Deaf foster dog gets a chance

Bridget · 02-02-2012, 09:58 AM

I posted recently how discouraged I was trying to get our deaf foster terrier adopted. The next day a potential adopter came to visit Ashley and likes her! Ashley is going to her home for a "trial run" tonight. She will stay there for a couple days and if all goes well, will be adopted! Normally the shelter doesn't allow such a thing, but since Ashley is a hard to place dog they are making an exception. Everyone keep your fingers crossed please. I like the adopter. She is divorced and lives alone in a house with a fenced-in yard. She seems to be pretty knowledgeable about dogs. She lost two dogs recently, 14 & 15 years old, so that speaks well. I am so ecstatic that Ashley is finally being given a chance. I feel good about this, but trying not to get my hopes too high.

brembo · 02-02-2012, 10:20 AM

Deaf dogs are easy really. I had a Corgi mix of some nature (passed at around 15 or 16) and she was way simple to handle. I liked the fact I could call my GSD and not bother her. I would stomp to get her attention. The only thing I had to be careful of was startling her, I'd stutter-step when entering a room to let her know I was nearby. Other than that it was situation normal.

Bridget · 02-02-2012, 03:18 PM

Yes I consider her deafness pretty much a non-issue, but surprising how many folks didn't even want to meet her when they learned she was deaf.

Daisy&Lucky's Mom · 02-02-2012, 03:20 PM

Fingers and paws crossed for Ashley to get a forever home. Sounds good so far!

KentuckyGSDLover · 02-02-2012, 04:39 PM

What a wonderful update! I hope things work out for Ashley!

Stosh · 02-02-2012, 04:45 PM

My friend has her deaf dog in rally and agility. The agility was a little challenging because she had to kind of act out what she wanted him to do but he did it! Hope Ashley gets a chance to do the same things and live a long happy life in her new home

Bridget · 02-03-2012, 11:36 AM

Yeah, that would be wonderful...Ashley was at her new home for a total of 3 hours. The potential adopter called me in tears and asked that I pick Ashley up, as Ashley had bitten her twice and wouldn't let her touch her. I am now going to search in the aggression threads and see what help I find there.

Courtney · 02-03-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bridget

Yeah, that would be wonderful...Ashley was at her new home for a total of 3 hours. The potential adopter called me in tears and asked that I pick Ashley up, as Ashley had bitten her twice and wouldn't let her touch her. I am now going to search in the aggression threads and see what help I find there.

Oh no

Is it possible she was picked up from behind and did not know someone was behind her? Maybe she was startled? I'm not excusing the biting, but am thinking of a deaf dog that may need to be approached in a certain safe way.

Bridget · 02-06-2012, 09:57 AM

If it wasn't for the biting, I would have discouraged the woman from giving up so fast, as 3 hours wasn't long enough to give Ashley a chance. However, I couldn't encourage an adopter who is getting bit to keep trying and get bit some more. Seems like a liability issue if nothing else. I guess Ashley is really just not adoptable until she gets over her issues with new people. I am looking for a good terrier book or forum, so if anyone knows of one, I would like to know.

Mrs.K · 02-06-2012, 10:10 AM

I had the same issue with one of my fosters. Not deaf but she was doing great in this pack. She was doing great with the dogs from our team. She ran with large dogs and she had definitely some Terrier in her as well.

Then she went into a different Foster Home and she attacked their dog. I was in absolute disbelieve that she could have possibly attacked another dog because she was doing great in my house and with all the other dogs. So I can only imagine how she must have felt when her owner died, she went to the shelter, from there into boarding, from there to my place, long enough to get settled and feel secure and all of a sudden she's ripped out, transported and put into another house.

From there she went into boarding again... and since then I have not heard from her whereabouts nor do I know where she is. Last I heard that she was adopted out but one of the reasons I quit fostering, is because of the missing communication with the Rescue group I worked with.

