In the United States, 5-10% of canines are Dᴇᴀꜰ f. Some dogs become deaf as they age, while others are born Dᴇᴀꜰ . Cochlear gene mutations are often the cause of hereditary deafness. Dogs with white fur and blue eyes are more likely to have the Dᴇᴀꜰ type.
Pit bull named Blu has piercing blue eyes and white fur Blu is Dᴇᴀꜰ . She remains unvisited day in and day out in an animal shelter. Luckily, business colleagues Mark and Sean are looking to adopt a Dᴇᴀꜰ dog in the San Francisco area. Two are located at Family Dog Rescue. Blu is one of them.
She’s bubbly and full of life when Mark and Sean first meet her at the shelter. Mark informed GeoBeats Animals that “she was immediately connected with Sean and the rest is pretty much history.” Blu’s original owners contacted them to let them know that he had been living with them for six years. Blu is placed in a shelter when they are forced to move into a pit bull-free rental home.
One of the guests who stayed the longest in the refugee camp was Blu. One of the reasons it took her a while to feel comfortable around her new dads was because she had been alone for a long time. Blu is unsure of their intentions towards her and whether they intend to send her back to the shelter. “Actually, she was scared the first time we took her to the beach, which was a few days after we bought her,” said Mark. She just shivered in the back.
According to Mark and Sean, Blu’s personality expands as she feels more comfortable around them. Three years later, Blu still enjoys driving after receiving so much love and attention. Blu learned about Mark and Sean’s love and longing. They and Blu have become so close that they have their own unique communication style. Blu can determine where they are going by observing her father’s movements, and she even sniffs their feet while walking. I can sense when she’s stressed, happy or depressed. Sean said, “We know each other pretty well.”
Blu realizes that Mark and Sean’s wiggly fingers are a sign that she’s okay. Sean’s stern gaze told her to calm down. Additionally, they worked with a trainer to teach Blu stress-relieving techniques like body stretching.
Blu’s Dᴇᴀꜰ has nothing to do with the way she lives or interacts with her new owners. According to Mark, she and the formerly Dᴇᴀꜰ dogs I had were unable to pick up on many of the small linguistic cues that dogs give each other. Deaf dogs can hear with their hearts. Sean said: “I don’t think I would have a deaf dog because they are so special and wonderful”.
They say that Blue is unaffected by the fireworks-filled holidays, which are not usually enjoyed by dogs.
It’s great to see how much Blu means to Mark and Sean.
The reciprocity of emotions is also evident. Blu seems comfortable with her new family, happy and healthy. We’re glad Blu has found a place to call her new dad home.