Our Approach
The dogs accepted as Hearing Dog candidates all have confident and friendly temperaments and have demonstrated a love for learning new things. Adopted from our local animal shelters, all the dogs in our program are in excellent health, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered.
Over a 6-month period, dogs in training learn to recognize and physically alert trainers to common household sounds found in the home. They are also socialized in public settings where they learn basic obedience.
Making Matches
After successful completion of the training program, the graduates are individually matched with applicants who have been accepted to our waitlist.
Our trainers will evaluate the needs of each applicant and the strengths of each Hearing Dog to create solid partnerships. Because we carefully match applicants and dogs based on suitability and not time spent on the waitlist, waiting times for a Hearing Dog will vary from a few months up to a year or longer, depending on individual requirements.
Coming Home
Once a new Hearing Dog team is successfully matched, our trainers conduct an in-home training orientation over several days to guide and support the transition into daily life. During this orientation period, our trainers will help tailor the dog’s skills to fit the unique needs of their new owner.
We are committed to the lasting success of each Hearing Dog we place and continue to be available to provide continued support to all our teams.
The SSF Dogs Approach
Get an inside look at the training process for a SSF Dogs Hearing Dog and hear from clients whose lives have been changed for the better thanks to their Hearing Dog!