Dual Assistance Canine Partners Dog, trained in collaboration with Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

A profoundly deaf man with cerebral palsy is the first recipient of an assistance dog jointly trained by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Canine Partners.

Glen Tallett (41) from Sittingbourne has been deaf since birth and spent most of his life in special schools and later special units in college.  His cerebral palsy means he faces severe physical challenges, including poor co-ordination, muscle weakness and, in Glen’s own words, “annoying involuntary movements” which makes it necessary for him to use a wheelchair.  He also finds it impossible to articulate speech.  Undeterred, Glen’s main ambition in adult life has always been to live independently.  In March 1999 his dream became a reality when hearing dog Milly was placed with him, and she allowed him to live on his own by alerting him to household sounds that he was not able to hear.  

Glen and Milly were inseparable for over ten years until Milly was sadly put to sleep in July this year.  A few months before she died, Glen and his family decided that he would need a replacement dog as Milly had officially retired as his hearing dog.  Due to his severe physical disabilities as well as his deafness, Glen felt that, in an ideal world, his next assistance dog would not only alert him to sounds but would also perform vital tasks such as helping him to get undressed; opening and closing doors; and retrieving things for Glen from cupboards, supermarket shelves and from the floor.  Glen approached both Hearing Dogs and Canine Partners, a charity which trains dogs for people with physical disabilities, to explore the possibility of both charities combining forces to train his next dog, in a ground-breaking project.   So for the first time trainers at both charities got together to begin the search for a dog that would fulfil this role.

Geri, a beautiful chocolate Labrador in the Canine Partners puppy-training programme, was identified, and following seven months’ training with staff from both charities, she was placed with Glen and Milly in March 2009. Vicky, from Canine Partners, trained Geri to perform all her taskwork: “Geri is a very lovely sweet and gentle dog and was a pleasure to train.  Glen had a long list of tasks that he required. Fortunately Geri was a quick learner and loved it all.  It was also important for me to adapt my training and stop using verbal commands as Glen doesn’t have speech.”  After the taskwork training, Geri moved to Hearing Dogs training centre, where Nikki Hawkes undertook training her to respond to everyday sounds.  Nikki says: “Geri was very bright and picked things up quickly.  I had to learn how to train a dog for a wheelchair user, and keep using the Canine Partner commands so that her training was consistent.  Her favourite sound was the alarm clock, and she worked reliably for this all through her training, as I can testify as I took her home each night!  Glen worked very hard with Geri, and this shows in the close bond they now have.”

For several months Geri and Milly lived happily with Glen, until Milly passed away in July.  Although Glen is understandably distraught at losing Milly, he is still able to remain independent thanks to Geri.  He says: “Geri and Milly were great friends. I am so glad I had Geri to help when I was so upset Milly passed away.  Geri is very clever.  She has started to take paper from my printer and give it to me.  She did this herself; I did not teach her. She seems to understand my needs without me telling her.  Geri and I are very close friends and partners.  Thank you to Canine Partners and Hearing Dogs for giving me such a lovely partner and assistant – my lovely Geri.”

Canine Partners for Independence. Registered in England No. 2516146. Charity Commission Registered No. 803680. Scottish Registered Charity No. SCO39050

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