Puppy Three Star

The Puppy Three Star is the stage where we focus on building on what the puppy has already learned in the Puppy Two Star.

A poodle sat looking proud and happy next to a certificate that says Rhona has successfully completed her Puppy 3 Star

Think of it like the opportunity to make decisions for ourselves and build upon the education we have already had.

It is quite like the training they experience in their Puppy Two Star. The dogs know what behaviour is expected of them – but we now give them the opportunity to make the correct choices rather than telling them.

 

What does a puppy learn?

Although the training is building upon what they have learned so far, we try to keep it interesting by making it more challenging. This is also the stage we start introducing sound work that will allow the dog to help a person to live well with hearing loss. 

 

Building a puppy’s skills

Our hearing dog puppies love learning new and challenging techniques and skills (especially if there is a treat involved).

Mid shot of a cockapoo laying on a tiled floor looking up at the camera

More distractions and temptations

This may sound cruel, but it is important a hearing dog understands it cannot get everything it wants.

We assess impulse control more at this stage. This involves dropping food unexpectedly and letting the dog choose whether to reach for it. These are skills a puppy can draw back on in later life when they experience a similar situation.

 

We build their resilience

The world can be an exciting place for a dog. But they can be a little unsure of new experiences and strange places.

If a puppy goes somewhere new and they have a bad experience there, it is hard to convince them later there is nothing to fear. This is why we build on their resilience – by taking them to all kinds of places and events in short, happy bursts to show a hearing dog that they are safe. And prove that being out somewhere new can be a fun!

They also get to wear their hearing dog jacket for the first time, so they get even more fuss and attention from the public – which is always a bonus. We focus on their strengths – and work on areas they are not so confident in.

A black labrador in a training jacket, laying calmly and looking happy, on a train station platform

All dogs are different and have different skills to their siblings and peers. While one puppy can be very calm but find new situations daunting, another pup will be more boisterous but less cautious of the world.

With the right attention and tailored training, both pups could make amazing hearing dogs.

In the Puppy Three Star, we make sure we focus on helping the dogs through the areas of training they may struggle with a bit more than others, and ensure their skills build on with every passing week.

This careful training by our amazing Volunteer Dog Trainers helps to create what we deem as the ‘perfect’ hearing dog. It helps our pups to feel comfortable, relaxed, and confident which is important to us.

We also support the volunteers through building up a pup’s soundwork training.