Hearing Dogs for the Deaf

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf charity receives no government funding and relies on donations and whose Patron since 1992 is Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

Any one who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing and is over the age of 18 may apply for an application form to be assessed whether a hearing dog could help them. This in turn will secure a place on the provisional waiting list and someone from Hearing Dogs for Deaf People will visit them at home to explain the benefits and responsibilities of having a hearing dog.

Most breeds of dogs are trained, including cross breeds, although a preference is for small or medium-sized dogs between the age of eight weeks and three years old. Some of the dogs, which are not breed by the Charity’s own breeding scheme, are generously donated by either breeders or members of the public.

All donors are kept up-to-date with their dog’s progress, together with photographs, one of which will show him in his distinctive burgundy coloured coat should he qualify. If he does not make the grade he is offered back to his original owner otherwise, if his original owner is unable to take him back, he is rehomed as a pet.

Once the dogs have been socialised they commence their advanced soundwork training. This takes four months and each dog is individually trained to meet his new owner’s needs. Once this is completed the final training course commences. This takes three months which starts with their new owner at one of the Charity’s training centres and then in the deaf recipient’s own home. Lifelong aftercare is provided for all these dogs by visits and checks by trainers.

For every day sounds a hearing dog will touch the deaf recipient with a paw and lead them to the source of the sound whilst if it is a danger/emergency sound then the touching by the paw will be followed by lying down. This is a special “alert signal” to indicate danger.

A Pilot Study is presently being conducted for Team Hearing Dogs. This entails a placement of a dog with profoundly deaf children in hearing families.