Sign inHEARING DOG PIN-UP NO. 11: ARTHUR
Our Pin-Up for late spring is an Arthurian type of Cocker who lives in London with his deaf partner, Jamie. Arthur - that's the hearing dog's name - has changed Jamie's life for the better. And your donations can help train up and provide hearing dogs for deaf people in the UK. Read on!
WHO IS ARTHUR?
© Jamie Alexander
Arthur is a four-year-old Cocker Spaniel. He was born in February 2021 and has four sisters. As a puppy, he was looked after and trained by his Volunteer Dog Trainer, Liz, before successfully qualifying as a hearing dog and going to live with his deaf partner Jamie in April 2023.
About Arthur (from his Volunteer Dog Trainer, Liz)
Jamie: “Another moment that sticks in my mind is when it had been raining. Running with wet paws inside the house made Arthur slide a good six feet across the kitchen. He made me laugh out loud – I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed so hard!”
(c) Paul Wilkinson 2021
“As a little puppy, Arthur was boisterous, inquisitive and adventurous. He loved wrestling with a towel and diving through long grass. He enjoyed playing with my other dog Shep and found Shep’s tail really fascinating.”
“At first, he was daunted by the rain, but after a while decided he quite liked it and wanted to get as soaking and muddy as possible. He did have an OFF switch though – he liked watching cars go by. They were always worth a little sit down to study them in greater detail.”
“In line with his character, when it came to training Arthur gave 100%. He was laser-focused for one so little and picked things up so quickly. And then Shep would wander by with his massive tail, and off Arthur went again…”
“Jamie lives in London, so as part of Arthur’s training I had to get him used to travelling on the tube. He took it all in his stride and jumped straight on the train without looking back!”
About Arthur’s partnership with Jamie
Jamie, Arthur’s partner: “What I love most about Arthur is that he is always so excited to see you – he is just full of beans! He gets so excited at dinner time and spins round again and again on the spot – it’s impossible not to smile.”
(c) Paul Wilkinson 2024
When Jamie was 17, he was diagnosed with NF2, a condition that causes benign tumours to grow on the nerves in his body, mainly his inner ears. He lost the hearing in his left ear in 2009, then had chemotherapy for nine years to try to protect his remaining hearing. Despite the treatment, his hearing continued to deteriorate, and by 2020 he had lost 100% of his hearing.
“Becoming profoundly deaf was the most soul-destroying thing that ever happened to me”, explained Jamie. “At the pub, I would end up standing on my own in silence. Slowly, I lost touch with people. They moved on with their lives and I was stuck in the same place.”
“I hadn’t just lost my hearing – I lost a part of myself. It felt like I was trapped behind a window. I could see people moving, but I had no idea what was happening. I became too anxious and afraid to go outside on my own.”
“A few years after I was diagnosed, we saw a Hearing Dog feature on TV. I was amazed – the thought of a dog helping deaf people had never occurred to me.”
Hearing Dog Arthur with his partner, Jamie
© Paul Wilkinson
“When Arthur arrived, I literally jumped for joy as he got out of the car. For the first time in years, I finally feel like myself again. With Arthur, it’s like my head is finally clear. Before Arthur, I was too scared to even pay for something in a shop. Now, we have to say hello to every single dog we see – and that means I have to talk to the owners!”
“At home, I started to cook as a distraction from my hearing loss and now I do it all the time. Arthur is so good at alerting me to the cooker timer. He is my little assistant who helps me make dinner every night. “When I lost my hearing, my life crumbled around me. Being partnered with Arthur has made me feel human again.”
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Source: Audiology News UK issue 14, May-June, 2025
