Compared to dogs, all humans are hearing-challenged!
But it takes more than sharp ears to be a hearing Dog. Mixed companion-breed dogs from shelters and rescues have proven themselves to be more talented for this career than any existing dog breed. When a curious, people-loving busybody of a mutt with a natural interest in sounds is trained and paired with the right human partner, wonderful things happen.
Martha explains:
The complex temperament of the perfect Hearing Dog
Testing methods to select shelter dogs for Hearing Dog potential
Dog-friendly training methods for teaching a dog to alert to sounds
Martha Hoffman is the Training Director for the Hearing Dog Program. She has trained several Hearing Dogs and tested over 20,000 shelter dogs over the last 25 years. She lives in California with her retired HD Gotcha ot Vitosha, her new HD-to-be Garou of Left Coast, French Bulldogs Toad Alley Bronco Billy and Rio De Brio, and always has several Hearing Dogs in training at her home or with local foster-trainers.
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What reviewers are saying...
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
Just as there are Seeing Eye' dogs that help the visually impaired, so that are Hearing Ear' dogs that aid the visually impaired. In Lend Me an Ear: Temperament, Selection and Training of the Hearing Ear Dog, author Martha Hoffman draws from her more than twenty-five years of experience as the training director for the Hearing Dog Program to write a 220 page compendium on how to select and train an effective hearing ear dog. Offering thoroughly reader friendly' explanations of the complex temperament of the perfect Hearing Dog; texting methods to select shelter dogs for their Hearing Dog potential; as well as dog-friendly training methods for teaching a dog to be alert to sounds in behalf of their human companion, Lend Me an Ear: Temperament, Selection and Training of the Hearing Ear Dog can well be considered the bible' on the subject of this specialized animal companion. With the highest of recommendations, Lend Me an Ear: Temperament, Selection and Training of the Hearing Ear Dog should be part of every professional and community Pets/Wildlife instructional reference collection James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
