While some country music fans would consider Blake Shelton the main highlight of his own tour, they’d be wrong. Jazz, a German shepherd service dog, is stealing the show.
The sweet pup travels with Shelton and singer-songwriter RaeLynn, who was a mentee on “The Voice” in 2012. In addition to being adorable, Jazz makes sure his owner, RaeLynn, stays safe while on the road.
She has Type 1 diabetes, so her body doesn’t produce enough insulin on its own. Insulin moves glucose, and without it, RaeLynn is at risk of glucose buildup in her blood and a variety of life-threatening medical issues.
“I always check before I go on stage,” the singer told Healthline. “If my BG [blood glucose] is 80 or lower, I usually eat something to make sure my sugar won’t go low while I’m out there.”
Jazz helps out, too. He’s trained to detect small changes in RaeLynn’s blood sugar levels. If he notices a dangerous shift, he alerts her.
“It’s cool to know that a dog is so loyal to you,” she said in an interview with People. “He is loyal to another level. He never lets me out of sight.”
Since Jazz is crucial to RaeLynn’s well-being the service dog goes everywhere she does, which means venue locations and interviews with the press.
“He smells everybody, knows everybody. He just lightens the mood,” RaeLynn said.
Of course, Shelton is a fan of the lifesaving dog, too. Who wouldn’t be?!
“He loves her,” the singer said of Shelton’s feelings about Jazz. “He always says, ‘Oh my God, my dog is so stupid by comparison.’”
