Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has an urgent need for volunteer puppy trainers in Leeds, Otley, Harrogate, York, Wetherby, Selby, Hull and all the towns and villages in between.
00:00My name is Amy Twamley and I am a dog training instructor for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
00:05Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a national charity that train dogs for people that are deaf or hard of hearing.
00:12We train them to alert people to sounds in the home, so that could be doorbell, the smoke alarm, maybe a baby monitor, the cooker timer, so quite important sounds.
00:23I oversee the puppies and the dogs training at the early stages, so anything from 8 weeks old to 18 months to 2 years, depending on how that dog progresses.
00:34I already was training a dog and I said I couldn't take another one, but I did and I'm so thankful I did.
00:43Merlin came to me, he was about 12 weeks old and we had a great journey together and I trained him right through his training.
00:53with his sound work to be a hearing dog and in July last year, I heard from my trainer Hayley that she'd found a partner for Merlin and that was Diane and I kept my fingers crossed that it would work and it did.
01:13Merlin left me on the 12th of August last year and yes, I missed him dreadfully.
01:19I couldn't have a dog for two years and not miss him, but when I heard about Diane and her story and what Merlin meant to her, it far outweighed any sadness I felt of him leaving.
01:36Merlin and to see him today for the first time, it completed the jigsaw because I see him with Diane and how happy he makes her and that makes me really happy and if a little tearful, I am very happy.
01:54We are looking for volunteers in Leeds, so anywhere from Otley over to Beildon, Idle, Kirkstall, Headingley, all the way over here to where we are today to Temple Newsome, Garford.
02:09If I want to go on holiday, they provide holiday cover. If I want to go on holiday, they provide holiday cover. I have no vet bills, I have no food bills and I get the pleasure of a dog.
02:18Plus, I get the most amazing feeling of helping somebody and to be able to help somebody and give something back is a great feeling.
02:32And basically, it's my hobby. I needed a hobby for my retirement and it's the best thing I've ever done.
02:39We do ask for people that are either retired or they work part-time, limited hours. We need people to have access to a garden, access to a vehicle in order to attend one-to-one training sessions, puppy classes, get them to the vets and yeah, just someone with a lot of time and love, basically.
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