General Information
IHDI has trained more than 950 hearing dogs since 1979 for persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. All of the dogs selected for this special training come from local animal shelters. The dogs are generally mixed breeds, six months to a year in age, in good health, with aim-to-please, energetic personalities.
Each dog receives a thorough medical examination before training begins, including blood work, vaccinations and spay or neuter if necessary, to ensure a long healthy life.
The dogs learn to respond to many sounds in the home, such as the
door bell or knock, telephone, alarm clock, smoke alarm, or a
baby's cries, during daily training sessions. General obedience
and socialization rounds out their 4-8 months of custom training.
IHDI also trains dogs to assist deaf/blind individuals (in the home only) by guiding slowly to the source of the sound. Each dog is selected with the needs and lifestyle of its new master in mind.
A professional trainer delivers the hearing dog to its new home and works with the team for five days, teaching the recipient how to maintain the dog's training to ensure a good working relationship and proper care of the dog.
After placement and successful completion of a 90-day trial period, the dog is certified as a hearing dog and receives its orange collar and leash and official I.D. card.
Hearing dogs have legal access to all public places when accompanied by their masters.
The roots of International Hearing Dog are in Minnesota where the first seeds of training dogs to assist deaf were planted in 1974.
Agnes McGrath, a dog trainer, was working at a kennel in White Bear Lake when a deaf lady came to the kennel to see if a hearing dog could be trained for her. The lady had a dog that worked naturally for her, but it had died of old age.
With the help of the local Lions, Agnes trained the first six
hearing dogs in Minnesota. When monies ran out, the project was
taken on by the American Humane Association, 
which along with
Agnes, received a grant to conduct a four-year pilot study in
Colorado.
Martha Foss, Emlynn Wood, and Sandi Sterker joined in to help with the pilot study, which was completed in 1979. On May 7 of that year, International Hearing Dog was formed as a non-profit organization. Agnes was President; Martha, Vice President of Training; Sandi, Trainer and Secretary; and Emlynn, Accountant and Kennel Manager.
In 1986, Agnes McGrath passed away, and the Board of Directors voted Martha Foss its new President & Director. Today, over 950 animal shelter dogs have been trained by International Hearing Dog to assist deaf people throughout the U.S. and Canada. The facility has expanded to include kennel space for 42 dogs, additional training areas, and modern offices.
Because of the quality of its program, International Hearing Dog was chosen to provide training for Japan's first hearing dog program. Other foreign countries have also expressed an interest in a similar program.
With a growing need for its professionally trained dogs, International Hearing Dog looks forward to the future and many more years of service to persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Priority hearing dog candidates are adults over 18 years old who:
- have at least a 65 decibel hearing loss (unaided)
- live alone or with other persons who are deaf or hard of hearing (one hearing person living with applicant will be considered)
- do not have another dog in the home
- are physically able and willing to care for and continue the training of a hearing dog.
Applicants who feel they do not meet the exact above criteria
should not be discouraged from applying, as each application is
considered on a case-by-case basis.
Hearing Dogs come in many sizes, small (up to 20 lbs.), medium (20 - 35 lbs.), large (35-60 lbs.)
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