Heartwarming Story!

DogWorldNewspaper wrote:

Poppy sleeps soundly thanks to hearing ‘best friend’ Tanni

Created: 07/05/2015




A PROFOUNDLY deaf 14-year-old has become the first child in Wales to have a hearing dog.

Poppy Clough is one of more than 45,000 children in the UK for whom being deaf is a part of everyday life, but she said her yellow Labrador Tanni has increased her confidence and helps her sleep at night.

She is one of 27 children in the UK to have been partnered with a dog by the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Her parents Richard and Rebecca realised something was wrong when she was nine and when they took her to an audiologist were told she could hear very little but had been covering it up by lip reading.

"Thanks to that ahe had managed to wing her way through school,” said mother Rebecca of Cwmbran, Torfaen. No-one had noticed as there was no change in her schoolwork."

Poppy was diagnosed with the rare disease autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1. Although she was given hearing aids to wear she became withdrawn and lacking in confidence. She had trouble getting to sleep as she feared she would not be able to hear someone entering her room.

“Poppy struggled for three years, feeling more and more isolated, until I found out about hearing dogs,” Mrs Clough said.

Poppy says Tanni has changed her life.

"Having her has built my confidence and gives me independence," she said Poppy. "Before, I was very reluctant to go into a shop and pay by myself. I was worried as they wouldn't know I was deaf, but now they can see from Tanni that they need to speak clearly, as she wears a special harness when we're out.

"Another good thing is that people ask questions about Tanni and I feel happy talking about her. It has made me more confident answering questions in general.

"I’ve got a best friend."

Tanni goes everywhere with Poppy, apart from school. She has been trained to let Poppy know if there is a fire alarm or if her mother wants her.

"She wakes me up in the morning,” she said. “If my mum wants to let me know we’re going out or its tea time she writes a note and puts it in a purse which Tanni then brings in her mouth to me. She come up to me and then nudges me.

"I used to sleep with the door open as I didn't know who was coming in to the room. Now, Tanni wakes me up if someone comes in so I can sleep with the door shut."

Andrew James, national client services manager for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, said: "We’ve now placed 27 hearing dogs with deaf children across the UK and we’re so pleased that Poppy and Tanni are the first child partnership in Wales.

"The Hearing Dogs for Deaf children project has been a huge success since it was launched in 2012, and we have seen increasing interest each year, so the charity plans to expand our work with children over the coming years. Hearing dogs have an important influence on a deaf child's life, and we couldn't be happier with the positive difference that Tanni has made to Poppy and her family."