[5] The Swallows kept him in their bathtub, but this proved too inconvenient within a few days; as such, George moved him out back to a spring-fed pond where he set up a "pup tent" enclosed by a wire fence.

[5][3] It wasn't until 5 years later, as an adult seal, that Hoover became comfortable with his surroundings at the Aquarium and began to utter phrases such as: “Hello, there!” and “Come over here!” in a thick New England accent similar to Swallow’s.

[6] On account of this unique feature, Hoover became famous and appeared along with the Swallows in publications such as Reader’s Digest and The New Yorker and the television program Good Morning, America.

[7] None of Hoover's six pups (daughters Joey, Amelia, and Trumpet and sons Lucifer, Cinder, and Spark)[1] spoke, but his grandson Chacoda (or "Chucky") has shown an ability to be guided in his vocalizations.

[10] In Series 4 Episode 11[11] of the British comedy panel game show QI (Quite Interesting), host Stephen Fry asked a question regarding "Hoover the talking seal.”[12][13]