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Cookie made it! She has become a hearing dog!

Thanks to your kindness, Cookie has been placed with a deaf person who was in need of support. Cookie is helping her new deaf partner (who has asked to remain anonymous, but is happy to share her story) to lead a full life, by supporting her practically and emotionally, day in, day out.

Life before Cookie

“When I became deaf, it impacted everything,” Cookie’s partner tells us.

“I slowly lost contact with my friends because I couldn’t take part in conversations where there was background noise – which is pretty much everywhere social nowadays, it seems. In my professional life, I felt isolated from the people around me.”

Deafness can be a very isolating, ‘invisible’ disability. People with hearing loss can find that the everyday frustrations just wear them down. Communicating with friends and family becomes so difficult, so challenging on a daily basis, that they slowly withdraw.

However, while she was having difficulty, we were – through your kindness – training Cookie. She was such an outgoing, fun dog that we thought they would be a great match. We were right! They bonded immediately.

The partnership begins

Cookie – that ‘loveable, mischievous, sometimes barmy cuddlesome pup’ as her volunteer puppy trainer Annette described her, all that time ago – has totally changed her partner’s life.

“At first, she was 99.9% perfect. Then she became 100%.”

How so?

“Well, at first she was a bit too interested in pheasants! She’s overcome that now. So, 100% it is!”

Ah, there’s that mischievous Cookie side coming out again! We always knew such a cheeky little madam would be perfect for a deaf person one day, and it seems that day has come.

The main difference Cookie has made? Her partner explains: “I am confident with Cookie by my side. I know that she will tell me about the doorbell, or the alarm clock, or the fire alarm. I can finally sleep properly. I sleep like a log now.”

Deaf people can have difficulty sleeping, because the lack of light and sound can be very disconcerting. Lack of sleep can affect everything about a deaf person’s life, and it would appear Cookie fixed this very early on.

Since then, the bond between them has become so strong. Cookie’s partner loves her new companion. “In fact, everyone loves Cookie,” she says. “I work with children, and they adore her.”

Sometimes there is nothing better than a fluffy friend to help form relationships. That’s what hearing dogs do very well, with children especially, so it’s fantastic that Cookie is helping with this aspect of her partner’s life too.

She continues: “It’s so wonderful being woken up by Cookie each morning, looking forward to the day ahead together. I love looking after her, walking with her, playing ball with her in my garden.”

Her partner laughs: “Cookie is happiness. She makes me and everyone around her smile.”

A big thank you

And so ends Cookie’s journey. She has made her partner smile again, to lead the full life she deserves – that everybody deserves. They are very happy together. As her partner says: “One little amazing dog has made a very big difference to my life. I can't imagine how I managed without her.”

You made this possible by sponsoring Cookie. We are so very grateful. Here are some more photos from Cookie's training journey...

However, there are many more deaf people who need your help. It’s highly likely you know someone whose life has been touched by deafness in some way, so we hope you will consider sponsoring another puppy. But for now, from all of us at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, thank you so very much.