Hearing Dog of the Year

Due to our 25th Anniversary Hero Hounds competition there was no Hearing Dog of the year 2007. However, at Hearing Dogs' Summer Fayre on Sunday 4 June, BBC TV sports presenter Mary Rhodes presented the 2006 Hearing Dog of the Year Awards.

Nominations for the 2008 award are now closed, but keep an eye out for the winners to be announced at our Summer Fayre on 8th June.

Like Hearing Dog of the Month, these awards do not select any one hearing dog as being better than another, but aim to show how wonderful all our dogs are in many different ways.

There are winners and runners-up in each category:
Rescue - judged this year by Mary Rhodes
Life-changing - judged by Tony Blunt
Heroic - judged this year by TV presenter Clare Balding

Heroic Hearing Dog - for hearing dogs that have either saved their owner’s or someone else’s life; acted above and beyond the call of duty or potentially averted a tricky or dangerous situation.

Rescue Hearing Dog - for hearing dogs that started life as strays, abandoned, dumped, gifted in to rescue centres or as unwanted pets, which have gone on to be indispensable to their deaf owner.

Life-changing Hearing Dog - for hearing dogs that have literally changed their recipient’s life completely. This could be in a variety of ways including getting them out and about again; or allowing them to live on their own; or perhaps giving them the freedom to go back to work.

Click here to read the winners' stories, or see below for more on the runners up.  You will be amazed at just exactly what these wonderful dogs can do.

Tiny Fraser is a huge hero

A tiny Yorkshire terrier cross called Fraser, who lives in Houghton Regis with his deaf owner Dawn Munslow (32), was named Heroic Hearing Dog of the Year.

Fraser is one of the smallest hearing dogs the Charity has ever trained, being a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a toy poodle.  Fraser’s achievement in winning this prestigious award is all the more amazing as he had only been with Dawn and her family for a few months. 

In addition to being profoundly deaf herself, Dawn has three small children, two of which have special needs, and the youngest one is also deaf.    She cannot believe the difference tiny little Fraser has made both to her and to her family.  Fraser’s caring nature, initiative and training recently proved just how invaluable he is to the whole family.

Dawn explains: “One morning I was upstairs in a bedroom.  My daughter Emily, who is four, was also upstairs and had gone to the toilet.  I did not hear her.  The next thing I knew was that Fraser was tapping at my leg as if he was trying to tell me something – a bit like he does when the doorbell goes.  This time, though, he was tapping me very hard and in a different way as if it was urgent, as if he knew something was wrong.  I asked him “What is it?”, he showed me and I followed him.  He took me to the hall of the upstairs landing to Emily.  It was then that I saw Emily had collapsed at the top of the stairs crying in pain."

Click here to read more about Fraser...

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Rescue hearing dog Kenny has come a long way

A young dog that was one of the largest haul of animals rescued from one house was named Rescue Hearing Dog of the Year. Four-year-old Shih Tzu Kenny, who lives with his profoundly deaf owner Margaret Smith (74) in Portsmouth in Hampshire.

This annual award is given in recognition of the fact that dogs that were once unwanted and cruelly treated can overcome their unfortunate start to become much-loved and invaluable assistants to their deaf owners.  Kenny certainly deserves this accolade: in 2003 he was rescued from a house in Cumbria with over 240 other animals, one of the worst cases of neglect the RSPCA had ever seen.  Hearing Dogs assessed several of the dogs for their suitability for training, and Kenny – who was called Ernie – and his sister, Amber, were selected as they were very friendly despite the fact they had rarely had contact with humans.

Kenny’s reversal of fortune continued when the Kennel Club Charitable Trust donated £5000 to sponsor him through his training and for the entirety of his working life, and his name was changed from Ernie to Kenny to denote the start of his new life.  During his soundwork training, Kenny’s mischievous personality emerged, and his trainer, Ben Sargeant, recalls some of his antics: “Kenny used to love working to the alarm clock, and after jumping on the bed to wake me up he would then hurl himself off the bed with enthusiasm like a lemming.” 

Click here to read more about Kenny...

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Hearing dog Harry gains national recognition

An eight-year-old cavalier King Charles spaniel called Harry, who lives in Windsor with his deaf owner Pat Preston (63), was named Life-Changing Hearing Dog of the Year.  This award is given in recognition that Harry has made an immeasurable difference to Pat’s life.

Harry was donated to Hearing Dogs by a member of the public, and has been with Pat since July 1999.  Pat was working as a schoolteacher when she went deaf suddenly after contracting a virus.  An event recently reminded Pat just how much her life has changed in the seven years she has had Harry.   "I had to attend a memorial service.  As I knew there would be hundreds of people present, and a great shortage of space, I reluctantly made the decision to leave Harry safely at home.  It was definitely the right decision for him but not for me.  How I missed his calm presence and support.  I felt so vulnerable, surrounded by people greeting each other, wrapped around by noise but unable to hear a word, hoping that no-one would speak to me.  Without Harry beside me and without his coat explaining that I was now deaf, I was completely lost and longed to return to the safety of my home. 

“This experience made me realise just how much I owe Harry.  After my sudden hearing loss, feelings of panic and anxiety were a normal everyday way of life.  Attending any function or going into a room full of people even those I cared about most, was always a nightmare, something to dread and if possible avoid altogether.  But now with Harry’s support I feel so much more confident, and my fear disappears.”

Before Harry arrived, Pat had become isolated and trapped in her home, often missing phone calls and visitors at the door.  This left her feeling depressed.  Harry’s reliable soundwork has changed all that.  “Harry’s work in the home has made all the difference to me.  I have moved on from an isolated life to one in which each phone call is answered and visitors are once again welcomed when they call to see me.  Loneliness has changed to busy days, friendship and new interests.  With him beside me I want to try new situations, so life is exciting again.
        
“One of the worse aspects of becoming deaf was knowing that my family were so worried about me and also the thought of being a nuisance to everyone through mishearing. Having Harry has given me an independence which I thought was lost forever, and has taken that pressure away from them.  Thanks to my lovely dog I have learned to laugh at my mistakes.  It is embarrassing but not the end of the world.”

The confidence that Harry has brought Pat is reflected in the fact that she has become a registered speaker for the Charity that brought them together.  Pat is thrilled with her new and busy life.  “Becoming a speaker was a huge step for me and something that would have been beyond my wildest dreams before Harry and I began our partnership.  It gives me such pleasure to share my experiences of life with him.  I have met so many lovely people and benefited from so much kindness and interest.  As an ex-teacher going into schools to visit a class or take an assembly is an absolute joy.  My deafness ended my career so it is wonderful to have an opportunity to return to my world and to be surrounded by a sea of small faces loving every minute of Harry’s company.”

Harry has undoubtedly changed Pat’s life dramatically.  He has brought her confidence, independence and security and has introduced her to new experiences and people.  It is for these reasons he was named Life-Changing Hearing Dog of the Year, and Pat wholeheartedly endorses the judge’s choice.  She says: “I know I am the luckiest person in the world to have him.  Harry has not only given me back my life, but created a wonderful new one for me.  He makes me feel safe and so much more confident and has brought me nothing but happiness.  I am so proud of him and bless the day he was given to me.”