A NEW puppy socialising scheme has been given lift-off in Hampshire.

Charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has begun the project in Winchester and is seeking volunteers to help out for the organisation.

The scheme enables the charity to train more puppies for more than a year before they return for more training.

Victoria Leedham, volunteering manager said: “We are delighted to be launching our puppy socialising scheme in Winchester and we are now appealing for dog lovers in the area to apply to be a puppy socialising volunteer.

“Volunteering is an extremely rewarding experience, and puppy socialising is a great opportunity to learn or improve your dog-training skills, and meet lots of new friends along the way.”

Puppies will be placed with their volunteer socialiser at eight weeks and will work with them at home for 14 months before heading back to the charity for further training.

Volunteers need to be over the age of 18, have enough time to care for a puppy on a daily basis, own a car and have access to a secure garden.

Sallie Bateson has been a hearing dog volunteer for nearly six years and is a full time puppy socialiser.

She said: “Being part of the volunteering team has made an enormous difference to my life.

“I have met so many lovely people within the charity and general public. My children have a better understanding of hearing loss and fundraising for a charity as well as having great fun teaching the puppies.

“After losing my own Welsh Springer Spaniel, I was unsure whether I should take on the commitment of a full-time dog again.I was introduced to a puppy trainer on a Hearing Dog fundraising walk, who then encouraged me to consider a volunteering role.

“Two months later, Basil, a four-month-old blue roan working cocker spaniel was on my doorstep and had stolen my heart!”

Hearing loss affects one in six people in the UK, with more than 900,000 severely of profoundly deaf.

Puppy socialising volunteers receive full support from Hearing Dogs, as well as regular home visits and puppy training classes from the national charity.