ALMA (KFSM) -- A local dog is one merit away from reaching a status her diabetic owner says only eight other dogs in the entire country have achieved.
"She truly is a life saving Labrador, and that means the world to me," said Stephen McMurray.
According to McMurray, Ruth is faster than the world's best technology.
"She actually uses her nose and can smell when my blood sugar's going high or low."
"And she's actually 30 minutes to an hour faster than that technology they've developed that's brand new from last year."
McMurray, now 23 years old, has been an insulin dependent diabetic since he was three. Ruth was something of a Valentine's gift from a kennel in Oxford, Mississippi.
"I personally needed training to work with her -- went down -- actually brought her home on Valentine's Day of all days," he recalled, "It was a perfect little Valentine's Day gift for me a year ago."
That Oxford kennel takes part in a nation-wide program called Adventure Dog.
"It entails 14 different skill-sets you can go through and accomplish with your dog to get certified.
At 11 out of 14 skill sets, Ruth is just one merit away from joining legendary company.
"There's only eight dogs in the country that have actually accomplished the feat of becoming a master trekker," said McMurray.
Wednesday (May 10th), Ruth may become number nine. McMurray says she'll have to master a set of five skills including a 30 minute flight on an airplane to reach merit number 12.
As spectacular as that may be, nothing is quite as special as the bond between this literally inseparable pair. They spend 22 hours a day together.
"I've had pets growing up my entire life and I've always loved them, but never to the extent that I love Ruth."