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What is a Hearing Dog?
Hearing Dogs are specially trained to alert people who
are deaf or hard of hearing to common household sounds
such as door knocks, telephones, and smoke alarms.
Certified Hearing Dogs may accompany someone deaf or
hard of hearing into public places such as grocery
stores and restaurants. In public situations, a
Hearing Dog is providing environmental awareness by
naturally paying attention to surrounding sounds.
Home Hearing Dogs do not have certification for public
places and only work sounds in the home.
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How do we work?
Young adult dogs are adopted from animal shelters and
humane societies in the Los Angeles area following an
evaluation by an Instructor. Candidates are friendly,
confident, and demonstrate an interest in toys and treats.
They are checked for good health, spayed or neutered, and
given necessary vaccinations.
Over
a 4 to 6 month period, dogs in training are socialized in
public places, learn basic obedience commands, and are
taught to respond to household sounds. Once they near
graduation, they are matched with a person who will not
only benefit from the skills the dogs has learn, but can
provide the companionship and loving home these dogs
need. Our Instructors guide each new recipient through a
3 to 5 day orientation with their dog in their own home. They are taught how to maintain the training the dog has
received. Follow up support is ongoing and always
available to the working teams.
Applicants for Hearing Dogs should live in California and
meet certain requirements.
See “Who
is eligible?”
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Who is Eligible?
Residents of California with at least a severe to
profound hearing loss and wanting the companionship from a
dog are invited to place an application. In some
situations we can place a Hearing Dog with another dog
living in the home, but this is considered on a case by
case basis only. Hearing Dogs have unique temperaments,
and may not be the right choice for everyone. Therefore,
we carefully evaluate every application. |
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Is a Hearing
Dog the Right Choice?
Hearing Dogs require your time.
A Hearing Dog needs daily care and
exercise that includes a regular routine.
A Hearing Dog needs to practice his skills
everyday.
A Hearing Dog will make mistakes that need
your help.
A Hearing Dog needs to be praised and rewarded
often. |
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Hearing Dogs require your patience.
A Hearing Dog makes mistakes that can be
frustrating.
A Hearing Dog needs time to adjust to a new
home and a new owner. |
A Hearing Dog will make mistakes with his job
and that means taking time to stop what you
are doing and immediately practice with him.
A new Hearing Dog is young and active and
might need help learning not to dig, jump,
bark, or get in the garbage. |
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What
can a Hearing Dog do for you in a public place?
A Hearing
Dog is not “formally” trained to respond to sounds in
public the same way they do in the home. In public
settings, a Hearing Dog will be paying attention to things
happening around him.
Eventually, you will start to
understand your dogs behavior, therefore his natural
reactions to sounds in public will bring you more
awareness of your environment. You will notice that you
look in the direction of sounds that your dog turns to
look at. |
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Dogs
need regular socialization and obedience practice
in public. It is not enough to only take a Hearing
Dog out when you travel. You will need to take
your dog into public places at least 3 times a
week in order to maintain your dog’s professional
“manners”.
If you do not wish to take your dog into public
places, we may be able to place a Hearing Dog that
does not have “Certification for Public Access”.
These dogs work sounds only in the home. |
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What
can a Hearing Dog do for you in your home?
A
Hearing Dog responds to household sounds that will be
practiced daily. They cannot respond to running water, a
pot of boiling water, sirens, burglars, or dangers for
children.
We
can train your Hearing Dog to recognize and respond to the
following repetitive household sounds: oven timer,
telephone, your name being called, door knock, smoke
alarm, alarm clock, and sometimes a baby cry. Some dogs
will alert you to other sounds once they are in the home
such as the dryer buzzer and microwave. It takes time and
effort on your part to have a reliable working dog. Dogs
need consistency, practice and praise in order to be
dependable.
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What
does a Hearing Dog cost?
The
Sam Simon Foundation Assistance Dogs Program is supported
and funded by The Sam Simon Charitable Foundation. If you
are selected to receive a Hearing Dog there is no charge.
Your cost is keeping your dog happy, healthy, and safe.
This means that you will need to be financially able to
provide your dog with vet care, food, toys, bedding, and
treats.
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What are the requirements for
adopting a Hearing Dog?
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At
least a severe hearing loss. |
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Love
of dogs. |
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Time
and ability to work with a young dog. |
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Patience to work through problems. |
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Finances to properly take care of a dog. |
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18
years old for a public certified Hearing Dog. |
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To
receive a Hearing Dog that is Certified for
Public Access
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You
must be at least 18 years old. |
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You
must be physically and mentally able to keep a dog
professional and well mannered in public. |
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Hearing Dog Application: To
apply for a Hearing Dog, you will need to fill out an
application and send it back to us along with an audiogram
from an audiologist. After your application has been
reviewed, you will be notified as to whether or not you
qualify for the next step. That next step will be an
in-home interview by one of our Instructors.
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Proceed to Hearing Dog
Application Form
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We are a 501 C3 non-profit organization privately funded
through the generosity of Mr. Sam Simon so we do not accept
any public donations.
WE OFFER THESE SERVICES FREE OF COST TO ALL RECIPIENTS OF OUR
PROGRAMS. |
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The Sam Simon
Charitable Foundation. |
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info@samsimonfoundation.org |
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310.457.5898 VoiceTTY |
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