Hearing Dogs Change Lives
Bertie the hearing dog, resting on his laurels.
Bertie Saves A Life
We already know that assistance dogs can be trained to do all kinds of things to make life better for people with disabilities, but did you know that dogs can also be trained to help people who are deaf?
Hearing dogs can alert their owners to sounds such as door knocks and doorbells, fire and smoke alarms, oven timers, text telephones, and having their names called. In some cases they can be trained to alert their owners to hearing a baby cry. Any of these sounds could be vital for a person to be aware of, depending on the circumstances.
A Yorkshire Terrier in Britain went a step farther, however, when his owner was in the hospital. His owner, Ms. Gill Stevenson, was in Cardiff’s University Hospital in Wales. Bertie was allowed to be with Ms. Stevenson because she is deaf. The little dog noticed that the woman opposite Ms. Stevenson had stopped breathing. He started barking loudly to alert the hospital staff.
"We couldn't quieten him down, we didn't know what was wrong, so one of the nurses went across to check that she was all right and in fact she wasn't all right," said Ms Stevenson.
"I love him dearly — he is a beautiful little dog," she added.
Bertie’s quick thinking saved the woman’s life.
Hero dog Bertie takes the biscuits
Bertie was presented with an award for his hospital heroics, as well as £250 and a year’s supply of dog biscuits.
Clearly, Bertie understands his role as an assistance dog.
In the United Kingdom, dogs like Bertie are trained through the organization Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. The group relies totally on charitable donations from individuals and organizations to do its work. Most dogs for the program are selected from rescue centers or donated as unwanted pets. This year marks the group’s 25th anniversary.
As it says on their web site, hearing dogs change lives. In addition to alerting their deaf owners to sounds we take for granted, they provide their owners with greater independence, confidence and security.
In the United States there are a number of organizations which train dogs for the deaf, including Dogs For The Deaf. There is an extensive list of local groups which help train and place hearing dogs (and dogs for other assistance needs) at http://landofpuregold.com/hearing-groups.htm.
In case you are wondering, there are also deaf dogs. Several breeds have a higher than usual incidence of deafness, such as Dalmatians and English Setters. Dogs can be deaf in either one or both ears. Living with a dog who is deaf in one ear is usually not much of a problem. You may never know your dog has any deafness. Living with a dog who is deaf in both ears will take some special accommodations on an owner’s part. You and your deaf dog may need to learn to communicate through hand signals. If you are interested in more information about deaf dogs, please leave a comment below.
