Scotland's First "Dual Assistance" Dog

Editor: Guide dogs for the blind have been around for many years, and hearing dogs are becoming more common all the time. Are there dogs that are trained to be both? I'm guessing that "dual assistance" dogs have been around for awhile, too, but I don't recall ever hearing about any. So I found this news release from the participating British charities especially interesting. Hope you do too!

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Two assistance dog charities, Hearing Dogs and Guide Dogs, have worked very closely together over the past year to train the first-ever dual purpose dog. Roddy, a beautiful Labrador cross golden retriever, has been trained as both a hearing dog and a guide dog for Angela Hassall who lives in Crewe in Cheshire.

Angela has been severely deaf since she was eight, and applied for her first hearing dog over 12 years ago, and since that time she has had two hearing dogs, mongrels Buster and Darvo. In 1999 Angela began to lose her sight, and even though she still went out and about with her hearing dog, she was becoming anxious and frightened. In desperation she rang Hearing Dogs to say she did not think she could cope with Darvo any more as her vision was becoming so poor, and asked Claire Guest, operations director at Hearing Dogs, whether there was any possibility of a dog being trained as both a hearing dog and a guide dog.

Claire immediately contacted Guide Dogs and a series of meetings and conversations ensued between the two charities to determine whether indeed it was possible to train a dual purpose dog. Agreement was reached that Hearing Dogs and Guide Dogs would work very closely together to try and help Angela, and then followed the all-important search for the right dog. This was the first dilemma as Guide Dogs look for dogs that are calm and not reactive to noise, whereas Hearing Dogs look for dogs that are inquisitive and alert with a definite interest in sounds!

However, Roddy was chosen by both teams of trainers as being the perfect candidate, and he began his early guide dog training last year under the eye of trainer Richard Whormsley, who described him as being sound and willing from the start. Having successfully completed this part of the project, Roddy then came under the experienced wing of Jackie Boyle, a trainer at Hearing Dogs' northern centre in Selby. During this time he learned to alert to several household sounds including the alarm clock, doorbell, telephone and smoke alarm. Jackie is full of praise for Roddy and enthuses that he is one of the best hearing dogs she has ever trained. She had to adapt his training to take into account that on bad days Angela had barely any sight at all, so Roddy had to learn extra skills when alerting to sounds.

Three months later Roddy went back to finish his guide dog training with Guide Dog mobility instructor Tony Cook, who was also deeply impressed - not only with Roddy's capabilities but also with Angela's eagerness to learn. "She was so forward-thinking, and prepared to take on all the challenges that face guide dog owners, even though she has the added problem of a severe hearing loss," he explains. During this period, Roddy's hearing dog training was also kept up, with Tony and Jackie working closely together to ensure his soundwork and guide work ran in tandem. Roddy became a fully qualified guide dog in July of this year, and four months later he achieved fully trained hearing dog status.

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Roddy is indeed a unique dog that has completely transformed Angela's life. From feeling frightened of going out of the house once her sight deteriorated, she now says she is hardly ever in. "When I first approached Claire about the possibility of a hearing and guide dog," she says, "this is what I hoped for, and it is exactly what I have got. I know how much Roddy means to me - he is a very special dog."

About Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a registered charity that selects and trains dogs to respond to specific sounds. Hearing dogs alert deaf people by touch, using a paw to gain attention and then lead them back to the sound source. For sounds such as the smoke alarm and fire alarm the dogs will lay down to indicate danger. Seventy four per cent of all hearing dogs adopted into the scheme are either rescued or unwanted and since its inception in 1982, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has placed nearly 1000 hearing dogs.

About Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is the leading charity providing guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that enable blind and partially sighted people to lead the fullest and most independent lives possible.

For further information contact:

Hearing Dogs: Jenny Moir T 01844 348 108 M 07769 901309
E jenny.moir@hearing-dogs.co.uk
www.hearing-dogs.co.uk