Imagine having a dog who could sniff out minute amounts of allergens in your child’s everyday life?
Ciara Gavin, a former Air Force K-9 Handler and founder of Allergen Detection Service Dogs, has been training dogs to do just that for nearly a decade. Today Ciara joins Sue to discuss food allergen detection dogs and what goes into training and owning one of these special canines. She also speaks with a family who received a dog to detect gluten for their four-year-old son.
Food Allergen Detection Service Dogs FAQ’s Discussed
What is the purpose of a food allergy service dog?
How does one train to become a service dog trainer?
What should buyers look for when picking out a service dog trainer?
What allergens are dog’s trained to detect?
Can dogs be trained for more than one?
What amount of allergen is a dog able to detect?
What kind of dogs are trained for detection?
How are dogs chosen, what makes them different?
What is the training process?
How long does it take to train an allergy detecting service dog?
Do families pick the service dog?
Can families have other dogs or animals?
What is the youngest suggested age for a service dog owner? t
Where can service dogs go?
Do schools allow service dogs?
Does insurance cover service dogs?
How much do service dogs cost?
Are they tax-deductible?
How do people find out more about your service?
About Ciara
Ciara Gavin and service dog Hawkeye with his new family.
Ciara Gavin is the founder of Allergen Detection Service Dogs, a Colorado Springs company that has trained dogs to alert to allergens in the environment since 2009. In this emergent field, she has trained many of the estimated 150 allergen detection dogs in use nationwide, and is currently working with a local school district to implement the first school-wide peanut/tree nut allergen checks of classrooms. Ciara holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and finds that dog training blends the application of psychological learning theories with real life application in fascinating ways. She is a former Air Force K-9 Handler who served both overseas and stateside at the U.S. Air Force Academy. She now lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado with her husband, four children and a farm full of crazy, wonderful animals.
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