Hearing Dogs for Deaf People looking for foster parents

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, based in Buckinghamshire, are looking for kind-hearted people to provide foster homes for the special dogs.

The dogs play a key role in creating future partnerships for people with hearing loss by alerting them to vital sounds, such as smoke alarms, that they might otherwise miss.

They also provide their partners with unconditional love, companionship and emotional support.

Fostering a hearing dog mum involves looking after one of the charity’s brood dogs on a full-time basis, helping her raise her puppies and playing a crucial role in their socialisation and early development before they go to live with one of the charity’s volunteers at the age of eight weeks.

Kiwi, hearing dog puppy (Image: Hearing Dogs for Deaf People)

Hearing Dogs provides all food, bedding, whelping and puppy equipment, medical expenses, treatments, grooming and insurance for the brood dog and her puppies.

The charity asks fosterers to provide a safe and comfortable home where the brood dog and her puppies can thrive, as well as a secure garden for exercise and play.

Fosterers should also be prepared to dedicate some time and energy to supporting the mum’s ongoing development, including helping her maintain her training.

Very young puppies in the nest should not be left alone for long periods.

They need constant supervision and care to ensure their wellbeing and development, as they are highly dependent at this stage.

As they grow and become more independent, they can gradually be left for a little longer.

No prior experience is needed, and all foster carers will receive full training and support from the charity’s expert team.

A dedicated puppy supervisor will guide you through the process, including assistance during the birth, no matter what time of day or night.

Alison Holden, one of the charity’s brood holders from Widmer End, High Wycombe, has been fostering Paige, a black Labrador, since 2019.

She said: "Paige’s first litter was born in May 2022.

"It was a magical experience with so many special memories.

"For the first three weeks, their mum Paige did everything.

"Then we learnt how to wean the pups onto solid food and encourage them to start toileting outside.

"The charity gave us a week-by-week explanation of how the pups develop and how we could support them.

"We also had regular visits from the charity’s brilliant and supportive breeding scheme team."

If you, or someone you know, could offer a nurturing home to a hearing dog mum and her puppies, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People would love to hear from you.