Socialise a puppy

Hearing Dogs recruits puppies and young dogs from between the ages of eight weeks and three years, but all of them need a period of time with a volunteer socialiser. It may be a few weeks, or it may be a few months, but however long or short, the time the puppies spend with their socialisers is essential to help shape the young dogs’ personalities and increase their confidence.

Puppy socialisers also play a vital role in the early training of a hearing dog, introducing the young dog to different experiences and environments as well as teaching him basic obedience and manners that will stand him in good stead for the next stage of advanced sound work training. Puppy socialising is very rewarding, and socialisers get the added bonus of knowing they are playing a part in helping a deaf person to enjoy the benefits of confidence, security and independence that a hearing dog will bring them.

Contact the puppy socialising team on 01844 348129 or by email

Read more about different types of socialising below...

Volunteers who foster and socialise our puppies for us are the lifeblood of the Charity. Without their involvement in guiding these new recruits, Hearing Dogs would not be able to train them to help our deaf clients. Many, many trained hearing dogs that are currently making such a difference to their profoundly deaf owners began their lives as strays. It is lovely to know that, with the help of members of the public, puppies that once had a bleak future can look forward to a life as an invaluable and much-loved companion.

Could you spare a little time and a lot of care? If so, you could play a valuable role in the making of a hearing dog. We urgently need more volunteer socialisers to give a short or long term home and basic training to hearing dog recruits.  

This could be:

Full time:

Taking a puppy or young dog into your home for up to eight months.

Short term:

Covering holidays, last-minute emergencies and taking home recruits that need only a very short time – a maximum of three weeks - in a home environment to continue their training.

Bed & breakfast:

Some of our recruits undertaking their soundwork training like to go to a cosy home overnight rather than staying in kennels. B&B socialisers collect their charge from our training centre (Buckinghamshire or Yorkshire) around 5pm and return them the following day before 9am.