Episode 5:

New experiences for Alfie

Posted by Elizabeth Murphy

Welcome back to Alfie’s Puppy Pen!

Your sponsor pup is doing brilliantly in his training. 

As part of Alfie’s socialisation to new experiences, his training team have slowly and gently been introducing him to unusual-looking objects that he may not have seen before, like an umbrella!

Alfie

For a puppy, an umbrella is a very strange-looking object. Alfie was very gently encouraged to go and investigate and explore it in his own time. He was then rewarded for doing so. Through this positive reinforcement, Alfie is learning that umbrellas are nothing to be worried about. This is great, as due to the amount of rain we get in the UK, Alfie will probably see many umbrellas in his life! 

Superstar Alfie was also introduced to a suitcase and he was not fazed at all!

Alfie

Suitcases look a bit unusual and can make a strange sound when wheeled across the floor. Introducing Alfie to these sights and sounds at a young age will help him to see them as normal experiences. This will help him grow into a happy and confident hearing dog. 

In other training news, Alfie was on his very best behaviour on his trip to the garden centre. And how smart does he look in his “I’m learning to be a hearing dog” jacket?