When Luke Hengensa国际传媒檚 diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home.

Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or low. He felt like life was closing in on him and he wasnsa国际传媒檛 confident going off into nature alone or working in his job as a carpenter.

That changed when the former Victoria man got Logan, a Dog Guides Canada yellow lab whosa国际传媒檚 trained to alert him when his sugar levels are off.

When Hengen was 20, he was hospitalized after passing out after a lengthy hike. He knew he needed to make a change for his own safety.

sa国际传媒淗ad that event happened when I was still out in the woods, theresa国际传媒檇 be no saving grace for myself,sa国际传媒� he said. He eventually decided to go the service-dog route and about a year later, he was on a plane to Oakville, Ont. to get Logan.

A month later, the two went on their first nature outing, a deer scouting trip near Mount Arrowsmith. Thatsa国际传媒檚 where Hengen saw Logan dive into his service dog responsibilities, but it was also where the two became extensions of one another. Logansa国际传媒檚 natural hunting and tracking instincts made it as if their thoughts were picking up where the othersa国际传媒檚 left off while they ventured through the woods.

sa国际传媒淭he personality was an exact match for myself,sa国际传媒� Hengen said. sa国际传媒淭hat first summer spent with Logan was some of the most fun I think Isa国际传媒檝e ever had.sa国际传媒�

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The connection is indescribable, Hengen says, and only by seeing the tandem in seamless action can one understand. Theysa国际传媒檙e never far apart, whether thatsa国际传媒檚 on the job site, as Logansa国际传媒檚 fetching dropped tools and climbing ladders behind Hengen, or just relaxing after a long day.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 sitting there on the couch snoring just as loud as I am, itsa国际传媒檚 really a perfect pairing,sa国际传媒� he said.

But when Logan senses his ownersa国际传媒檚 levels are off, hesa国际传媒檚 on him like a sa国际传媒渂ad habit,sa国际传媒� pestering Hengen and nipping at his heels until he corrects his blood sugar.

sa国际传媒淭he school trains him to raise a paw and just pat you, but Logan was never really good with that one so he just jumps full on me, springs right for the chest, letting me know sa国际传媒榶ousa国际传媒檙e dyinsa国际传媒� son.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

Hengen used to worry about having a low-blood-sugar episode while working several stories up. But having Logan by his side and monitoring his levels, those job site worries that dogged him faded away.

sa国际传媒淗e was just flying, running across ladders, across joists, hesa国际传媒檚 a better carpenter than most I see on sites,sa国际传媒� he said.

Dog Guides Canada dogs are trained in diabetes alert, seizure response, autism assistance and vision and hearing guidance. The dogs are free to recipients and each one costs $35,000 to train. The donation-run group is fundraising $1.3 million through their annual Pet Valu Walk on May 30.

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Do you have a story tip? Email: jake.romphf@blackpress.ca.

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