How to Get a Dog for the Hearing Impaired

Hearing-impaired people can seek the help of a canine to assist them with daily living. Training for dogs instructed in service-related duties begins when the dogs are young. Most training facilities take dogs younger than 2 and in excellent health. Prospective service dogs must have good temperament and not show any aggressiveness. They must be intelligent enough to follow commands. All dogs for the hearing-impaired are spayed or neutered and are current with immunizations.

Things You'll Need

• Contract
• Funds
• Training

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Instructions

• 1

  Find an agency near you that provides hearing dogs. Visit the facility and speak with the staff about the application process. The staff will tell you the cost of the dog. Most agencies will not turn anyone down based on their ability to pay. Many ask for assistance in fund-raising for the agency.

• 2

  Place your name on a waiting list for a dog, or sign the contract if a dog is available. Some agencies have a six-month waiting period. Find an agency that is flexible on payment. Some require that the client fund raise enough money to pay for the dog, but others will provide a dog even if fund-raising falls short of the agreement.

• 3

  Selection of a dog is made by the provider. Client needs are matched to dogs' personalities and training. The client is notified when a match has been made. Waiting for the right dog can take months. A chosen dog trained in another state will take longer to reach the facility than one from a local training center. Dogs are trained through prison programs, foster homes, and breeder programs.

• 4

  Training is scheduled when the match between client and dog is made. Some agencies require a two-week stay at their facility for the client and dog. Others require daily training sessions for several weeks before graduation. Clients younger than 13 need a guardian to facilitate their training with the dog.

• 5

  Graduation takes place after the dog and the client have mastered all of the steps required by the facility. Commands mastered include verbal and hand signals. Dogs are rewarded with treats and toys when a skill is mastered. Clients will show that they know all of the commands and have a working relationship with the animal. Most facilities conduct a graduation ceremony at the end of the course.