Deaf man noticed service dog acting strangely—he couldn't believe his eyes when he followed the dog to 'deep slimy mud'
John, a hearing-impaired elderly man, owned a hearing dog, Edgar, who was more than just a rescue dog to him; he was his life companion. John and Edgar often went for walks near their neighborhood bridge. Edgar, who was trained to alert John to important sounds, gave John the companionship he deserved in his world of silence. But on one chilly morning, Edgar proved his instincts beyond his hearing training; he decided to save another person's life.
On one of their regular morning, as the two passed the pedestrian bridge, Edgar began to bark. John, who grew confused, followed him back to the bridge and saw a man lying on the edge of the brook. "He wouldn’t come when I called, so I followed him back to the bridge and saw a man lying on the edge of the brook in about a foot of deep, slimy mud – he could not get him to move," John recalled. He gently passed the gentleman the loop end of Edgar's leash and pulled him out. "Without Edgar raising the alarm and leading me back, I would have walked home hearing nothing. Thankfully, the man was unhurt, although covered in mud, but it was a bitterly cold day," said John.
Edgar's quick thinking not only alerted John to the emergency but also saved a stranger's life. John added, "I have even more respect for Hearing Dogs now, and extra confidence knowing that Edgar recognizes an emergency and would call the alarm if I ever needed it. He has made such a difference to my life since he joined me." A study authored by Claire M. Guest, Glyn M. Collis, and June McNicholas in 2006 for the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education explored the social and psychological effects of having a hearing dog. Fifty-one recipients participated in a longitudinal study to monitor the dogs' working performance over time and to assess the impact on the recipients' independence and well-being. The findings highlighted that hearing dogs significantly improved the recipients' ability to detect important sounds, leading to increased independence and reduced feelings of isolation.
Soon after the story was posted on the Facebook page of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, many online users rallied to praise the four-legged hero for his quick thinking and alertness. @AlisonKeate commented, "Edgar is amazing, you must be so proud, he is a hero, incredible animals and so intelligent, god bless them all."
@MaggieMorgan commented, "Well done, Edgar, you must be immensely proud of your Edgar, this is amazing!" @LesleyFirth commented, "What a hero he is, I just love that dogs do this, so glad there are lovely dogs like Edgar in the world."
More on Amplify
Pitbull saw owner and her friend being attacked—her quick action saved them from domestic abuser