October 15, 2007

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - When you think of the dog breed best suited for seeing and hearing assistance, thoughts center on German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers. But one man and his Pit Bull are changing that norm.

22 year-old Jeff Hayman is deaf. So he and his dog Marley recently completed a 13-week course to make the Pit Bull a certified hearing dog.

The dog is now able to alert him to important sounds.

But some people are put off by Hayman's choice of assistance dog. Canine Companions for Independence said it only trains friendly breeds, like Golden and Labrador Retrievers.

But no so long ago, those breeds also had a less than shiny public perception.

(ASPCA Animal Behaviorist Dr. Stephen Zawistowski says that just 50 years ago, Labs and Retrievers were considered just as dangerous as Pit Bulls are today. He contends that breeders took it upon themselves to change that perception. So they bred out aggressiveness with selective mating.

Hayman says his dog has attracted the attention of at least one animal control officer, and some have even asked if the dog is used for fighting.

But the man's goal isn't just to have a personal assistant – he says he wants to change common perceptions of Pit Bulls, that they can perform this type of role and be a loving pet.