Thanks for doing such a great post about Cassidy Kim! She’s a very special dog!

We “suspected” that Hector was probably deaf before we brought him home from the shelter. I like to believe that my son (who was the one who had final say on which dog we brought home that day) said we would bring Hector home, knowing that he was likely deaf, because one of Sean’s best friends, as he grew up, was disabled. So, he didn’t really see any issue with the deafness.

Hector and I have had our issues, but now that I look back on our past together, very few of them are a result of his deafness. The first 8 months or so of his life are unknown, but we suspect he was born to be trained to be a hunting dog, and his deafness prevented that. So he was likely kenneled for the first 8 months, given some level of interaction, but not lots. He was very standoffish in the beginning, not really warming up to us humans until he had his little hip accident that forced him and me to co-exist in a tiny bedroom together for 6 weeks, and that was nearly 8 months after we adopted him.

He developed a really severe OCD attack (for lack of a better phrase about 2 weeks after he came here. My son had always used the laser pen lights as a game for Nathan (his boxer) and Andy (spaniel mix), and so pulled it out one evening. For the next three days and nights, Hector only managed to hold still for a total of 15 minutes at a time, and then he was back to chasing whatever it was that he was seeing. Bill, my husband, almost took Hector back to the shelter. But this wasn’t related to his deafness. OCD happens with hearing, as well as deaf dogs.

He has shred more pillows, and blankets and stuffed critters, tried to block up his gut more times than I can count, climbed up on my table and turned it into a day bed, chewed wall corners and dry wall in the kitchen and laundry room, etc. I can go on. But none of these are related to his deafness. They are related to his being a high energy dog, with too much time on his paws, and not enough exercise. This is why, even though I probably should stop the behavior, I really don’t have a problem with him running up and down the side of the pool, chasing dust motes, dragonflies, butterflies, and invisbugs. He, at least, sleeps well at night, and far fewer things are being chewed on or destroyed.

Would I get another deaf dog? Certainly. Why? My answer is simple. Why not? There are very few things about Hector’s deafness that have made me change the way I do things. If I need his attention because he is getting into something he shouldn’t, I either have to get up and go distract him, slap the wall real hard, or clap my hands hard enough to make them sting. That usually gets his attention. Then I can let him know that whatever he is doing is a no-no.

He is the most responsive of my three dogs. Doe he obey my every command? Not on your life. But then, that is my fault, not his. I have never been a strong disciplinarian (just ask my son), but Hector understands me. He reads me better than Hannah (german shepherd) does, which is saying alot. And he is my cuddle bug. Is that because he is deaf? Don’t know. But it certainly helps in my decision to have another or several other deaf dogs in my life, in the future.

But, then, I am open to having blind dogs, dogs with three legs, dogs in wheelchairs, etc. The only reason I don’t have them in my life now is because of that damn pool in the back yard. Hector can see the pool; he knows how to get out if he falls in. I would be concerned about a blind dog or a tripod or a dog in a wheelchair being able to get out, so I won’t jeopardize them that way.

But, also remember, in my 30 years of nursing (OMG, it IS 30 years at the end of May), most of my career has been with disabled adults or children. I truly do not see disability as a problem. It is simply being differently abled.

An acquaintance fostered and then adopted a dog from the local shelter. He had been HBC, and the shelter performed very expensive surgery to save the leg. Lots of post-op pain, and not very successful rehab. The leg was a problem for him for the rest of his life. I think it had a lot to do with his persistent bad attitude, though “poor baby” vibes from his owner and the rest of the world also didn’t help.

Better if they’d had just done an amputation and let him get on with it. Better for the other animals the the shelter could have helped, too.

Tripod dogs do just great.

I once saw video of an ACD with two legs. One front, one back — SAME SIDE, not on a diagonal. The dog had been sucked into a baler or some other nasty bit of farm equipment. She could run like the wind, jump into a pickup, and work cattle.

He truly is an inspiration to all who meet him, especially children with disabilities.

http://www.wheelywilly.com/

I did a post in March on behalf of my cousin who was born with Cerebral Palsy about 2 legged dogs, and there is literally EVERY type of two legged dog that out there. Bi-pedal, one back and one front leg on the same side of the body and a dog with 2 front legs left. Makes our aches and pains so trivial!

Wonderful post Kim!

http://www.wonderpuppy.net/copper/