Imagine you are deaf. You can’t hear your alarm clock. You can’t hear your text messages. You miss out on social interactions. That’s what life is like for deaf people, and it can be very isolating. A hearing dog can make a big difference.
Last year Focus sponsored a puppy – here is an extract from the first update:
Welcome to your first Kai sponsorship update!
Kai is a lovely black Labrador. This breed makes great hearing dogs because they are so friendly and intelligent. We’re happy to tell you that Kai is all that and more!
The journey begins
For Kai’s first year, he is living with Volunteer Puppy Trainers. These are lovely volunteers who help our puppies grow up. They take them to puppy classes, and make sure they have a happy home in which to develop. Kai’s Volunteer Puppy Trainers are Sharon and Peter.
They have looked after lots of our puppies over the years, so Kai is in good hands. “It’s gone well since the very first night,” Sharon tells us. “Peter stayed up late to make sure Kai was alright – and Kai just fell asleep on his feet!” Now they’ve spent more time together, Kai’s personality is coming through. “He loves everything and everyone,” says Peter.
“When he sees the little girl next door, he asks for a tummy rub and he even loves the hairdryer, and tries to sit in the warm air.”
Sharon continues: “He’s also very inquisitive. He’s always listening to hear what’s going on elsewhere, especially the kitchen in case his food bowl is being filled. He loves to share his toys, bringing them over to us so we can help him play with them.”
What a clever little puppy he is! Already listening out for sounds, even if they’re mostly to do with food. Well, he is a Labrador after all, and they do like to eat. It also looks like he’s a caring, sharing little soul, which is just what we want from our dogs.
They help deaf people practically by alerting them to sounds, but the emotional side is just as important – being that ray of sunshine, always by their side.