04 Oct 2016
Rose triumphs with a little help from Beaphar
Last year Beaphar, through their annual Worm Awareness Week,
raised money to sponsor Rose. Rose is a dark blue roan Cocker Spaniel and has been undergoingextensive training to become
a hearing dog through
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
.
Rose has had daily socialising and training sessions with her socialiser Malcolm since her training began last year. In addition,
she has had fortnightly formal training sessions with 3 other puppies of similar age, plus home visits and continuous
assessments by Malcolm's trainers Elin and Aimee in towns and parks etc.
Towards the end of March she had her 8 month assessment which determines which role she might play in the future. Rose demonstrated
impeccable skills and characteristics, so much so that she was shortlisted as a potential breeding scheme dog – a great
honour as only a few can qualify.
Her ongoing training and further assessments continue with some of the physical checks e.g. eye sight, DNA and joint x-rays
which are more extensive than what most humans go through. Rose was recently chosen to perform in front of Princess Anne
at the HD headquarters in Saunderton, Buckinghamshire on the event of a tea party to mark the approval of a new Hearing
Dogs visitor centre.
She is currently working towards her 4 Star which is the highest level in Hearing Dogs for Deaf People star awards. Her socialiser
has started teaching her some ground work and is currently learning how to nudge with her nose and alert her socialiser
to sounds.
“The work Hearing Dogs for Deaf People do is wonderful, and we are proud to have
been able to sponsor Rose through our Worm Awareness Week.
We raised over £5,300 which was fantastic and everyone really got behind the campaign. The training these dogs undergo
is very specialist so every little help they can get towards funding is crucial to ensure they are able to keep on enhancing
the lives of those who have hearing difficulties”, commented Sue Huggett, Business Manager at Beaphar.
In the next few months, Rose will find out the results of her final tests which will determine if she will become the best
friend and ‘ears’ of a profoundly deaf person or, as is looking likely at the moment, will become the latest in a long
line of HD ‘mums’ which will help ensure that Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has
many clever little pups for years to come.
For more information on Hearing Dogs for Deaf people, please visit www.hearingdogs.org.uk.