Dogs needed to train as Hearing Dogs
Discussion
Mods, if this isn't allowed, or is in the wrong forum, please feel free to delete.
My daughter works for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People near Princes Risborough, Bucks. They train, as you might expect, dogs to help deaf people in much the way guide dogs for the blind operate.
They are desperate for dogs to train and I have offered to put a post up on a few forums to see if anyone has a dog or dogs excess to their needs and that would fit the parameters below:
My daughter works for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People near Princes Risborough, Bucks. They train, as you might expect, dogs to help deaf people in much the way guide dogs for the blind operate.
They are desperate for dogs to train and I have offered to put a post up on a few forums to see if anyone has a dog or dogs excess to their needs and that would fit the parameters below:
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People said:
www.hearingdogs.org.uk
We are looking for dogs as below:
Ages: 8-12 weeks or 1-3 years.
Breeds: preferably looking for:
Spaniels and their crosses
Retrievers and their crosses e.g. labs, goldies etc
Toy types and their crosses e.g. poodles, shih tzus, llasa’s etc
Mongrels of no identifiable breed
We do not take guarding breeds such as German Shepherds or Rottweillers, or fighting breeds such as Staffies. We also don’t take pure bred collies.
The whole list of breed types most suited if you need it is below - we would consider any crosses of:
Bichon Frise
Bolognese
Cavalier King Charles
Curly Coated Retriever
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Flat Coat Retriever
German Spitz
Golden Retriever
Japanese Spitz
Labradoodle
Lab x Goldie
Labradors
Lhasa Apso
Maltese
Miniature Poodle
Toy Poodle
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Papillion
Pomeranian
Pug
Shih Tzu
Tibetan Spaniel
Mongrels of no identifiable breed
The vital age for social input is 8-12 weeks. After that if they do not get a good up bringing they are not so easy to work with. After 1 year they are old enough to be mature enough for their true characters to be formed and we will have the best chance to assess their behaviour and then retrain them if possible.
So any unwanted Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers et al hanging around would be welcome! We are looking for dogs as below:
Ages: 8-12 weeks or 1-3 years.
Breeds: preferably looking for:
Spaniels and their crosses
Retrievers and their crosses e.g. labs, goldies etc
Toy types and their crosses e.g. poodles, shih tzus, llasa’s etc
Mongrels of no identifiable breed
We do not take guarding breeds such as German Shepherds or Rottweillers, or fighting breeds such as Staffies. We also don’t take pure bred collies.
The whole list of breed types most suited if you need it is below - we would consider any crosses of:
Bichon Frise
Bolognese
Cavalier King Charles
Curly Coated Retriever
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Flat Coat Retriever
German Spitz
Golden Retriever
Japanese Spitz
Labradoodle
Lab x Goldie
Labradors
Lhasa Apso
Maltese
Miniature Poodle
Toy Poodle
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Papillion
Pomeranian
Pug
Shih Tzu
Tibetan Spaniel
Mongrels of no identifiable breed
The vital age for social input is 8-12 weeks. After that if they do not get a good up bringing they are not so easy to work with. After 1 year they are old enough to be mature enough for their true characters to be formed and we will have the best chance to assess their behaviour and then retrain them if possible.
Ganglandboss said:
motco said:
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People said:
We do not take guarding breeds such as German Shepherds or Rottweillers, or fighting breeds such as Staffies.
! 
but a Dobermann is very very easy to train and would make a wonderful companion as well.
Dogs from my boy's litter have gone on to be a guide dog, sniffer dogs at Heathrow, two of them, and an elderly persons panic alert (although I'm not sure how the last one works as he must have trouble with the fiddly keys on the phone! ? )
S
ex-Hearing Dogs employee on Pet Forums - NOT my daughter said:
Hi
I think I need to just clarify a few things - with facts!!!!
Firstly, Hearing Dogs For Deaf People (HDFDP), have a team of assessors all over the country, visiting rescue centres and taking dogs that they think will be suitable, this is ongoing and something I used to do. They also have regular van runs to dog pounds in Ireland and Wales and often assist with RSPCA 'house clearouts', where they can, taking as many dogs as possible.
