P is for Peanuts and Portuguese Water Dogs
P is for Peanuts and Portuguese Water Dogs.
The novel I’m currently writing is a young adult contemporary. My main character, a high school freshman, has a life-threatening peanut allergy and is accompanied by a peanut-sniffing Portuguese Water dog named Poseidon. Oh, another P!
In the course of doing research, I collected some interesting bits of knowledge about peanut allergies and Portuguese Water dogs that I’m sharing with you. You never know when this information might come in handy–your next cocktail party, for instance.
Peanut allergies
* According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, roughly 4 to 6 per cent of children have food allergies.
* Peanuts are in the top three allergy-inducing foods.
* The most severe reaction to exposure to an allergen is anaphylaxis, which can result in death.
* Schools are now required to keep EpiPens on hand in case of a life-threatening allergic reaction on campus.
Portuguese water dogs
(image courtesy YSavas via Wikimedia Commons)
* Working dog originally used in Portugal to herd fish into nets and swim between boats.
* Has non-shedding hair–curly or wavy–instead of fur. Because it lacks fur, which is an allergen, the Portuguese water dog is suitable for many people who have multiple allergies such as the Obama girls.
* Weighs in at 35 to 60 pounds.
* Has webbed feet. I just learned this fact myself!
* Highly intelligent and active. Therefore, this dog needs stimulation and exercise. Otherwise, it could get into mischief.
* Often used as a service dog because of its loyalty and alerting response.
* Adorable!
Peanut (or other substance) sniffing dogs
* Idea and training was inspired by military bomb sniffing dogs.
* Cost of trained sniffing dog runs 15,000 to 20,000 dollars.
* Use of sniffing dogs in schools is controversial. In Edgewater, Florida parents picketed a school that accommodated a peanut-sniffing dog and extra hand washing. This case is what sparked my interest in my current novel.
What are your thoughts about schools banning peanut butter? What do you think when you see a service dog out in the community?
2 thoughts on “P is for Peanuts and Portuguese Water Dogs”
I have to say, I’m learning a lot of facts this A to Z Challenge with posts like yours. I’ve never personally known of child having a bad peanut allergy reaction at school. Yet, if removing it from schools saves even one child’s life, it would be worth it. After all, non-effected children could consume all they wanted at home.
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I agree with you, Barbara. I’d be totally fine with a no peanut policy at my child’s school. (My kids are beyond school age now.) I would worry if a student at the school had a bad dog allergy though. One advantage of the Portuguese water dog is that many people who are dog sensitive can tolerate that breed.