Visually impaired people all over the country are helped in their everyday lives by guide dogs, but did you know that many deaf people are also having the lives made a little bit easier by our canine friends, in the form of hearing dogs? Hearing dogs, like guide dogs for the blind, give the deaf more independence both in and out of the home, remove some of the isolation they face, and help to keep them safe by alerting them to danger.
In the home a hearing dog will listen for an alarm clock going off and then wake their owner (who is called the recipient), alert them when there is someone at the door, or 'tell' them that the phone is ringing.
In these types of situation the dog will first alert the recipient by touching them with their paw.
The recipient will then ask the dog 'what is it?' or something similar and the dog will lead them to whatever is making the sound; the phone, the door, the microwave etc.
The procedure is slightly different when there is danger afoot, as after getting the recipients attention the dog will lie on the ground, and this is the sign that the recipient understands as danger.
The recipient will then act accordingly getting themselves, and the hearing dog, to safety.
Dogs chosen to become hearing dogs are put through rigorous training and as part of the course undergo an intensive four month sound work programme, where they are trained to respond to specific sounds in particular ways.
The trainers will condition the dog to see reacting the sounds as fun, much in the same way as they react to going for a walk or having their dinner, and so the dog sees reacting to the sounds as a treat.
Once the dog is successfully trained they are introduced to their new home and start to form the partnership with their recipient.
Their training is ongoing and often, as the dogs enjoy alerting the recipients to sounds, they learn more sounds for themselves.