How you're helping hearing dog Ruby to change a deaf person's life

£30,998.48 raised so far for our 40th anniversary appeal

When we introduced you to Ruby in our Favour magazine Spring 2022 issue, she was a cute puppy who liked tummy tickles. 

She was also an excited puppy, because we named her to celebrate forty years of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

We asked whether you would be so kind as to help pay towards her training: we had an amazing response.

As you can see above, you raised £21,913.50. This will help a deaf person, who right now might be feeling lost and lonely, to benefit from Ruby's companionship one bright, happy day in the future.

We are overwhelmed at your kindness.

In return, we said we'd keep you updated on Ruby's training journey, made possible through your generosity. So, here you go...!

For her first year, she’s living with Volunteer Puppy Trainer Dawn. She's making sure Ruby is happy and healthy, while taking her from the first cues – sit, wait, down – through to advanced routines like walking nicely on her lead (‘heelwork’), returning when called (‘recall’) and being a well-behaved girl in public places such as trains or cafés (‘settling’).

So, what does Dawn think of Ruby?

"An utterly delightful bundle of joy"

That is how Dawn describes Ruby!

"Ruby is maturing into a very well-behaved, confident puppy. Her personality is really shining out.

"Ruby absolutely adores other dogs. She particularly enjoys meeting her brothers, Aled and Alfie. They are so similar in size and colouring, it is sometimes hard to tell the three of them apart when they are tumbling around in the park or field!

"As for people, we’ve been gently introducing Ruby to the wider world, visiting the local post office together, the library, pet shops, cafés and so on."

Indeed, Dawn has been making sure Ruby has plenty of interesting experiences: "I took Ruby to my choir rehearsal, thinking we might just stay for half an hour if she became overwhelmed by so many people. Of course, she took it all in her stride, and easily lasted 90 minutes!"

Cute when she sploots

Dawn has also been learning from Ruby. "Thanks to Ruby, I have a new word in my vocabulary - 'sploot'.

"I honestly thought that Darcy, Ruby's extremely knowledgeable, incredibly supportive trainer, had made this word up, but after Googling it, I found it does exist! Who knew?

"The first time I saw Ruby stretch out, leaving both hind legs flat on the ground, I worried that there was something wrong with her. I had never seen a pup, or an older dog, do this before, and it looked rather odd to me. Now I just think she looks really cute when she sploots!"

A settling superstar

Dawn continues: "When we go to the garden centre Ruby practices her ‘settles’ - just happy in herself, watching the world go by. She has become very popular with the staff there! She is now able to settle nicely while I have a drink, cake or lunch with a friend.

"In fact, Ruby settles really well. When she was only five months old, I could ask her to wait in the restaurant at the training centre, with her lead loosely tethered to a table, while I went and made a cup of tea or coffee. She would wait patiently for me to return."

This is so important. Ruby’s eventual deaf partner will need to know that they can go anywhere with her, and that she will be a well-behaved companion, smart in her burgundy Hearing Dogs coat.

Clever Ruby!

Next steps

At Hearing Dogs we use what we call Puppy Star Awards to measure a puppy’s progress. We’re delighted to tell you that Ruby has already passed her Puppy One Star! This means she’s a confident little girl, who has learned all her cues such as ‘sit’ and ‘wait’, and meets people and puppies nicely. We knew all that, of course, but now it’s official!

Back to Dawn: "To help Ruby towards her Puppy Two Star, we're going to start taking her to more towns and shops, so that she gets used to busier places. This is all so that we’re sure she’ll be happy wherever she goes, and learns that new experiences are interesting.

"Right now, we’re helping Ruby to sit and wait while I open a door, then go through, then ask her to come through. It’s all part of being a patient puppy who doesn’t act on impulse, but knows she needs to wait in certain situations such as getting onto public transport, or taking a lift."

To help Ruby learn, Dawn is using what we call ‘reward-based training’. In this, if Ruby makes the ‘right’ decision – such as sitting patiently at the door rather than rushing through it – she gets a ‘good girl’, a fuss, a rub and a treat. The ‘wrong’ decision is just ignored. It makes for a really positive experience for everyone – and every puppy!

Dawn will also be helping Ruby to come back when called by name or using a whistle. This is 'recall', and again, it's really important. It's how Ruby's future deaf partner will be confident that she'll always be around, and will come running whenever they need her. Although, judging by this video which Dawn took, during a wonderful day by the beach, Ruby is already pretty good at recall!

'Good girl' indeed!

Dawn is so proud. “Ruby really takes things in her stride. She’s learning very quickly. I am so proud of her, every single day.”

Ruby has come a long way but she still has more of her training journey ahead. You can donate to sponsor her through the next important stages of her training. Through your kindness, one day, Ruby will completely change a deaf person’s life.

For now however, from all of us at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, from Dawn – and from Ruby, of course – it’s a massive...

... thank you!