ellie as a 10-week-old puppy the summer she was 17, just before starting her senior year of high school. I am Caitlin's service dog trainer. Caitlin is Ellie's trainer. The two of them are simply amazing. They fast tracked everything they did, passing their public access test when Ellie was only a year old. In the fall of 2012, when Ellie was 18 months old - still very young for a service dog - they started college together. And because of Ellie's ability to alert on Caitlin's fluctuating blood sugar levels ... because Ellie can keep Caitlin safe ... that college is out of state. They are away from home, away from family. And they are not just succeeding, they are excelling at everything they do. Together.

To Caitlin and Ellie: Do you remember the ride home after you passed your public access test? What a great day! That's you guys below in the back seat of your Mom's van. How about your first day together in high school? And visiting your college campus last summer? That's you "checking" your blood sugar (above) during your orientation. And then there was October, when you had to stand up for your rights as a service dog team. I am so very proud of both of you!