Hearing Dog candidates can be any breed, male or female, and can vary in size from 10 pounds to over 100. Any dog can be trained as a Hearing Dog as long as it  is willing, has the proper temperament, responds to sounds and is a good "people" dog. Size is an important consideration when placing a Hearing Dog, for example a person living in a small house or apartment with little or no yard, would, in most cases be better off with a small dog, rather than a large dog.
A young child or teen might be better suited with a more active dog than a less active dog. While all breeds have their own special niche, the Hearing Dog is very keyed into the world of sounds around it.
They are alert to sounds and often look for the source. About 50 dogs are tested before one is found that might make it through the program. The first way a dog is tested is to see if he is friendly. Then he is tested to see if he is alert to sounds. Other tests determine whether the dog will be easy to train, willing to work and able to adapt to new circumstances and surroundings. |
