Donate

The first 8 weeks of a hearing dog's life

The first few weeks of a hearing dog puppy’s life are crucial for their development.

Three tiny spaniel puppies only just opening their eyes sat on a fluffy blanket with toys in the background

What happens at the start of a hearing dog's journey?

The newborn puppies will learn so much not only from their hearing dog mum, but also from the brood fosterer volunteer who looks after their mum full-time. They will introduce these adorable pups to new and exciting experiences.

The puppies stay with their mum for eight weeks before starting the next exciting leg of their journey to becoming a life-changing hearing dog.

Poodle mum with one puppy curled around her neck

The puppies stay with their mum for eight weeks before starting the next exciting leg of their journey to becoming a life-changing hearing dog.

Week 1

During their first week, newborn puppies spend most of their time sleeping and feeding — two very important jobs for healthy growth. They begin nursing almost immediately after birth, relying completely on their mum’s milk for nutrition.

Although their eyes and ears are still closed, puppies are surprisingly active, able to crawl the length of their bed shortly after being born.

Close up of a very young spaniel with eyes still closed held in a hand

Their strong sense of smell helps them instantly recognise their mother’s scent, which comforts them and guides them to feed.

They communicate through soft, adorable squeaks and gentle movements, building early bonds with mum and siblings.

Week 2

A small labrador puppy yawning and just about opening his eyes

By around 10 days old, our hearing dog puppies are weighed daily to monitor steady growth and ensure they’re on track — many double their birth weight by this point.

Their eyes start to open gradually, often appearing blue at first before their true eye colour develops. As their vision improves, puppies begin to lift themselves onto their front paws, testing out their strength and coordination.

This growing mobility marks an exciting shift as they begin interacting more with their environment, though they still rely heavily on their mum’s care and warmth.

Week 3

Four three week old Cockapoo puppies moving around in a puppy pen with the word huggables on a wall behind them

At about 18 days old, a puppy’s ears start to open — a key milestone for future hearing dogs, as it marks the beginning of their world of sounds. Their eyesight sharpens, allowing them to focus on faces and objects.

They begin making wobbly attempts to stand, and tiny teeth start to emerge, often followed by gentle nibbles — signs they’re preparing for the transition to solid food.

With their eyes open and balance improving, we introduce puppy food to begin the weaning process, although their main source of nutrition remains their mum’s milk.

At the same time, we slowly introduce them to a few visitors to support early socialisation in a calm, controlled environment.

Week 4

Two small spaniel puppies on a rug close together looking at the camera with another puppy curled up asleep in the background

By week four, puppies are taking their first confident steps and showing growing curiosity about the world around them.

Their playfulness blossoms as they interact more with each other — practicing playful barks, bows, and gentle playing — which helps develop important social skills.

Toys become a new source of fun and exploration, encouraging coordination and mental stimulation. During this stage, they start picking up essential doggy manners from their mum and siblings, and their appetite for solid food increases as they continue to wean.

Week 5

Black spaniel mum nuzzling spaniel puppy

At this stage, our hearing dog puppies begin meeting new people and exploring different parts of the house, helping them become familiar with new objects and sounds they may encounter.

Spending more time in the garden is an important confidence-builder, exposing them to the natural outdoor environment and all the sights, smells, and sounds that come with it — plus, it helps keep the floors dry!

Although they aren’t allowed to meet other dogs or visit public parks before their vaccinations at eight weeks, they still benefit greatly from controlled exposure to new experiences that support their social development.

Week 6

A multi-coloured spaniel 6 week old puppy emerging from some grass and flower son a sunny day

By six weeks, puppies are full of character and energy, having explored both the house and garden, and even experienced short car journeys.

They begin playing more independently, learning to entertain themselves and build confidence away from their littermates.

At this stage, our breeding scheme advisors closely observe key behaviours, assessing each puppy’s personality and temperament.

This careful evaluation not only helps guide their next stages of development but also helps in deciding which puppies will be best suited to become sponsor puppies.

7-8 weeks old

Bobby

In their final weeks with mum and siblings, puppies enjoy a more structured feeding schedule with four meals a day to meet their growing nutritional needs.

Around this time, puppies visit the vet for their important vaccinations and microchipping — essential for their health and safety.

At about eight weeks old, they leave the nest for our puppy reception at the training centre, where their exciting journey towards becoming fully trained hearing dogs continues.

The breeds we train

Find out more about the four breeds we train to become hearing dogs and the qualities they possess, that make them suitable to be the perfect companion to a deaf person.

Our dogs

A happy looking brown poodle stood alertly outside in a large garden

A hand holding up a white dog owl containing square serving of grey brown cake which is darker on the top, the background is teal colour

Dog treat recipes

Hearing dog spaniel mum nuzzling one of her very young puppies

Foster a hearing dog mum

Registered charity in England and Wales no. 293358 and in Scotland no. SC040486. Royal Patron HRH The Princess Royal.