Can you train a dog to become a “Seizure” dog?

I often wonder how my dog Truffles always seems to know when I’m not feeling well, or better yet, how he seems to know before I get that lousy headache. He has demonstrated this behavior often enough to prompt my investigation of. . . is this a gift, or can it be taught?

After studying several cases on dogs that have helped their masters during seizures or other physical crisis, maybe the term seizure assistance dog would be a more valid term.

Dogs have been trained for several years to be assistance dogs to people with disabilities. There have been many reports of dogs assisting someone during a seizure, such as alerting a family member or lying on a person to prevent injury. They can be trained to seek help, sound an alarm, or just sit by their master until help arrives; however, there doesn’t seem to be any conclusive research that a dog can be trained to forewarn of an impending seizure.

My best guess is that in most incidences, these incredible companion dogs, because of their strong bond with their masters, have the ability to pick up on certain energy (as before a thunderstorm) or notice a subtle change in behavior.

My personal explanation is that I like to think that these dogs have a rare gift from God; and that if they were given this gift, it should be shared with the world.