Hearing dogs help change lives
A contingent of yellow-coated wonder dogs were out in full force for the annual Hearing Dogs NZ morning tea.
Auckland residents came with their hearing dogs and family to enjoy the occasion at Greenhithe’s Old School Building.
Stanmore Bay resident Richard Field has had Labradoodle Jett for almost two years and says he’s never seen bonding like it.
‘‘She’s just something out of this world.
‘‘Not only does she do her job well, but she’s also company and companionship for me.’’
The war veteran has 80 per cent hearing loss when unaided, caused by his work as a navy weapons specialist and diver, and subsequent career in civil engineering.
There are 68 hearing dog partnerships nationwide, and each dog costs $30,000 to train.
They’re trained to alert their owners to everyday sounds such as smoke alarms, phones, door knocks and timers, and are tested annually to ensure their skills remain up-to-date.
‘‘It is life-changing for the recipient once they get their dog,’’ Hearing Dogs NZ general manager Clare McLaughlin says.
‘‘You talk to partnerships down the track, and people say, ‘It’s been everything for me to have this dog.’’’
Field says he was in denial about this hearing problem for a long time.
‘‘I used to feel like I would be a burden to people, because I was always asking them to repeat themselves and things like that.’’
Safety poses the largest risk for Field, as hearing aids are taken out for daily tasks such as showering and sleeping.
Dogs also help to decrease the social isolation many deaf people experience, and provides a talking point.
Field says when he moved to Stanmore Bay, the first time he went shopping took him almost three hours, as he kept getting stopped and asked questions about Jett.
‘‘I’ve got to the [stage] now where with the dog... I can accept I’ve got the problem, people can accept I’ve got a hearing prob-
lem.’’
‘‘People have stopped me and asked, ‘What does a hearing dog do?’ That’s fantastic.’’