Halo greets Rocky, the Denver Nuggets Mascot, at an event
When Certified Hearing Dog Halo first stepped into Robin’s home, neither of them knew just how life-changing their partnership would become. “Halo and I met at my house,” Robin recalls. “She was very reserved and while she was confident, I wasn’t.” Halo responded mostly to her trainer that first day, leaving Robin unsure how they would connect.
But the next morning, everything changed when Robin sat on the floor beside Halo’s bed. “She put herself right up next to me and rolled onto her back, so I could rub her tummy.” Later that afternoon, Halo broke into joyful zoomies in the backyard. “That was the moment that I knew that things would be alright.”
A Partnership That Transformed Daily Life
From that first week together, Halo began reshaping the rhythm of Robin’s days. At home, Halo thrives on routine—and she brings Robin right along with her. “She wants to snuggle, then go outside, and then have her breakfast.” But her support goes far beyond companionship.
After breakfast, Halo alerts Robin to the coffee pot beeping—something Robin can’t hear without her hearing aids. “This is a sound that she learned on her own,” Robin says. “I appreciate her alerting me because I don’t have my hearing aids in and can’t actually hear the beep.”
Halo has taken it upon herself to alert Robin to other new sounds as well: the air fryer, family members calling ‘Dinner!’, and other beeps she was never formally trained on. “I know that I am not missing things because I left my hearing aids upstairs.”
Most importantly, Halo gives Robin a sense of security at home that she hadn’t felt in years.
“Halo has made me feel safer in my own spaces. I don’t worry about missing sounds at home because even if it isn’t a sound we trained with, she will start paying attention and I know that I need to pay attention too.”
Robin and her coworker dressed as unicorn security, and Halo as a unicorn, for “twin day” at school
Confidence Rediscovered
Before Halo, venturing into public spaces had become overwhelming. “When I started losing my hearing, it made me really anxious to go out, especially to new places and with new people,” Robin shares. Conversations blurred, and she often felt lost.
But with Halo at her side, that fear has eased.
“I still miss things in conversations, but I know that with Halo by my side, I am safe and I am seen.”
Halo’s presence opens doors to conversations, awareness, and understanding. “Strangers often remark about how beautiful she is and ask questions about her training. It gives me an easy way to explain my disability.”
Halo’s skillset has allowed Robin to travel and stay overnight safely again—something used to avoid entirely. “I wasn’t comfortable staying in hotels by myself because when I take my hearing aids out to sleep, I really can’t hear anything. I don’t have to worry anymore because Halo will let me know if the hotel phone rings or someone is knocking on the door.”
Even emotionally, Halo is a grounding force. “If I feel overwhelmed, I can take a moment and focus on her, which grounds me.”
A Beloved Member of the School Community
As a high school special education math teacher, Robin brought Halo to work shortly after Spring Break. “My students knew that she was coming and were excited to meet her.” Halo quickly became far more than a classroom companion—she became a campus favorite.
Students greet her in the halls (often before remembering to greet Robin), lovingly calling out “Halo Baby!” even if they were once afraid of dogs. “Some of them aren’t up for petting her yet but they don’t mind her being close,” Robin says. Students look for Halo when she’s not on her rug by the door and keep Robin informed if Halo is trying to find her in a bustling classroom.
Robin presents to students at who receive services through the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, including a demonstration of Halo’s trained skills.
Her presence brings comfort, connection, and plenty of smiles. Halo attends games, concerts, and performances—everything from volleyball to Special Olympics basketball (where she even met the Denver Nuggets mascot, Rocky). Staff adore her just as much. “She loves attending my team meetings because she gets to be ‘off duty’ and visit with all of the teachers.” Many ask to pet her, especially on tough days.
Halo also embraces school spirit with enthusiasm: “She wears different bandanas, dressed as a butterfly for Halloween and was a unicorn while I was unicorn security for twin day.” She even has her own staff ID and won “Best Paw-Formance” at the end of the school year. Her photo is even on the school’s website.
Most recently, Robin went with Halo to talk with students at another high school in the district who receive services through the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program.
“Halo demonstrated her skills as a Certified Hearing Dog and I spoke about advocacy as someone who has hearing loss and requires accommodations. It was amazing to give a talk to students with so many accommodations being provided: ASL, captioning in English, and captioning in Spanish were being provided alongside my talk,” said Robin.
A Life Changed for the Better
Beyond her working tasks—alerting to door knocks, phones, name calls, timers, alarms, and more—Halo brings something even more profound.
“Halo has changed my life for the better,” Robin says. “Rather than feeling isolated, I feel that I can go and do anything that I want because I have her support.”
Halo senses when Robin is stressed or anxious, gently placing her head under Robin’s hand—a silent reminder that she is not alone.
“I am so very thankful for her puppy raisers and Dogs for Better Lives because my life is infinitely better because of Halo.”
In one year, Halo has helped Robin navigate crowded stores, classrooms full of students, busy hallways, airports, and quiet hotel rooms at night. She has given Robin back her sense of safety and her confidence, woven joy and laughter into her days, and become a cherished partner both at home and at school.
Together, Halo and Robin are not just a team—they are a story of strength, connection, and the power of a Certified Hearing Dog.
Would you or someone you care about benefit from a Hearing Assistance Dog? Visit dogsforbetterlives.org/hearing-dogs to learn more about their work, and apply.
