Marvellous Moli finds her true calling as a life-changing hearing dog
Posted by Matt Sadler
After passing her assessment in December, the very talented Moli has been placed with her deaf partner this week. We thought this was the perfect time to tell you about Moli’s amazing journey.
Before learning how to become a life-changing hearing dog, Moli was undergoing training with Border Force Detector Dogs who help screen baggage, vehicles, and freight for illicit goods. Moli was learning to detect Class A drugs and Currency at Heathrow Airport. However, after a couple of months in the programme, they realised that Moli would enjoy a different career path more.
She showed a really strong drive to work but wasn’t suited to the lifestyle of a detector dog. Border Force recognised that Moli had all the skills and willingness to become a life-changing dog for someone with hearing loss.
Thanks to the high standard of training and care provided by Border Force, Moli had the foundations of a good hearing dog already. Our trainers were so impressed with her recall, her settles, and how confident she was in the home and on walks, greeting dogs and people politely. It meant the focus of her training was that all important soundwork.
Moli took all the training in her stride. She picked up her soundwork so quickly and loved alerting to all the different noises. Moli was used to working in public places having trained at Heathrow, but her volunteer trainer Lesley continued this environmental work and took Moli on public transport, to restaurants, to the hospital, on the school run and even to the bowling alley.
When they weren’t training, Lesley and Moli went on long walks near the river where Moli enjoyed retrieving tennis balls. Moli’s love of tennis balls hark back to her Border Force training where the dogs are trained to play and search for a tennis ball, which gradually has a scent, like tobacco or drugs introduced.
We're so glad Border Force recognised that Moli would make a great hearing dog, as she's going to totally transform a deaf person's life.
Well done Moli!
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