There can be no other dogs in the household with a Hearing Dog, with the possible exception of a retired Hearing Dog. If you have a cat/s, we can place a dog with you that does well with cats, but your cat's life will be disrupted. There will be a significant period of adjustment as your cat adjusts to the new dog in your home. Other animals such as rabbits, ferrets, iguanas, birds etc are more challenging for a Hearing Dog to work around. If you have animals other than cats and are not willing to re-home them, your application may be denied due to the difficulties of having a dog work around those types of distractions.
The applicant must provide a fenced area for the Hearing Dog. The fence must be secure and attached to the house. A common use area will not qualify for a dog.
Our dogs are very high energy and it is important to provide the dog with adequate exercise space. If the dog is given enough interactive playtime in a large fenced area to release his/her energy, there is less potential for behavioral problems to arise.
It is very important that our recipients allow their Hearing Dogs to respond to the sounds in their home consistently. If there are "hearing people" in the home, they must understand that they will have to wait to allow the dog to work the sounds, even though they are there to respond. Consistency is the main ingredient for successfully maintaining a Hearing Dog's training. It is too confusing for a dog to alert for a sound sometimes but not all the time. It is crucial to have full cooperation and support of all household members for a successful working team to develop.
Those accepted to receive a Hearing Dog will be required to pay a $500 Refundable Good Faith Deposit. Once the team has been together for one year, the deposit is refunded.
The cost of feeding and caring for a Hearing Dog could be approximately $750 - $1,500 or more per year. This includes but is not limited to food, toys, vet care, etc. This does not include any unforeseen illness or injury. The Hearing Dog partner is financially responsible for the dog's care once the dog is placed with the person.
A Hearing Dog partner must be willing and able to physically, mentally, and emotionally care for the Hearing Dog without assistance.
The Hearing dog is a trained working animal, not a pet. Hearing Dogs hear sounds that their deaf partners cannot. The dog makes contact by physically touching the person and then leading the person to the sound. The entire training program is based on rewarding or playing with the dog every time they work. When the dog is confused and does not work correctly, the person must help the dog by setting the sound up again right away and working through the problem. Consistent practice, patience, and praise are necessary for the dog to succeed.
Please remember that Hearing Dogs are not trained to be guard dogs. They are friendly, stable dogs that assist with sound awareness and provide companionship only.
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