Dog

[Marie Dubinsky]

Hi Group
This has to sound nuts but I will ask anyway. Has anybody ever heard of a
dog for
the hearing impaired? My daughter told me that someone she knew had one and
she is
not as bad as I am. I never have heard of a dog being used, unless you may
be very
old and house bound? Any response will be interesting.
Thanks in advance
Marie D

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[simon gosling]

Hi Marie,
I have heard of dogs helping hearing impaired and deaf
people. I just had a look. If you type 'dogs for the deaf' you get loads of
stuff come up. Mianly in the US but I'm sure they have them in England too.
regards,
Simon :^)
Marie Dubinsky <maried...@mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:7vpN4.16171$QX1.7...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...

[Dana Taramina]

Marie Dubinsky wrote:

> Hi Group
> This has to sound nuts but I will ask anyway. Has anybody ever heard of a
> dog for the hearing impaired? My daughter told me that someone she knew had
> one and she is not as bad as I am. I never have heard of a dog being used,
> unless you may be very old and house bound? Any response will be interesting.

Yes, I've absolutely heard of dogs being used for hearing impaired people.
What they are trained to do, among other things, is alert the owner when the
phone rings or the doorbell rings. (And I've heard of service dogs being used
for paralyzed people, and people with seizure disorders, and autistic kids, and
all kinds of stuff.) Sorry I can't help you by being more specific, like where
service dogs are trained or how you qualify, but I think a web search may prove
helpful.

Dana

[Mary Holmes Dague]

Hi Marie--

There are many organizations in the U.S. that train hearing-ear dogs.
There's one where I live, and I imagine a search on the Internet will pull
one up close to your home. Some dogs are free and some are for cost--it's
expensive to train special needs dogs, also a labor of love for families who
raise the puppies until they are ready for training and eventual transfer to
a person in need.

I've been blessed with two West Highland Terriers (Westies) in my lifetime,
each of whom trained themselves to be hearing ear dogs. (One died and the
second, now 14, is becoming hearing impaired himself, so I've officially
"retired" him from active duty.) These dogs would get me if the doorbell
rang. Now matter where I was in the house, they would would find me and sort
of like Lassie, point the way. One was telephone sensitive, but I no longer
use the phone so the second never trained himself that way. Both gave me
security when I'd take them walking as I can't hear so many sounds and
nearly get hit by cars at least a dozen times a year. Hearing-ear dogs are
permitted to accompany you by law in the passenger section of airplanes. By
all means, a hearing ear dog is a wonderful companion and helper.

Best--
Mary

[LF]

I've also heard of cats and monkeys used for this purpose.

Cats come to you and "tell" you when the doorbell rings or the phone is
ringing.

Monkeys are more effective for people, in wheelchairs, with mobility
disabilities (i.e. MS or Cerebral Palsy). They can actually do some tasks
like pick up small objects off the floor and bring the phone to you.

Marie Dubinsky wrote in message
<7vpN4.16171$QX1.7...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net>...

>Hi Group
>This has to sound nuts but I will ask anyway. Has anybody ever heard of a
>dog for
>the hearing impaired? My daughter told me that someone she knew had one
and
>she is
>not as bad as I am. I never have heard of a dog being used, unless you may
>be very
>old and house bound? Any response will be interesting.

[Mary Holmes Dague]

Trained hearing ear dogs are real working dogs like seeing eye dogs. They
learn not to socialize when they are hearing for you outside the home. (I
have trouble seeing a Westie learning this kind of emotional discipline!)

My Westies are entirely housepets, loving everyone to pieces, and doing what
seems natural to them in our family setting. There IS a difference between
true hearing ear dogs and pets, but both routes are great for hearing
impaired people. As for tinnitus--pets are, as for all human conditions,
wonderful medicine!

Best--
Mary

[ENTconsult]

There is an organization that trains dogs for the deaf and supplies them. These
dogs can alert their masters to phones, door bells, danger, etc.
Murray Grossan, M.D.
http://www.ent-consult.com