I could get a regular dog from a breeder if I wanted to.
yes breeders especially Reputable breeders not backyard breeders, puppy mills, and certainly NOT the pet shops
I chose to apply and try to get a hearing dog that has been already trained by professionals.
well good for you
I feel that if I tried to train a dog to be a hearing dog on my own, I wouldn't succeed. It would be unethical for me to take my regular dog to public places that has not been trained professionally.
So, I would like to get a professional hearing dog that can behave and do its job. That I have the confidence to take the dog to public places, especially to my classes.
I sometimes thinks its unethical for hearing people to tell us what to do, or even demand demonstrations or to verify, to me , depending on how good you are with dogs, intentions, dedication to train, how much do you know about training yada and if you're good, there no reason why you can't have a self trained hearing dogs and according to the ADA laws it is unlawful (in america) for hearing people to boss you around or challenge you on the validity of your Hearing dog.
By principle, i think it should be like this all over the world, providing the deaf person in mind IS competent and has studied and works hard to train their hearing dogs, the question of how sound that persons mind to do it for themself and assume full responsibility is dare i say debatable, and this is to say I am NOT in anyway saying deaf people should be discouraged, just its a Very difficult one to address to somehow lay down a foundation of rules when , after alot of people have messed up 'trust' for deaf people to have their own hearing dogs. Or for the matter, anyone with any kinds of dogs, since dog attacks being another big "Anti-canine" issue rampant on the public lobby fronts for quite a while now)
Hearing dogs are no more expensive than HAVING your Own dogs if this was self-trained otherwise. I would think in pure economic terms, hearing dogs is much cheaper than lights, alarms, special equip this or that, and its nice to know it hurt hearings peoples employment hehe by slashing the demands for their useless products. but heh each to their own....
Most hearing dogs are small dogs, usually mutts of sorts from SPCA, not so much because of their 'desirable size' but more on the ability to react to sounds and alot of other attribute like temperments of various sorts, one being that they are not lazy.
MOST deaf people who trains / have hearing dogs Don't have it just for FUN or gimicks, just a few might be stupid enough to do so otherwise.
Over generalisation is dangerous talk.
Also on the other hand, becuase of various reasons such as 'separation anxiety' , or 'cost involved in a programme trained dogs' its the 'Hearing Dog programme organisation whose Made Stupid rules and thrust it upon deaf people, like 'do not like your dog home alone for more than 2 hours', im serious , they DO have dumb rules like this, (dogs can handle up to 6-8hours on its own all depending on breed, personality, age, and your self and relationship with the dog) it varies.
sorry back to the point, since rules are 'hard are severely restrictive' it forced the Deaf recipents to take their everywhere , like it or not, and often its the hearing people who's jealous or misunderstand or simply loathe dogs, MAINLY because hearing dogs are reactive dogs, they do fit the mould of a sedate guide dogs for the blind that blend in to the background. people fit it annoying as it gives an image of an untrained, out-of-control dog. I'd cut it here its can get really complicated to go in length about what exactly are hearing dogs, they are NOT made, hearing dogs are Born. it is rare, for all I can say.
In simplest view, it is a two-fold issue there, 1) public awareness and 2) stupid rules
Woofy, I noticed you are from SF, GO and find the lady Martha Hoffman, she'd set you right with training a hearing dog , she is CLUED UP.
