Chance is a one-year old Minature Poodle who arrived as a puppy from Lisa Eagleton, one of our kennel club registered breeders, in April 2012. Since then he has been living with his puppy socialisers Sally and Keith Dixon, learning basic obedience skills and attending regular puppy classes.
Sally and Keith brought Chance into The Grange (our headquarters) on 7 February to begin his sound work training. They gave me a rundown of Chance's first 12 months (his first birthday was on 6 February) and were understandably sad to see him go – something which many puppy socialisers feel when they give up their first hearing dog puppy.
Chance has spent his first few days at The Grange familiarised himself with his new home. He has been for a wander around reception and our restaurant. He’s also been greeting and meeting people, happily approaching strangers to introduce himself as the 'new kid on the block'.
It is very important the two of us start to build a bond so that he trusts me with all the training we will be doing over the coming weeks and all the places we will be visiting. So I’ve spent a bit of male bonding time in the house with him, chilling out, playing with toys and also doing some basic obedience that he already knows (as the socialisers taught him) such as sits and downs.
He has barked at some unusual noises outside the house, but this is to be expected as he is settling in. Above all else though, he is very friendly and really enjoys a stroke and a fuss.
We’ve been going for regular walks around the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People site and have done some easy recalls (easy as it is low distraction with no other people, dogs or animals nearby, or too many interesting smells) and he usually comes running back nicely.
Chance does sometimes try to avoid your hand when you go to take his collar or put his lead back on, probably because he wants to keep playing or running, so I will need to work a little on that to make sure he comes right back to me when I call him.
He also met his new kennel mates Polo (Black) and Jaffa (Apricot) who are both Cocker Spaniel x Poodles. They get on well and Chance enjoys playing, especially with Polo, although they can both get a little excited when they see each other!
Chance has barked at times in the kennels, often out of excitement or to try to get one of the welfare team’s attention. However, it’s not too often and this should settle down more as time goes on.
All in all, Chance seems to be adapting well to his new environment. We are getting on well and he seems to be a confident, happy go lucky dog.
I’ll be back with another update next week so make sure you bookmark this page or keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter feeds to follow the next step in Chance’s journey towards becoming a life-changing hearing dog.
Tom
Sponsor a puppy
If you'd like to sponsor a dog like Chance through their training program to become a life-changing hearing dog puppy we have two gorgeous pups available for you to sponsor right now. You'll receive a welcome pack with pictures of your chosen puppy plus lots of goodies, then you’ll receive regular updates as they progress through training.
This lively little Cocker Spaniel is Marley, one of the hearing dog trainees available to sponsor today.
Marley is a sociable pup and loves playing in the garden with other dogs, and with his favourite toy, a black and white teddy. Marley enjoys his training and loves learning new commands, especially when he’s rewarded with a fuss and a cuddle.
This beautiful black Labrador is Nellie, one of the hearing dog trainees available to sponsor today.
Nellie is a cheeky puppy who’s great fun to be with and loves playing with people and other dogs. She’s already progressing really well with her training and enjoys being rewarded with a tasty treat.
