May Profile

Paul and Rove

Hi  my name is Paul Oliver.  I am 30 years old and have been an insulin dependent diabetic since I was 14.

Since being diagnosed I have struggled to maintain good control. 

I am unable to recognise when I am about to have a hypo and as a result of this in the past I have suffered from hypo seizures.  Fortunately someone had always been around to call an ambulance but this may not always be the case.

Then Mum read about Corey in the newspaper and saw him on TV and decided that she was on a mission to improve my life by helping to allow me to be independent and not be afraid to have my own place and be alone.

She called Lorraine and talked with her and told her about her little dog – a Miniature Pinscher.  Mum thought that this breed would make a good alert dog as they are very clever, learn fast and are passionately loyal to one person.

Not long after Mum had to go to hospital for a couple of weeks and asked me to housesit for her and look after her dog.  I fell in love with him and decided that I would like to have one of my own and that perhaps it would be a good idea to train him as an alert dog.

It just so happened that the breeder where Mum bought her dog from had a litter of puppies and was quite keen for me to choose one for myself.

That’s how I came to have Rove.  My best friend, my lifesaver.  Rove started to alert very quickly.  He is very smart and totally devoted to me.  Because he is so small he is very easy to have with me and go everywhere. 

I was in a car accident several months ago and Rove was separated from me in the confusion.  I was taken to hospital.  I was so worried that Rove was out alone and probably in shock and frightened.  The Police and local rangers went out to look for him.  They found him but could not catch him.  He kept returning to the site of the accident looking for me.  Eventually one of the nurses drove me to the site and he came to me straight away. He spent 4 days in hospital with me.  How is that for loyalty.

Rove has changed my life.  He is such good company and I now have my own townhouse and can live independently knowing that if I don’t recognise an impending hypo Rove will warn me well ahead of time. 

He goes everywhere with me and I haven’t had too much trouble with people allowing me access once they realise that he is a working dog.