Hearing Loss Association-Florida President Cynthia Moynihan described her life with her working dog, LaRue.
“It gives me freedom,” said Moynahan, who was the guest speaker at the Central Florida Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association’s monthly meeting at Churchill Street Recreation Center on Tuesday afternoon.
Moynihan gave details on the dog’s training program, the process of getting a dog and the positive impact having LaRue has made on her life.
“You all are doing an outstanding job as hearing loss advocates and you guys have been outstanding advocates for looping in The Villages,” she told the group.
The room where the association holds their meetings is looped, allowing those with certain kinds of hearing aids to tune directly into the microphone system.
Six years ago, Moynihan went through Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) to get her working dog LaRue.
CCI’s dogs begin their training when they are 10 weeks old. They live with puppy volunteers for 15 months while learning about 40 commands. They then return to CCI for intense training. Not all dogs make it through the program and there is a long waiting list of people that want to adopt these dogs.
“Then all that is left to do is train the humans,” said Moynihan,
There is a two-week training where they start out with more dogs than people figuring out over the course of the first week the best pairings of human and animal. Prior to coming to the training, people submit an application and submit to a rigorous three-part interview process to see if they and their home life are a good fit to have a working dog.
Moynihan traveled to California to do her training, the only place in the country providing the training at that time. There is now a CCI training facility in Orlando. The changes in her life after getting LaRue were dramatic. He alerts her if the doorbell or phone rings.
“Before LaRue, if I was expecting someone, I would have to go sit by the door,” said Moynahan. “I could relax and sleep, knowing that LaRue will alert me if there is a problem or someone is calling me. I used to sleep at my son’s door whenever he was sick because I wouldn’t be able to hear him if he needed me. It was like learning how to sleep again after 20 years.”
She said it’s been like having 20 pounds of stress lifted from her.
“It also helps bridge gaps,” said Moynahan. “If I am out in public and not responding to someone who is trying to get my attention, having LaRue with me alerts the person that there might be a reason I am not responding.”
She encouraged anyone interested to start the application process, saying that the staff will help you figure out if having a working dog is the right fit for you.
The Central Florida Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at Churchill Street Recreation Center. Meetings are open to everyone not just Villagers.
“We have a speaker every month,” said chapter board member Jan Sharp. “It is an informal setting where people can get information, ask questions and find out there is so much we can do to help ourselves. We are here to educate and advocate.”
The speaker at the March meeting will be Virgi Mills with Medel, one of three companies that make cochlear implants.
If you would like more information about the Central Florida Chapter, contact Jan Sharp at fjsharp@me.com.
If you would like more information about the state organization including the Extravaganza of workshops and seminars taking place on April 22 in Orlando go to www.hlaa-fl.org.
