Hearing dog

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A hearing dog is a specially trained dog that helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The dog alerts its handler to important sounds like doorbells, smoke alarms, ringing phones, and alarm clocks. They can also warn about sounds outside the home, such as sirens, forklifts, or someone calling the handler’s name.

How a hearing dog is chosen and trained
- Dogs are tested for good temperament and a willingness to work.
- After screening, they learn basic obedience and are exposed to real-life situations (elevators, shopping carts, different people).
- They also undergo audio-response training, learning to recognize sounds and respond or lead to the source. The training results are kept on record.
- After socializing and audio training, they are considered fully trained in sound alerting.

How long it takes
- Training can take as little as about 3 months, but many dogs train for a year or more.

What they do
- The dog learns to recognize a sound and then alert or lead the handler to where the sound is.
- Some may be trained to move the person away from a sound, like a fire alarm.

Can people train their own dogs?
- Some people train their own hearing dogs, but these dogs might not meet professional standards and may have limited access to public places.

Rights and access
- In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows hearing dogs to go anywhere the public is allowed.
- The Fair Housing Act lets hearing dogs live in housing with no-pets policies.
- Some states have additional rules and penalties for interfering with a hearing dog.

Identification
- Some service dogs wear a cape or jacket to show they are a service animal, but in the US there is no legal requirement to wear a badge or special gear.
- In other countries, different colors or logos may indicate the type of service.

Common breeds
- Golden retrievers, poodles, cocker spaniels, Labrador retrievers, Australian shepherds, and cockapoos are often chosen as hearing dogs.