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Rock’O the Sniffer Dog
By “Rover”ing Reporter
Portuguese water dog Rock’O of Monument, CO is no ordinary dog. Rock’ O is one of about six dogs in the country trained to detect the presence of peanuts and protect their owners from serious allergic reactions. This special sniffer helps keep 8-year old Riley Mers safe, as she has a peanut allergy so several that if she even touches peanut residue, it is enough to send her to the hospital.
"Her case is about as bad as they come," said Dr. Daniel Soteres, a Colorado Springs allergy and immunology specialist. "An exposure to peanut could be a life-threatening event to her." If Riley were to eat anything with peanuts, she would have about six minutes to reach the hospital before her body would go into shock. To keep her safe, Riley used to wear protective gloves.
Rock’O has gone through extensive training not unlike narcotics or bomb sniffing to learn how to identify the scent of peanuts. Now, night and day, Riley can enjoy glove-free living, with Rock'O by her side everywhere she goes.
According to Riley’s mom, Sherry Mers, “It might look to you like it's a kid playing with a dog... to me, that's a dog that's saving my daughter's life while they're playing."
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