Our Founder

I started seeking medical advice in September 2020 because I was having difficulty sleeping. When I woke up in the middle of the night I would CRAVE sugar. My doctors were convinced I was diabetic. After dozens of blood tests, doing an elimination diet, wearing a Dexcom for weeks & constantly tracking what I ate we finally found out I have Celiac Disease. After going gluten-free I felt better within a few weeks & didn't realize it wasn't normal to be constantly drained, light-headed, bloated, having aggressive cravings & let's get real - not pooping for days on end! After being gluten free for months we realized I'm an incredibly sensitive Celiac & was still getting sick quite frequently. I told my husband "there has to be a way for sensitive celiacs to live a normal life!"

 

I joined Facebook groups & researched & saw that many celiacs never eat out or at family events! I told myself I wasn't going to let my diagnosis completely alter my life at 22 years old. I was going to enjoy holidays & restaurants again! That's when I found Suki (@sukipwd). She is a gluten detection dog for her mom & smells food, drinks, medications, body care products & so much more! She alerts her mom it's not safe & contains gluten by lifting up her paw. That's when we started our Black Lab in service dog training.

​

After working along side a professional trainer for over a year, Lafayette passed her Canine Good Citizenship test granting her federal public access. Once we started getting used to the regular routine of having her out an about for hours at a time I started researching gluten detection programs. We applied for one but were denied because she is too old (most pups start at 8 weeks and Lafayette is already 3!). Living in Nebraska I have had difficulty finding trainers that can help us with the next step of the process due to her age & the very few gluten detection dogs that are out there. This unfortunately might lead to her early retirement but we plan on moving her over to a therapy dog program where she can continue to help others. 

​

A huge thank you to my husband who has supported this journey from the very beginning. When I'm having bad days because I've been glutened, I come home to him running me a hot bath. He has devoted to making our home 100% gluten free. He has embraced the possibility of having a service dog & so much more that comes with this disease. I am so lucky to love you & couldn't be walking this journey with anyone else.