Button's TV appearance inspires hundreds to offer support to Chester deafness charity

Button, a 20-week-old chocolate Labrador, melted audience’s hearts when she appeared on live television with her handler Cath Kirwan of Chester’s Deafness Support Network (DSN).

And their interview with Charlie Stayt and Rachel Burden has inspired 300 people to contact the charity looking to volunteer as a trainer of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People (HDfDP)

Trainee hearing dog Button as a pup.

A support care worker who specialises in working with deaf people in Cheshire, Cath herself had been inspired to spend 14 months training Button.

In 2015 DSN raised £10,000 for a dog, who was aptly named Chester, and after seeing what the dog could do for a deaf person, Cath, her husband and two sons decided to help Button become a hearing dog.

She and her family, who live in Winsford, are now part way through the 14 months of training to allow Button to get used to everyday tasks including bus rides, trips out and the hustle of bustle of everyday life.

For Button and every other hearing dog, it was especially important that she had a dedicated volunteer like Cath who could take her to regular training sessions.

Still a puppy, but a slightly older and wiser Button.

All hearing puppies come from specialist breeders and learn obedience training from volunteers.

The process is vigorously monitored by Ruth Turner, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People’s local dedicated puppy training instructor.

Cath and Ruth now work together, seeing each other once a week at puppy training school in Sandbach to ensure their newest puppy is gaining her essential puppy training stars in the HDfDP programme.

Button will be sent for her final stage of training in one of two specialised training facilities in Buckinghamshire and Yorkshire where she will continue through the ranks to become a highly specialised Hearing Dog for Deaf People.

Ruth said: “The 14 months a hearing dog puppy is with their socialising volunteer is an especially important time for them, as their early training ensures the dog has the responsibility and resilience to support their deaf recipient.

“From alerting them to day to day sounds such as waking them up to the alarm clock in the morning, to letting them know when the door bell is buzzing, and helping with extremely important safety aspects like letting them know when the smoke alarm is going off.

“A hearing dog also provides their deaf recipient with companionship and confidence, accompanying them out to places such as to work and shops. Recipients of hearing dogs often describe how having the dog with them has increased their independence."

Behind the scenes during Cath, Ruth and Button's interview on BBC Breakfast.

For Cath the reward of helping outweighs any doubts of being unable to let go of the hearing pup.

She said: “I have had people ask me is it difficult to give up a puppy who you have spent so much time with, and you have to think very pragmatically.

“This adorable puppy fills our lives with so much happiness, but she is going on to make a massive difference to someone’s life, which makes the process a whole lot easier.”

Cath and Ruth’s BBC Breakfast volunteer appeal has had a tremendous response with over 300 enquires and 20 people confirming they are seriously interested in becoming a socialising volunteer for one of their puppies this summer.

Cath said: “I wanted to appeal to people like me, who have the energy to give a little something back and help to transform a person’s life.

“My experience has been one that had brought me and my family so much joy, and although I am volunteering my time and efforts to help someone else, what I get back is more than I could ever have imagined.”

* If you’ve been inspired to become a socialising puppy volunteer or would simply like to learn more about Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, volunteer@hearingdogs.org.uk

To learn more about DSN and find out more about the work carried out to help support D/deaf people across Cheshire, go to www.dsnonline.co.uk for more information.