Yesterday we went on a bit of an adventure. We went on the train to Saunderton in Buckinghamshire to visit the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People training centre. It was an organised get together for all the people running the London Marathon for Hearing Dogs. After a quick but delicious lunch in the local pub (where we were temporarily adopted by the pub dog, Rufus, a giant golden labrador), we walked the quarter of a mile to the Hearing Dogs centre in the pouring rain. A warming cup of tea later, we were ushered into the "Puppy Hall" to watch demonstration dog, Teal, and his handler, Tom, show us how Hearing Dogs help their recipients every day. When a household noise occurs, such as an alarm clock, the cooker timer or the phone, Teal places two paws on Tom's leg and then leads him to the sound. Teal had a "senior moment" (he is 12!) when he led Tom to the cooker timer, but it was the phone making the noise. He got it right the second time! When the noise is an emergency sound, such as a smoke alarm, Teal still places his paws on Tom's leg, but instead of leading him to the sound, he drops to the floor, so as not to lead Tom to the danger.
While some assistance dogs, like Guide Dogs (for blind people) need to be big and sturdy, many different types of dog are suitable to be Hearing Dogs - Teal is a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever cross (try saying that after one Tizer too many) and one of the most popular and receptive breeds used is the cockerpoo. Yes, I know you're wondering what a cockerpoo is now. It's a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle, which conveniently inherits the poodle's non-moulting properties, making it suitable for some people with pet hair allergies.
After the demonstration, we had a surprise visit, which turned out to be the highlight of the day. We were all told to remain in our seats while several volunteers came in with armfuls of puppies. There were about ten in total, seven cocker spaniels and 3 labradors, all the cutest things ever and incredibly lively. We had a good quarter of an hour cuddle time, followed by a site tour led by Hearing Dog Molly and her recipient, Jenny Smith. Before we went on the tour, Jenny thanked the runners for running to raise money for Hearing Dogs. Having Molly has clearly changed her life for the better and James and I both felt a lump in our throats when we realised how much difference to someone's life we could be making.
The tour took in the various buildings of the former stud farm, including training houses, where the dogs learn to deal with the sights and sounds of the home, and the kennels, where we met our first cockerpoo, who was called William and was, of course, adorable. It was there that I really appreciated the huge range of dogs that can be trained to become Hearing Dogs - as well as little William, there was a ginormous black German shepherd called Blue, who was very, very hairy and had orange eyes which gave him the look of a hungry wolf. Turns out he was a big softie though!
After another cup of tea, we were given a talk on nutrition for marathon runners by Jenny Tschiesche, a nutrition therapist who actually has real qualifications and isn't afraid to include proper science in her materials. It was refreshing to hear someone not just telling us what we should and shouldn't eat while training, but also telling us why. You can find Jenny's practice at www.eatlivedo.com.
During the day we also had the pleasure of meeting Hannah Phillips, Hearing Dogs' events coordinator. Hannah has the unenviable task of finding and then organising all the Hearing Dogs marathon runners, as well as coordinating the people who support Hearing Dogs in myriad other challenge events, from cycling to firewalking.
The Hearing Dogs' training centre is a fantastic facility. It has everything they could possibly need, but without any frills or frippery that would be unbefitting of the organisation's charitable status. The thing they really need cash for is the maintenance and staffing of the facility to enable more Hearing Dogs to be trained and paired with deaf recipients. We've been stuck on £1,475 for a little while now - could you be the person to take us over the £1,500 barrier? Sponsor us at www.justgiving.com/bbjamarathon. Please! Pretty please!!!
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