However - some rescues don't want their dogs to go to HD because the ones that are most likely to be suitable, puppies and younger dogs, are the ones that they can re-home and get income for. It was because of this very fact, HD started to give a donation to the the rescues when they take a dog, but generally, and I know you may find this hard to believe, there is a lack of suitable dogs in rescue. If you know of one - let HD know, they probably already have a contact with that rescue, or an assessor in that area, who can make contact.
The dogs they need, have to be young so under 3 years, (this is purely from a training and longevity point of view), must not have shown any agression whatsoever, they must also be confident and good with other dogs and children. Immediately this reduces the numbers of dogs that they can take.
Please bear in mind that a working HD will be going to a lot of public places, on buses, trains to work with their owners and it is vital that they are 'sound' in all these aspects. The dog doesn't have to be trained at all, but it does need to be confident and of the right temperment.
Now - regarding Staffs..... Firstly, staffs make great hearing dogs, in the first few years of hearing dogs and when I first started there, there were a number of staffs out working, in fact the last staff I know, would have been placed with a deaf recipient around 7 years ago - I remember him well and he was used on a lot of their publicity material. However, in recent years, the public perception of these breeds, has gone right down (I am not debating the wrongs of that here!), which means the public will, as most staff owners have found out, cross the road to avoid them! The whole idea of a HD is that it brings a person, who otherwise may feel isolated and in a world of their own, into the real world again, dogs are great friend makers, and when you have a HD, people say hello to you and you feel 'part of it' again. Not so with these breeds. Which is why the decision was taken to not use them - however, their crosses may be seen out working now.
As for the 'Guarding' breeds. Anyone with a Shepherd or Rotti (same reaction as to staffs with Rottis), will know that some of these dogs have a preposition to 'look after' their owners, that is fine, they were bred for that, just as collies were bred to herd. However, what HD don't want is a dog that becomes protective of their owner. Bear in mind that the dog is with the owner 24 hours a day, sleeps in the bedroom and goes to work with them, so there is an extremely close bond, which can exacerbate any 'guarding' instincts. There is also that Shepherds are 'impressive' dogs and again, some people don't feel they can approach one - they are also a big dog to take into a resturant and get to lie down under the table!!
Finally, pure collies don't make suitable HD dogs, and this was found out with experience, because they 'need' to work too much!!! E.G. A HD is a normal dog in the home, expected to go off and do its own thing, lie around, chew a toy etc. etc. except when the doorbell, the phone, the fire alarm rings they need to 'spring' into action. Most breeds are happy to do this. Collies however, when you teach them to 'respond' to sounds are then constantly looking for that sound, often pacing and unsettled, waiting for a sound to happen. Same as some of the 'giant' breeds are too happy to just lie there when a sound occurs, so it is all about balance.
I hope this helps with some the misconceptions that have been aired on this thread.
By the way, puppies, if they can get them (some breeders will very kindly donate one of their litter), will go out with a socialiser and be carefully nurtured until it is old enough to come into the training centre, at around 8/9 months old (depending on the maturity of the dog), older dogs may go out to a home for a few months, for a baisc assessment, or go straight into training, depends on history and each individual case.
At anytime during the process the dog may be 'withdrawn' from the scheme, for many reasons, maybe handling isn't good, confidence, just wouldn't 'like' being a hearing dog etc. These dogs are then either 'offered' back to the breeder or rescue they came from, or re-homed, via HD. Everyone who has a 'failed' hearing dog will be asessed and matched with a suitable dog, as would any other 'good' animal welfare organisation and there is a person speficially employed to do this. The good thing about it, is that HD will have a good knowledge of that dogs needs and behaviours before doing so and will ALWAYS take a dog back, if things don't work out.
Any problems, please ask - I worked for HDFDP for many years and am very passionate about what they, as an organisation achieve.
Kate
I hope that eloquent posting helps!I think I need to just clarify a few things - with facts!!!!
