Can you get a service dog to help with hearing loss?

As you may already know, dogs have been used for years for a variety of reasons as service animals.  Dogs can be used to help warn their partners of on-coming seizures, used as seeing-eye dogs, companion dogs for those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or a variety of other concerns and including those with profound hearing loss.  Yes, there is such a thing as a hearing service dog.  Hearing service dogs can be trained to respond to American Sign Language (ASL) in the case of those with significant hearing loss that are non-verbal.  Hearing dogs are trained to alert their partners to common sounds such as doorbells, fire alarms, morning alarms, cooking timers, a telephone ringing, a baby’s cry etc.  The service dog is trained to nudge their partner, get their attention and take them to the location of the sound source.  As you can imagine, for people who have significant hearing loss that cannot hear these common sounds, their companion dog can help them live independently.  The service dog could also protect them and save their lives when thinking of something as serious as fire alarms or alerting them to someone trying to break into their homes.  So yes, hearing loss is no different, there are service dogs available that can be trained to support those who need it.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!

Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD

8897 Mentor Ave

Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818