Hearing Dogs

General Info / Articles of Interest

For a person who is hearing impaired, the feeling of vulnerability and isolation can be overwhelming. A Hearing Dog is a dedicated assistant to such people — He will alert his master to important sounds, such as the sounds of a baby's cry, the telephone ringing, a knock at the door, an alarm clock, a kettle whistle, in addition to such danger signals as the sound of a smoke alarm, burglar alarm, or even the rustling of a prowler.

These dogs provide a sense of security, independence, and of course companionship to their human partners. They proudly wear their working vests and enjoy the same public access rights as Guide Dogs for the blind.

Organizations & Associations

  • Assistance Dogs International Inc. — A coalition of not for profit organizations that train and place Assistance Dogs.
  • The Canadian Foundation for Animal-Assisted Support Services
    P.O. Box 279
    Winchester, Ontario, K0C 2K0
    Tel.: 613-774-0001
    E-mail: generalinfo@cf4aass.org
    Website address: www.cf4aass.org

    Vision Statement: Our vision is to support the innovation, coordination, and integration of Animal-Assisted Support Services.

    Mission Statement: Our mission is to receive and maintain a fund to build the capabilities of individuals facing physical, intellectual, emotional, behavioral, developmental, social and spiritual challenges through the use of animal assisted therapy and related services.

    Goals: To unite Animal-Assisted Support Services Stakeholders to identify core values and common priorities to stimulate collaborative action in the spirit of cooperation and inclusiveness. To inspire and ensure a consistent level of quality, safety, and End-user satisfaction.

  • Dogs for the Deaf — Rescuing homeless dogs and professionally training them to enhance lives.
    Central Point, Oregon
    E-mail: info@dogsforthedeaf.org
  • Handi-Dogs, Inc.
    A Service and Hearing Dog Training Organization located in Tucson, Arizona. — "At Handi-Dogs, Inc. we help people with physical disabilities to achieve an improved quality of life through the training and use of service dogs."
  • International Hearing Dog, Inc.
    IHDI's mission is to train and place hearing dogs with persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, with and without multiple disabilities, at no charge to the recipient. IHDI is a non-profit organization fully funded by donations.
  • Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides
    Lions Foundation of Canada is a federally incorporated charitable foundation founded by the Lions Clubs of Canada. Its mission is to provide service to physically challenged Canadians in the areas of mobility, safety, and independence.
  • Pacific Assistance Dog Society
    PADS' mission is to raise and train dogs for people who are facing the daily challenges of life with a disability other than blindness, in order to provide a greater level of independence and an enhanced quality of life. Serving people in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Reference Books:

Luke and his hearing-ear dog, Herald

Luke and his hearing-ear dog, Herald

When Luke, a nine-year-old boy who is deaf, gets a puppy named Herald, they discover they can talk to each other...

Note: We are always in need of articles, stories, poems, etc. for the Working Dogs section of the Canada's Guide to Dogs website. — Submissions are welcome and encouraged. Please feel free to contact us.

If you are part of a working dog group and would like to be listed here, simply email us with the details at guidetodogs@rogers.com and we would be pleased to include your information.