Lucy and Tina: Four Ears and a Tail - Stories: Non-fiction

Lucy and Tina: Four Ears and a Tail Beep-beep, beep-beep goes the alarm clock. Lucy the dog nuzzles Tina’s face until Tina wakes up. Tina is deaf, and Lucy is no ordinary dog.

Lucy is Tina’s hearing dog. Lucy and Tina are partners. Lucy alerts Tina to the sounds that Tina cannot hear. Tina gives Lucy a comfortable home.

Lucy was rescued from an animal shelter. She was trained at NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dogs Services) in Massachusetts.

Lucy and Tina: Four Ears and a Tail Brrring goes the telephone. Lucy taps Tina’s hand with her nose. She runs back and forth between Tina and the telephone until Tina answers it. Tina can tell what the caller is saying by reading the words on the screen.


	Tina uses signs to communicate with Lucy.

Lucy and Tina: Four Ears and a Tail Lucy also lets Tina know if the smoke alarm goes off or if someone rings the doorbell.

Tina lost her hearing when she was a teenager. She speaks clearly. She also uses ASL, or American Sign Language. ASL is a language that uses hand, body, and facial movements. Tina “listens” by watching people’s lips move.

Two Friends Out on the Town
Every day, Lucy goes with Tina to her job as a social worker. Sometimes while they walk together, someone calls Tina’s name. Lucy taps Tina’s hand, turns toward the sound, and sits.

At work, Lucy lies under Tina’s desk and signals when someone approaches. Lucy is a friendly and comforting presence to Tina and the people Tina works with.


Lucy helps Tina take care of baby Emily.

Lucy goes almost everywhere with Tina. Laws allow working dogs to enter public places such as stores, restaurants, hotels, and even trains. Lucy has a special identification card. She wears an orange leash and an orange vest.

An Exciting New Role
Tina and her husband, Billy, now have a baby in their family. Before baby Emily was born, Billy wanted to prepare Lucy. He put a tape recording of a crying baby in different places in the house. When Lucy heard the sound, she nuzzled Tina’s hand and led her to it. Lucy was rewarded with praise. Now Lucy signals Tina whenever Emily cries.

If the phone is ringing, the doorbell is dinging, or baby Emily is singing, Lucy and Tina are ready.