Hearing Dogs help people who are d/Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing to increase awareness of their surroundings by physically alerting them to sounds and leading them to the source of the sounds. They are an excellent complement to hearing aid devices.
*Here's the link to understand more about Hearing Dogs: https://youtu.be/8Eq2bx1qcag
Hearing Dogs act as your pair of ‘furry ears’ to alert you to sounds that require your attention, such as a person at a doorbell, an alarm clock, or a ringing phone.
Hearing Dogs can also differentiate ‘emergency’ sounds and are trained to lead you away from dangerous environments.
Hearing Dogs give their owners peace of mind, especially when hearing devices are removed during bedtime.
Hearing ADs that K9Assistance will provide, start their training from the time they are weaned, at about 8 weeks old.
During their puppyhood from 8 weeks to 1 year, they are socialised to be exposed to as many people, environments, and situations as possible. This is so they will grow into confident dogs that will not be phased when in different environments when working. They are also taught basic obedience skills.
From the time they are 1-2 years old, they undergo formal training with an Assistance Dog Instructor, learning specific tasks to assist their handler with hearing loss.
After they have completed their training, they will be matched with a potential d/Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing handler.
