Scout out and about

Sometimes, when we look back at a puppy's journey, we see some interesting themes emerge.

With Scout, it's modes of transport, fun environments, and one extra special theme that we'll tell you about at the end of this Puppy Pen!

Before we continue, let's admire how lovely she looks...

She's grown quite a lot from when she started her training journey, but is still very cute!

So, modes of transport which, curiously, mostly begin with 'B'.

Did you know that Scout is familiar with two-wheeled transport?

That's right - when her Volunteer Puppy Trainers went on a cycling holiday, they took her with them in her own little puppy buggy!

So, that's 'B' for buggy, not bike. She looks very happy in it, and even managed to show off her tongue a bit.

You've had 'buggy', so two more 'B's coming up now - bodyboards and boats.

Her volunteers have taken her all over the place, and one particularly fun seaside break involved bodyboards. 

It also involved boats, whether at sea...

... or on nice relaxing rivers.

Scout even had a notion she could sail out to sea on her own in an actual pea-green boat, but she changed her mind shortly after this photo was taken, mainly because it was far too large for her and she can't really row.

We were so tempted to say this was on a bus, to make a full suite of 'B's, but it's a train.

Scout really looks the part doesn't she, with her smart burgundy 'I'm learning to be a hearing dog' coat? She's so attentive too, focused on the person she's with, and very well behaved, just sitting there, no bother, no fuss.

This is exactly what we want from Scout - a nice little dog whom her eventual deaf partner will be proud of.

All these experiences too are just what she needs. It's all training really, all of it, because throughout her life Scout has been taught not to fear new experiences or situations. She's such a confident little girl now, and her deaf partner will also gain confidence from her.

Imagine she's walking down a street, looking after her deaf partner, and a car horn sounds, or someone emerges from a shop door. Scout won't bat an eyelid because she's seen it all before. She'll just continue, cool, calm and collected.

That's it for transport. Now, the different environments Scout seems to enjoy - and look, we can even go back to the 'B' theme, with...

... the beach! All our sponsor puppies seem to love the beach. It's such a big, fresh, exciting place to explore.

Now we're onto an 'S' theme, because there's plenty of salty sea to swim and splash around in (or, at least, near), and what else is on a beach?

Sand! And plenty of it.

Scout really enjoyed getting stuck in...

... without actually getting stuck!

Still on an 'S theme, so from sea, to sand, to snow...

... and streams...

... and more streams...

... and grass. Sorry, we couldn't think of any more 'S' words! We'd be stretching it if we called it a steppe. 

And finally, that other theme we mentioned?

Tongues out!

Scout does seem to enjoy sticking her tongue out. If a human does it, it's rude, but if a cute hearing dog in training does it, it's cute.

We're hoping to have some fantastic news for you soon about Scout's training journey. In the meantime we hope you've enjoyed seeing what makes Scout 'tick', and once again, would like to thank you so very much for your kindness in sponsoring her. She's a lovely little girl, adored by everyone, and one day will change a deaf person's life. So, until that day... thank you again.