
If you have small children, you’ll know that sooner or later they’re going to beg you to get a pet. In an ideal situation, we’d tell you without a second thought that the best thing for a child is to…
We can say confidently that dogs are great playmates for children. They also help them grow up to be healthier, happier, more sensitive and more responsible people. But they can do even more.
These good-hearted creatures can also be extremely helpful for children with medical conditions, whether they be physical, mental or emotional. Today, we’ll talk about hearing dogs and how they can impact a deaf child’s life.
Hearing dogs are a type of assistance dog. They are trained to help children with hearing disabilities, practically becoming these children’s ears. That’s why it’s not unreasonable to say that hearing dogs have the power to change a deaf child’s life. With the help of their four-legged guardian angel, a child can:
In addition, hearing dogs give the family peace of mind and assurance that their child will be safe and happy.
Dogs trained to facilitate deaf children are trained to:
Plus, hearing dogs and children often turn into inseparable playmates.
Along with the sense of smell, hearing is a dog’s most highly developed sense. And man has taken advantage of this special ability our furry friends have to give deaf people a better quality of life.
Hearing dogs, after being socialized, are trained to develop their auditory skills. Breeds that are obedient, social and capable of dealing with a wide variety of situations are preferred. Popular hearing dog breeds are:
After training, mixed-breed dogs can also be very good at this type of work.
Dogs that help people with hearing disabilities fall into the category of assistance dogs, which are dogs who have received training to provide physical and psychological support to people with any type of disability. For example:
Every child should get the chance to experience the wonderful gift of growing up with a pet. We’ve detailed the many physical, psychological and emotional benefits pets have for children in other articles here at My Animals that you might be interested in as well.
But it never hurts to reiterate that a child with a furry friend is a happier child. That’s true regardless of whether the child is completely healthy or has a physical or mental disorder.
Therefore, we humans shouldn’t forget to take a moment to thank these animals for all they do for us. Hearing dogs with deaf children are just one wonderful example out of many.