Firstly, Hearing Dogs For Deaf People (HDFDP), have a team of assessors all over the country, visiting rescue centres and taking dogs that they think will be suitable, this is ongoing and something I used to do. They also have regular van runs to dog pounds in Ireland and Wales and often assist with RSPCA 'house clearouts', where they can, taking as many dogs as possible.
However - some rescues don't want their dogs to go to HD because the ones that are most likely to be suitable, puppies and younger dogs, are the ones that they can re-home and get income for. It was because of this very fact, HD started to give a donation to the the rescues when they take a dog, but generally, and I know you may find this hard to believe, there is a lack of suitable dogs in rescue. If you know of one - let HD know, they probably already have a contact with that rescue, or an assessor in that area, who can make contact.
The dogs they need, have to be young so under 3 years, (this is purely from a training and longevity point of view), must not have shown any agression whatsoever, they must also be confident and good with other dogs and children. Immediately this reduces the numbers of dogs that they can take.
Please bear in mind that a working HD will be going to a lot of public places, on buses, trains to work with their owners and it is vital that they are 'sound' in all these aspects. The dog doesn't have to be trained at all, but it does need to be confident and of the right temperment.
Now - regarding Staffs..... Firstly, staffs make great hearing dogs, in the first few years of hearing dogs and when I first started there, there were a number of staffs out working, in fact the last staff I know, would have been placed with a deaf recipient around 7 years ago - I remember him well and he was used on a lot of their publicity material. However, in recent years, the public perception of these breeds, has gone right down (I am not debating the wrongs of that here!), which means the public will, as most staff owners have found out, cross the road to avoid them! The whole idea of a HD is that it brings a person, who otherwise may feel isolated and in a world of their own, into the real world again, dogs are great friend makers, and when you have a HD, people say hello to you and you feel 'part of it' again. Not so with these breeds. Which is why the decision was taken to not use them - however, their crosses may be seen out working now.
As for the 'Guarding' breeds. Anyone with a Shepherd or Rotti (same reaction as to staffs with Rottis), will know that some of these dogs have a preposition to 'look after' their owners, that is fine, they were bred for that, just as collies were bred to herd. However, what HD don't want is a dog that becomes protective of their owner. Bear in mind that the dog is with the owner 24 hours a day, sleeps in the bedroom and goes to work with them, so there is an extremely close bond, which can exacerbate any 'guarding' instincts. There is also that Shepherds are 'impressive' dogs and again, some people don't feel they can approach one - they are also a big dog to take into a resturant and get to lie down under the table!!
Finally, pure collies don't make suitable HD dogs, and this was found out with experience, because they 'need' to work too much!!! E.G. A HD is a normal dog in the home, expected to go off and do its own thing, lie around, chew a toy etc. etc. except when the doorbell, the phone, the fire alarm rings they need to 'spring' into action. Most breeds are happy to do this. Collies however, when you teach them to 'respond' to sounds are then constantly looking for that sound, often pacing and unsettled, waiting for a sound to happen. Same as some of the 'giant' breeds are too happy to just lie there when a sound occurs, so it is all about balance.
I hope this helps with some the misconceptions that have been aired on this thread.
By the way, puppies, if they can get them (some breeders will very kindly donate one of their litter), will go out with a socialiser and be carefully nurtured until it is old enough to come into the training centre, at around 8/9 months old (depending on the maturity of the dog), older dogs may go out to a home for a few months, for a baisc assessment, or go straight into training, depends on history and each individual case.
At anytime during the process the dog may be 'withdrawn' from the scheme, for many reasons, maybe handling isn't good, confidence, just wouldn't 'like' being a hearing dog etc. These dogs are then either 'offered' back to the breeder or rescue they came from, or re-homed, via HD. Everyone who has a 'failed' hearing dog will be asessed and matched with a suitable dog, as would any other 'good' animal welfare organisation and there is a person speficially employed to do this. The good thing about it, is that HD will have a good knowledge of that dogs needs and behaviours before doing so and will ALWAYS take a dog back, if things don't work out.
Any problems, please ask - I worked for HDFDP for many years and am very passionate about what they, as an organisation achieve.
Kate
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