There’s a call to all dog lovers for help to train puppies in York and North Yorkshire.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People are remarkable animals who give support and companionship
They are specially trained to alert their owners to important sounds like a smoke alarm, a doorbell, or a baby’s cry. Just as importantly, they help reduce feelings of isolation.
A hearing dog can be truly life-changing, and their journey starts with you.
With your time, care and commitment, you could hep a young dog grow into a confident, capable partner for someone who needs them. Whether you’re welcoming a playful puppy into your home or a dog in its final stage of training, you’ll be part of something extraordinary.
Volunteers who help to train young dogs are vital to the service and June Scatchard from Haxby is one of those trainers.
June told David Dunning’s Sunday Late Show on YorkMix Radio: “They are very special, very clever dogs and they also wear a jacket so that when the deaf person is out and about, other people will know that the person with the dog is deaf.
“In the training we teach them to alert their owners to certain sounds, and they do this by nudging them with a paw.
“The sounds that we start with are a doorbell, a cooker timer, which can be used for all sorts of different things, and a smoke alarm.
“And when the dog hears the sound, It comes and it nudges you, and the owner asks, What is it, either by saying it or by using a hand signal,
“The dog will then lead them to the sound, except in the case of a smoke alarm, where the dog nudges, but when asked what is, it will drop to the ground, because we don’t want the deaf person being led into danger.”
June said: “Every time they get something right, they get the treats. And I’m still doing that now. I take Pasha (Pictured) out for a walk and yesterday, I was taking some posters round Monks Cross. While we were doing that, we were practising a sit, a wait, a stay to stay put. He was also practising meeting other people. It all is rewarded every time he does it right, he will either get a pat and a “good boy” or I’ll give him a treat.
“Hearing Dogs have to sleep in the bedroom, but they’re not allowed on the bed because when a bedside alarm goes off they’re taught to jump up on to it and lie on top of you, face to face.
“But what you don’t know is what has actually triggered the dog in the first place and so we go through the ‘what is it?’ part. The dog will jump down and will either nudge the alarm clock or he’ll take you to the door where the doorbell is or he’ll lie flat because it’s an emergency.”
If you help train the pups then everything is paid for by the charity. You can find out what it takes to become a volunteer trainer at this link.
