Charlie's journey continues

Celebrating Charlie’s progress

An old saying goes: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Well, Charlie took not only that first step, but has made incredible strides in his hearing dog training.

He’s proven to be an excellent student, quickly picking up on cues and learning to recognise sounds. Charlie has truly blossomed throughout his training journey, and his vibrant personality shines through in everything he does. His trainer, Janine, says: “Charlie is a lovely boy, always keen to learn and please."

A little more time

At Hearing Dogs, we strive to match our life-changing puppies with the perfect deaf partners when they’ve completed their training, and we always ensure that their health and happiness are the top priority.

Although Charlie’s been doing well, he can be a bit sensitive to his surroundings, and he’s had a few minor health issues. Tests have shown that he has an allergy of some kind. Our Healthcare Advisor, Lucy, says: “We’re working closely with vets to figure out the root cause, and he’s receiving the very best care.”

Charlie was the most adorable puppy

We know Charlie will make an excellent companion for a deaf person or someone with hearing loss, but his health and well-being always come first. So we’ve decided to take him out of the puppy sponsorship scheme. We will start trying to find the perfect partner for Charlie once we are confident that his allergies are being managed in exactly the right way. He may need medication to help manage his condition, and although it won’t stop him from supporting someone with hearing loss, it may take a little longer to find the right partner.

In the meantime, he’s having a wonderful time surrounded by people who care for him. Janine is making sure he’s in tip-top shape and continuing his training, with a focus on recall and Charlie’s excitability.

Charlie is receiving the very best care

As you know, Charlie is a social butterfly. He’s an active pup and loves his walks, but sometimes he can’t help but whine a little when he spots someone he wants to say hello to. We’re working on that, because while we want him to maintain his friendly personality, we want his future partner to feel totally at ease taking him anywhere they want to go.

On recall, Janine says: “Charlie’s doing well. His recall is great, but sometimes he gets a bit distracted. We’re making sure recall is really rewarding to him by using treats, fuss and toys.”

And how’s he getting on? “Charlie came for a group walk recently with some other dogs. His recall was spot on every time, despite there being lots of other dogs to distract him and unfamiliar smells. I was really proud of him!”

What’s next?

Thanks to your generosity, Charlie has come so far. His well-being is our top priority now, and our expert canine healthcare team and vets are closely monitoring him, so he’s in great hands.

When he’s ready to find his perfect match, he will bring joy and companionship to someone struggling with the isolation of deafness or hearing loss. We can see a time when his social nature will help his deaf partner reconnect with their local community.

So here ends Charlie’s sponsor journey. As the number of deaf people grows, it would be wonderful if you could support another puppy. Whatever you decide, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness.

Charlie is a superstar and we are so proud of him as he continues on his training journey