Ian Joyce, 51, with his hearing dog Vectra, who he says has helped him overcome his mental health struggles (Picture: PA)

They say dogs are a man’s best friend and this couldn’t be more true for one person.

For Ian Joyce, 51, finding his special companion has not only helped with his mental health but helped him feel ‘ten feet tall’ once again.

Ian, from Staffordshire, was a premature baby, which caused hearing loss.

Growing up deaf in the 1970s had its challenges and he had to carry a box receiver around his neck connected to hearing aids.

Whoever wanted to speak to him would also have to carry a microphone and a smaller box so communication was difficult.

Hearing aids then started causing Ian ear infections and he was told by doctors he couldn’t use them anymore, depriving him of the ability to communicate.

‘It was a sudden, silent shock and one which I couldn’t cope with,’ he said.

‘I’d lost the ability to communicate. I withdrew into myself and away from the world.’

Vectra and Hettie have helped Ian over the last two decades (Picture: PA)

Ian has become more social since Vectra and previously Hettie came into his life (Picture: PA)

As a result, Ian became isolated and struggled with depression and paranoia and lived a life focused around ‘pills and visits to healthcare professionals’.

But in 2004 this all changed when he came across a leaflet from the deaf charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

The charity trains hearing assistance dogs for deaf adults and children to carry out tasks including alerting them to sounds such as the doorbell or a smoke alarm.

On June 25, 2005, Ian’s life changed for the better as he welcomed dog Hettie into his life.

‘Hettie enabled me to be aware of sounds that I can’t hear, but the relationship ran much deeper than that’, he said.

‘She gave me companionship, independence, peace of mind and most important of all, she gave me trust and removed my fear.

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‘With Hettie, I felt 10-feet tall. I started to look forward to the things I couldn’t do before, simple things like go for a cup of coffee and feel relaxed. I made new friends and found new interests.’

As Hettie neared retirement, Ian looked after her until she died. He then welcomed a new hearing dog called Vectra into his life – and he is still by his side to this day.

He said: ‘Having Vectra is not just about sounds, it’s also about participation – the feeling of being involved not isolated, as deafness can be an isolating disability.

‘He’s my shadow, my sidekick. If he wasn’t by me, it would feel very alien. I couldn’t imagine him not being there.’

Ian says by sharing his story he hopes it will help other people struggling with their mental health.

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‘Hettie enabled me to be aware of sounds that I can’t hear, but the relationship ran much deeper than that.’