Hearing dog Pickle to appear on BBC TV’s Pointless quiz show

A hearing assistance dog trained in Stamford is due to appear on the BBC TV programme Pointless.

The episode of the quiz show is on today (Thursday) at 5.15pm and features Pickle the cockapoo with her recipient Kirsten Carmichael and her husband Matt.

Pickle already has a claim to fame, having saved Kirsten’s life after a fire broke out at their home back in 2020.

The dog was trained from eight weeks old by Judy Sewell, a volunteer puppy trainer for charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

During her training, Pickle lived with Judy at her Stamford home and was taught how to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds, such as the smoke alarm, alarm clock and cooker timer.

When Pickle’s training was complete, she was matched with Kirsten and went to live with her in York.

Pickle woke Kirsten on the night of the fire by jumping on to the bed and persistently nudging her owner with her nose. Pickle could hear the flat’s smoke alarm.

Kirsten asked Pickle what was wrong, prompting the the dog to lie on the floor - the signal for danger – before Kirsten was led to the smoke alarm, which also vibrated.

The fire had started in a neighbouring building.

Hearing dog puppies live with volunteer puppy trainers from eight weeks to about 16 months.

The Hearing Dogs for Deaf People website is at www.hearingdogs.org.uk and anyone wishing to become a trainer or support the charity can apply online.

Judy also needs help to run a tombola at Stamford Dog Show on the Meadows on Sunday, September 10.