Dogs which work for man Hearing Dogs
There would be few Australians who do not recognise a Guide Dog and acknowledge its right to accompany its owner onto public transport, into stores and restaurants etc. Usually a Labrador Retriever and always in harness when working, the Guide Dog is a wonderful advertisement of the devotion of a dog to its owner and an example of the standard of training which can be achieved.
Not so well known nor identifiable are Hearing Dogs which alert their hearing impaired owners to a variety of sounds. Hearing Dogs are often smaller crossbreeds obtained from animal welfare shelters after careful assessment of their temperament and trainability. The dog must show no aggression, no inappropriate barking, no biting, no snapping/growling, no inappropriate jumping on strangers, no begging and no sniffing of people.
These once homeless canines go through months of comprehensive training commencing with basic obedience where the dog is taught sit, stay come, down, heel and off leash recall and to respond to both voice and/or hand signals.
After months of intensive training using positive reinforcement methods the dogs are matched with a hearing impaired person. A Hearing Dog alerts its owner to sounds by using its body. It may run back and forth between its owner and the sound, or it may physically lead the owner to the sound source. A Hearing Dog is trained to let its owner know when:
the phone rings
the doorbell buzzes
somebody knocks at the door
the smoke detector goes off
the alarm clock sounds
the kitchen timer rings
somebody calls their name
In response to a smoke alarm or alarm clock, a Hearing Dog is taught to jump onto a bed or couch to wake up a sleeping person using physical contact or a nose nudge
Because a Hearing Dog is able to alert the owner to the presence of others nearby this often gives the owner an increasing sense of security.
A Hearing Dog is a way to relieve some of the stress in communicating with hearing individuals. The dog helps the hearing impaired person socialize more effectively and freely. The dog also increases their self confidence and esteem significantly as they are less dependent on others for help. Companionship is another positive aspect of a Hearing Dog.
Many owners and their dogs share a special bond of friendship. They enjoy each other's company and share many happy moments together.