Paws for Life Hearing Dogs are custom-trained to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing by physically alerting their human partner to common household sounds. A Hearing Dog can be trained to indicate a smoke alarm, door knock, doorbell, alarm clock, telephone/TDD ring, or even a baby cry by initiating physical contact (in the form of a nose nudge or a persistent ‘paw’), and leading their partner to the source of the sound. Hearing Dogs can also be taught to respond to signs (hand signals) for people who are non-verbal. 

Partnering with a Paws for Life Hearing Dog can increase feelings of security and self-confidence, increasing the independence and quality of life of their human partner. For children, they can ease the frustration, pain, and anger that often accompanies’ a hearing disability. They also feel safer when they are alone with their hearing dogs. 

The dogs are able to alert their owners to the presence of intruders. This gives their owners a higher sense of security. The Signal/Hearing Ear Dog provides its owner with a constant companion and a special bond of friendship. 

 Dogs learn to respond to verbal and hand signals and are taught to work for praise and affection. 

 They are trained to make physical contact and lead their teammates to the source of the sound. 

 For people with hearing impairment, the absence of sound can be life-threatening! 

 The Signal/Hearing Ear Dog can become a bridge providing more opportunities to socialize while out and about in a “hearing” world.  People with hearing impairments and utilize a Signal/Hearing Ear Dog, report that they feel better equipped to function in a hearing world. 

 Signal/Hearing Ear Dogs are trained to alert their owners to a variety of different sounds.  When the dog hears any of the noises they are trained to recognize, they get their owners attention and lead them to the sound. 

 Someone knocking at the door 

 Doorbells 

 Alarm clock  Telephone/TDD/TTY 

 Smoke Detectors 

 Someone calling their owner’s name 

 Police and emergency vehicle sirens 

 Car horns