Leading pet accessory company, Oscar & Hooch has teamed up with the charity Medical Detection Dogs and will be donating 10% of the sales of their Black and Red Medical Detection collar and lead to the charity on their stand at Crufts (Hall 5 stand 142).

Oscar & Hooch have been partners to the charity since 2012 and continue to donate money to the charity through the sale of this particular range..

Medical Detection Dogs (Hall 3 Stand 94 at Crufts) are trained to detect the odour of human disease. It is at the forefront of the research into the fight against cancer and helping people with life-threatening diseases.

The Bio-Detection Dogs are trained to find the odour of diseases in samples such as urine and swabs. The Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are trained to detect minute changes in an individual’s personal odour triggered by their disease and alert them to an impending medical event. The charity receives no government funding for the work they do and rely entirely on the generosity of donations from trusts and the public.  

The dogs are a mixture of breeds including Labradors and working spaniels and are chosen according to their ability and it generally takes 6-8 months for a dog to reach a good level of performance. All the bio-detection dogs live in homes as part of a caring family with fantastic volunteer fosterers, and lead normal, happy lives as pet dogs. They are dropped off in the morning and picked up in the evening from the centre in Great Horwood near Milton Keynes.

The fundamental training method is a reward based one using clicker training for all bio-detection work. Dogs are rewarded with a food treat or tennis ball play when they make an accurate assessment of the samples they are working on. It is hoped that in the future the dogs will be able to provide second line diagnostic support for cancers that are currently difficult to diagnose reliably, such as prostate cancer. The charity’s research will also inform and enable the development of electronic systems using the information that the dogs have told the researchers.

Clare Guest CEO of Medical Detection Dogs said,

Claire Guest, CEO Medical Detection Dogs, said: “We are proud of the work of our dogs, their ability to detect human disease and save human lives is becoming better recognised every day. Partnering with Oscar & Hooch means our dogs wear a high quality lead and collar in colours that people now associate with our work. We are so grateful for the support of Oscar & Hooch in helping us to achieve our goals.”

Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are currently trained to assist people living with Type 1 diabetes, Addison’s, severe nut allergy, and PoTS. The charity also considers individuals with other life threatening conditions. Dogs are trained using samples collected from the client when they are experiencing an episode. The dogs are trained to identify the unique odours. The type of alert will vary depending on the needs of the client.

The total cost of training and placing a Medical Alert Assistance Dog is £29,000. The average annual cost of a bio detection dog project is approximately £150,000.

Medical Detection Dogs recently had a special visit from their Patron and avid supporter of the charity, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

Elaine Steckler, Founder of Oscar & Hooch alongside her husband Paul said,

“At Oscar & Hooch we are very proud to be partners with Medical Detection Dogs This fantastic charity work tirelessly in undertaking groundbreaking research and training medical assistance dogs, allowing them to identify dangerous health conditions with the people they live with. For every dog that qualifies as a medical assistance dog, they will receive an Oscar & Hooch collar and lead. We also donate some of the proceeds for every sale of our Medical Detection Dog collar and lead range so come along to our stand at Crufts and take a look at our exciting range and help to support this amazing charity.”

Style, comfort, practicality and durability are the hallmarks of the Oscar & Hooch brand. All collars and, leads are machine washable and are handmade in luxury soft suedette made right here in the UK.  For the owner, Oscar & Hooch also manufacture luxury treat bags made from the same suedette as the collars to carry those tasty treat morsels in. Together, they make an attractive and stylish ensemble for any pooch whilst they are out and about on their favourite walk.

On the stand at Crufts, Oscar & Hooch will also be displaying their luxury pet beds and stylish coats.

The Medical detection Dogs will be doing demonstrations in the Main Arena at Crufts on Friday and Sunday.

For further information about Oscar & Hooch visit: www.oscarandhooch.com

For further information on Medical Detection Dogs visit : www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk