A Hearing Ear Dog?

"What, is a hearing ear dog?"

I have heard this question many times. It often comes with:

• "I have heard of a seeing-eye dog."
• "I have heard of a rescue dog."
• "I know about specialized dogs for the police or military."
• "I know dogs that help in therapy."

All of these things are "jobs" held by dogs.

A job? Yes.

Dogs, by nature, want to please. At least most of them do.
A healthy, happy, well-adjusted dog- wants to please it's master, or whomever it has the most contact with.

A dog without a job....is not usually a happy dog.

Think about the many things that 'every day joe' dogs do:

Fetch the paper, play with children, fetch a ball, fetch a stick, chase
rabbits/squirrels, find things that smell (bad), wake you up every morning,
sleep near your bed, bark when someone drives up to your house, bark when
someone rings the doorbell or knocks at your door, threatens the meter
reader or postal carrier, doesn't like the weird teenager next door and is
watchful.....
These, in some small sense, are what that dog views as his or her 'job'. Some things are trained and some are just 'there'.

A dog with no 'job' of any kind is usually this dog:

a digger who destroys carpets, furniture or yards.
a barker who drives everyone in hearing distance (and beyond) insane.
a hyper, crazy, and irritating dog who won't obey or mind.
a dog who jumps on people, bites, claws or otherwise has no manners.

Sounds like most dogs at the pound, yes?

What, then, is a "Hearing Ear Dog", you ask?

It's a dog with a very big, very important, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, job.
A Hearing Ear Dog....is someone's ears.
Hamilton, is mine.

His job:

Listen for the doorbell, phone, smoke detector, oven timer, and any other
small or high-pitched noise that is outside the range of my hearing.

Listen for someone approaching my house, from any direction.

Listen for someone knocking on my door, or working on the outside of my
house, or tapping on my windows....any sound I should know about...but don't,
because I'm deaf.

Watch over me. Let me sleep without worry. Bark if I need to pay attention.
Touch me if I am unaware. Help my children and my husband know I am looked
after. Be my best friend and my protector.

Fill the void in my life that I have from not having hearing.

More Hearing Ear Dog Information: