A NEWLY confident Guide Dogs employee from Coventry, who is profoundly deaf, says her hearing dog has given her a true understanding of how much an assistance dog means to their partner.
Karin Huntley, 39, from Stoke, was born with perfect hearing, but began to experience difficulties in her 20s. She got her first hearing aid at the age of 22 – and by the age of 32 had lost virtually all her hearing.
She said: “After a while, I stopped going out socially. It became easier to just avoid social situations. There are only so many times you can ask someone to repeat themselves before you just smile and nod and hope they leave you alone.
“My mum is also deaf, and while I lived with my parents, I could rely on my dad to wake me up in the morning, or tell me if the smoke alarm went off. I always knew there would come a time when I would want to live on my own though, and that’s when I decided to apply for a hearing dog.”
While she was waiting to be matched with a hearing dog, Karin did move out of her parents’ house, but shortly afterwards the country was plunged into lockdown.
“Living on my own was incredibly tough”, Karin said. “I couldn’t even visit my parents. I struggled to leave the house for walks, lacking the confidence to go out alone.
“We were still in lockdown when Harper arrived. I fell in love with her instantly – her petite 11.5kg frame a little daintier than the 30kg+ guide dogs I was used to!”
Harper immediately gave Karin the reassurance she had been missing.
“Straight away, the relief of knowing she would tell me if the fire alarm went off, was huge,” she said. “She once nudged me and dropped to the floor to indicate danger when the smoke alarm went off in McDonalds, and I knew I was safe.
“I’m so confident now that she will let me know when my alarm clock goes off, I’ve thrown away the vibrating pad I used to keep under my pillow.
“I suffer from tinnitus and sometimes feel as though I’ve heard a noise when there isn’t one. Now I look at Harper and if she doesn’t react, I know it’s either in my head or it’s nothing to worry about.
“It’s not just about her alerting me to sounds though. The companionship she gives me is equally important. My dad passed away suddenly last year and I don’t think I could’ve got through the last 12 months without her. She’s been my rock.
“Thanks to Harper, I have a true understanding now of exactly what an assistance dog means to their partner. It isn’t just about helping them get from A to B or listening for sounds, it’s everything in between – the confidence, the companionship, making you smile every day, and getting you out of the house when it’s the last thing you want to do.”
