What is a Hearing Dog?

Hearing Dogs alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to everyday sounds like the smoke alarm, telephone, or doorbell. The vast majority of our over 850 graduate dogs came from shelters or rescue groups. Although we will always emphasize Hearing Dogs, we also train dogs for people with multiple disabilities.

A few years ago, we placed a happy Golden Retriever who would alert his person to a guest at the door and then open the door to let them in. We also trained a “dual dog” who was a Hearing Dog at home and a Guide Dog in public for a man who was blind and deaf.

Several of our dogs have saved lives by getting help, or alerting to a medical emergency or fire. But all of our dogs greatly enrich lives and improve the lives of people with disabilities.