Did you know that even some folks with anaphylactic allergies train their own service dogs?

While it may seem scary, with the right precautions, it is definitely possible!

Today we have Delta Tails' lovely assistant, Lauren Storm writing about her experience with training a gluten detection dog while also being anaphylactic to wheat and gluten!

Take it away, Lauren!

Hi! I'm Lauren Storm, and along with being a professional trainer, I have also worked with Delta Tails to train my own gluten detection dog. I have both celiac disease and anaphylaxis to wheat and gluten, so it looked a little bit different for me!

I’ve personally had some very expensive detours to the emergency room - even once in a foreign country.

I have a combo of an autoimmune disease called celiac disease and anaphylactic allergies. Celiac disease means you can not eat gluten because it damages your small intestine. But my body has taken it a step further, and I have an anaphylactic allergic...

Grooming dogs and keeping up with their care can be hard, even without ADHD or autism.

Add either of those (or both!) to the mix, and it can feel almost impossible.

One of my biggest personal struggles (autistic and ADHDer here) is keeping up with my dogs grooming and maintenance, and almost all of my autistic clients would say the same.

As I've worked with dogs and their handlers more and more, I've developed several strategies to help overcome the struggle of grooming and maintenance while dealing with sensory overwhelm, distraction, and more.

Like any advice, try one idea out at a time. Keep what works, and don't be afraid to toss out the things that don't.

Here are some of my top tips for grooming and handling dogs for handlers with ADHD, autism, or other neurodivergencies. I hope you find them helpful!

 1. Make the job smaller & more frequent.

Instead of trimming all your dogs nails, brushing them, bathing them, and brushing their teeth all in one day, turn it into...

Are you struggling with being contaminated and getting sick from gluten exposure?

Do you have to take days off of work and leaving the house due to your symptoms?

Do you feel like you just can't ever get a break?

You might have started looking into gluten detection dogs to help solve this problem.

But not every celiac or person with a gluten allergy is the right fit for a gluten detection dog!

I have celiac disease myself, and it was a big decision for me to add this task to my dog's repertoire.

I want to share several considerations for you to think about before you make the investment and decision to train a gluten detection dog.

1. Have you met with a celiac-specific dietitian?

 Before making any decisions that may impact your nutrition (even something like a detection dog), it is very wise to meet with a celiac or allergy specific dietitian or doctor.

Many celiacs aren't fully aware of how to read food labels, what the labels mean, and what they really need to focus on for...