Owning a dog has many benefits from reducing stress to improving both mental and physical health. Some dogs like Suki are trained to go the extra mile and make their owner’s life much easier.
Suki, a three-year-old Portuguese water dog trained to detect gluten, has recently gone viral on Instagram (@sukipwd) by demonstrating her abilities, which keep her owner Kendra Williams from becoming seriously ill.
Williams, from San Diego, California, suffers from a disease that affects one in 133 Americans, according to Beyond Celiac, a research foundation. The condition, celiac disease, means her immune system attacks her tissues when she consumes gluten.
Williams told Newsweek: “Suki has already saved me several times from getting violently ill from gluten.”
Instagram/@sukipwd
During the video that has 211,000 views, the pair appear to be at a restaurant and Williams can be seen giving Suki plates to sniff. Each time, she boops Williams’ leg with her nose which means the dish is gluten-free. At the end of the footage, Suki raises her paw after gluten was discovered in a macaroon.
The digital marketing and sales consultant was diagnosed with the disease in 2017. She explained that eating in restaurants was “very challenging”.
“There were many instances where food in restaurants contained gluten, even though it should have been gluten-free,” she told Newsweek.
“After getting sick many times, I decided to train a gluten-detection dog. We have been training since Suki was six months old. She checks all my food, medicine, and personal care products.”
With the help of a gluten detection trainer, it took 18 to 24 months to train Suki.
Consuming gluten with this disease triggers an immune response to the gluten protein in the small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic. This reaction, over time, damages the lining of your small intestine and prevents it from absorbing nutrients, a condition known as malabsorption.
Symptoms of intestinal damage include diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating, and anemia. It can also cause serious complications if not managed or treated.
“I would be lost without Suki,” Williams said.
The inseparable duo have traveled to nine states together including Hawaii. Williams doesn’t solely rely on Suki when it comes to eating as she still has to read labels and speak to restaurant staff about the ingredients.
“Suki eliminates the fear that something I am eating may make me sick. With Suki, I can enjoy a meal at a restaurant without fear that I may be out of commission for a week or longer,” she said.
The internet has been blown away by the video and many people have commented to sing Suki’s praises.
One user said: “Great job Suki!! That’s wild that a macaron which is traditionally gluten free would be contaminated. Glad suki was there to save the day.”
“This was the perfect video to show how our dogs will alert even if we think it’s gf [gluten free]. Good job, Suki!!” said another.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.