Dog Training Facility in Byers, Colorado Gives Rescue Dogs a Second Chance and a New Career

Leasure Ranch K9 Academy in Byers, Colorado, is not your typical dog training facility. Owner Michelle Abel has been training dogs for 34 years, but now she is taking it a step further by giving rescue dogs a second chance at life and a new career.

Partnering with Scroungy Dogs and Pretty Pups Rescue, Abel is training unruly dogs and helping them find forever homes. Some dogs have also come to them through other means, as Abel noted that there is an unfortunate trend of people dumping dogs these days.

What sets Leasure Ranch K9 Academy apart is their focus on training dogs to be service dogs. But recently, a new idea was presented to Abel – training dogs to detect gluten for people with celiac disease.

After witnessing the importance of having a dog that can detect gluten firsthand, Abel saw the potential impact these dogs could have on individuals with celiac disease. With their incredible sense of smell, dogs can detect even trace amounts of gluten, which can be harmful to those with the disease.

The training process is meticulous, with dogs being taught to sit if an object is safe and lay down if it is not. Word quickly spread about the gluten-detecting dogs, and Abel found herself inundated with requests from people in need of this specialized service.

The demand for gluten-detecting dogs is high, as many products labeled “gluten-free” may still contain traces of gluten that could be harmful to someone with celiac disease. These dogs provide a sense of security for individuals who may otherwise avoid public places out of fear of being exposed to gluten.

Each service dog undergoes hundreds of hours of training, especially if they are going to be paired with a client with celiac disease. The dogs are trained not only to detect gluten but also to behave appropriately in public settings.

Abel shared a heartwarming story of one dog who now works at Disneyland with her own employee badge. It’s clear that these dogs are not only changing the lives of individuals with celiac disease but also making a positive impact on the community.

At Leasure Ranch K9 Academy, it’s all about helping dogs and helping people. Abel and her team tailor their training to meet the specific needs of each client, ensuring that both the dogs and their new owners can live their best lives together.