Episode 9:

Storm is becoming a companion dog!

Posted by Elizabeth Murphy

Black Labrador sitting on grass with circle 'Sponsor a Puppy' logo in bottom right corner
Storm is becoming a companion dog!

Welcome to the final update from your sponsored puppy. Super Storm has finished his training and we’re delighted to share that he’s going to be a companion dog!

Companion dogs are one of the three core canine roles at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. These dogs are partnered with people with varying levels of hearing loss who don’t need sound support alerts but are seeking support with the emotional challenges that hearing loss can bring.

Black Labrador sitting on white studio background
The right role for sweet Storm 

With dedicated love and care from his Volunteer Dog Trainer, Nickie, Storm has grown from a tiny puppy into the calm, cuddly and confident dog he is today. In your last update, we shared with you the brilliant progress he was making in learning to alert to sounds.

Black Labrador sitting on pavement in burgundy learning jacket

Storm has often been described as ‘permanently happy’ and normally takes every new experience in his stride. But towards the end of his training, we noticed that he found it tricky to concentrate and keep his focus when alerting to sounds – and would often wander off to play with his toys instead! We never force a dog to do something they don’t want to do, and enjoying soundwork is key to a hearing dog’s success as a happy and reliable companion. So, to take the pressure off our sweet boy, his training team decided to place him into a different role.