For deaf and hard-of-hearing handlers. The dog detects trained environmental sounds and performs a two-part alert: physical contact, then lead the handler toward the sound source — except danger sounds, where the dog leads away/to exit. Sound work is fully trainable and blind-testable.
10.1 Sound inventory
Core sounds (all required for certification):
| Sound | Alert chain | Critical |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke / CO alarm | Contact → lead to exit (never toward the source) | ⚠ 100%, includes night trial |
| Doorbell / knock | Contact → lead to door | |
| Handler's name called | Contact → lead to caller | |
| Alarm clock / wake device | Persistent contact until the handler is up | ⚠ if the handler relies on it |
| Phone / notification (chosen tone) | Contact → lead to device |
Optional add-ons (certified individually if trained): kitchen timer, kettle, appliance end-of-cycle, baby cry, approaching vehicle horn (outdoor awareness), a second person's name.
10.2 The alert chain
- Contact: firm, unmistakable physical touch — nose nudge or double paw touch to leg/arm; on a sleeping handler, persistent contact until awake.
- Lead: the dog moves toward the sound source, checking back, until the handler reaches it. For smoke/CO: the trained direction is the practiced exit route.
- No vocal component — a deaf handler cannot use it, and it fails PAT P19.
10.3 Candidate suitability
- Clinically normal hearing (veterinary confirmation, §1.2 sensory adequacy — BAER test recommended where available).
- Naturally sound-attentive, quick-recovering dogs; size unrestricted (small dogs excel; contact behaviour is scaled — e.g., paw touches to the leg, jumping contact only if the handler chooses it).
- High independence requirement: the dog must leave a settled position and initiate contact without any cue.
10.4 Training methodology requirements
- Each sound trained as its own discriminated trigger; discrimination against household soundscape (TV, music, other phones/tones) is trained explicitly with blank sessions.
- Sounds varied by device, volume, and room so the dog generalizes the sound class, not one speaker.
- Night/asleep-handler versions trained for smoke/CO and wake device.
- Third parties stage sound triggers so the dog never learns to key off the handler's anticipation.
10.5 Task test
Sounds are triggered by a third party out of the dog's line of sight; handler blind to timing.
- Each core sound: 5 trials, ≥ 4/5 complete chains (contact + correct lead), distributed across ≥ 2 days.
- Smoke/CO alarm ⚠: 5/5, including 1 night/handler-asleep trial (wake ≤ 60 s of alarm onset, lead to exit route).
- Wake device (if relied on) ⚠: includes 1 asleep trial, 2/2.
- Discrimination block: a 20-minute period with TV/music playing and 2 non-target similar sounds triggered — no false alert chains (orienting is fine; completing the chain on a non-target is a fail).
- One core sound demonstrated in a public/second location (e.g., name call in a store, phone in a café) — the alert must function outside home.
10.6 Maintenance
Weekly refreshers per sound; monthly smoke-alarm drill (logged — align with the household's alarm test); re-train promptly on any device change (new phone tone, new alarm).
10.7 Records for this chapter
Sound-inventory task sheets; task-test scoresheet with trigger log (who triggered, when); video when overseen remotely. On pass, Service Paws records the task testing date.