PUPPY POWER COMES TO BUCKINGHAM

National deaf charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is appealing for dog lovers in Buckingham to become volunteer puppy trainers, after expanding its life-changing puppy training programme into the town.

The charity, which trains dogs to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds such as smoke alarms, doorbells, and even baby monitors, relies on a nationwide network of dedicated volunteers to help train its puppies that will go on to transform a deaf person’s life.

When fully trained, hearing dogs not only provide practical assistance to deaf people, but also offer lots of love and emotional support and help reduce isolation and loneliness, which many deaf people experience.

With demand for hearing dogs continuing to grow, the charity’s expansion into Buckingham is a vital step in ensuring more deaf people across the UK can benefit from the independence and confidence that a hearing dog brings.

Volunteering as a puppy trainer involves taking a puppy into your own home for 6 to 18 months at a time and getting it started on its training journey – from teaching basic cues like ‘sit’, ‘down’ and ‘wait’ to taking the puppy out and about to experience different sights, sounds, smells and environments. All volunteer puppy trainers are fully supported by a dedicated member of the Hearing Dogs dog training team, and all costs are covered by the charity – from food and toys, to bedding and vet costs.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing our puppy training programme to Buckingham,” said Lisa Meller, volunteering manager at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. “Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re now looking for kind, committed individuals or families in the local area who can offer a loving temporary home to one of our adorable puppies and help them begin their training journey.”

“You’ll attend a fun weekly puppy training class, get to meet other people doing the same thing, have all the costs covered, and – most importantly – get to train a puppy that will go on to completely transform the life of a deaf person.

“No prior experience is needed—just a love of dogs, enough time every day to dedicate to the pup, and a willingness to learn about dog training!”

Karen Hardcastle, one of the charity’s existing volunteer puppy trainers, said: “Becoming a volunteer trainer with Hearing Dogs has changed my life. It’s just been the best thing I’ve ever done – to have a dog, to learn a skill, meet lots of people, get out and about, and make a difference to someone else’s life.

“What I’ve achieved in training these dogs has really boosted my own confidence, too. I never thought in a million years I could train a dog to be an assistance dog, and the feeling is off the scale.

“When I speak to prospective volunteers, the first thing they say is ‘I’d love to do it, but I couldn’t give the puppy up at the end’. Of course you miss the dog you’ve been training, but a lot of the emotion isn’t sadness, it’s happiness. To give this life-changing gift to someone you don’t know is an amazing feeling.”

Anyone living in Buckingham who wants to find out more about becoming a volunteer puppy trainer, can visit www.hearingdogs.org.uk/volunteering/puppy-training/ or contact the volunteering team directly at volunteer@hearingdogs.org.uk, or by calling 01844 348129.