Some dogs just don't do well with sudden change. I am sure that she didn't bite because she's mean. She's deaf, ripped out of her security blanket, which is YOUR HOUSE, and was simply on guard.

Did the new person startle her?
Does the new person make her presence known or is she just walking up trying to pet the dog?
The dog doesn't know her routine, she knows yours. She was in a new place, with new people AND being deaf on top of that. It does make a huge difference in how you approach a dog.

So I wouldn't be so quick to jump on calling it aggression.

02-02-2012, 09:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
Bridget Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,401	Deaf foster dog gets a chance I posted recently how discouraged I was trying to get our deaf foster terrier adopted. The next day a potential adopter came to visit Ashley and likes her! Ashley is going to her home for a "trial run" tonight. She will stay there for a couple days and if all goes well, will be adopted! Normally the shelter doesn't allow such a thing, but since Ashley is a hard to place dog they are making an exception. Everyone keep your fingers crossed please. I like the adopter. She is divorced and lives alone in a house with a fenced-in yard. She seems to be pretty knowledgeable about dogs. She lost two dogs recently, 14 & 15 years old, so that speaks well. I am so ecstatic that Ashley is finally being given a chance. I feel good about this, but trying not to get my hopes too high.

02-02-2012, 10:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
brembo Master Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Here, of course Posts: 696	Deaf dogs are easy really. I had a Corgi mix of some nature (passed at around 15 or 16) and she was way simple to handle. I liked the fact I could call my GSD and not bother her. I would stomp to get her attention. The only thing I had to be careful of was startling her, I'd stutter-step when entering a room to let her know I was nearby. Other than that it was situation normal. __________________ I seem to have misplaced my occipital lobe, and as such cannot search for it. Do you see my dilemma?

02-02-2012, 03:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bridget Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,401	Yes I consider her deafness pretty much a non-issue, but surprising how many folks didn't even want to meet her when they learned she was deaf.

02-02-2012, 03:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Daisy&Lucky's Mom Knighted Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,437	Fingers and paws crossed for Ashley to get a forever home. Sounds good so far!

02-02-2012, 04:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
KentuckyGSDLover Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Kentucky, of course Posts: 407	What a wonderful update! I hope things work out for Ashley!

02-02-2012, 04:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Stosh Crowned Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tyler texas Posts: 8,434	My friend has her deaf dog in rally and agility. The agility was a little challenging because she had to kind of act out what she wanted him to do but he did it! Hope Ashley gets a chance to do the same things and live a long happy life in her new home

02-03-2012, 11:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
Bridget Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,401	Yeah, that would be wonderful...Ashley was at her new home for a total of 3 hours. The potential adopter called me in tears and asked that I pick Ashley up, as Ashley had bitten her twice and wouldn't let her touch her. I am now going to search in the aggression threads and see what help I find there.

02-06-2012, 09:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
Bridget Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,401	If it wasn't for the biting, I would have discouraged the woman from giving up so fast, as 3 hours wasn't long enough to give Ashley a chance. However, I couldn't encourage an adopter who is getting bit to keep trying and get bit some more. Seems like a liability issue if nothing else. I guess Ashley is really just not adoptable until she gets over her issues with new people. I am looking for a good terrier book or forum, so if anyone knows of one, I would like to know.

02-06-2012, 10:10 AM	#10 (permalink)
Mrs.K Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 6,381	I had the same issue with one of my fosters. Not deaf but she was doing great in this pack. She was doing great with the dogs from our team. She ran with large dogs and she had definitely some Terrier in her as well. Then she went into a different Foster Home and she attacked their dog. I was in absolute disbelieve that she could have possibly attacked another dog because she was doing great in my house and with all the other dogs. So I can only imagine how she must have felt when her owner died, she went to the shelter, from there into boarding, from there to my place, long enough to get settled and feel secure and all of a sudden she's ripped out, transported and put into another house. From there she went into boarding again... and since then I have not heard from her whereabouts nor do I know where she is. Last I heard that she was adopted out but one of the reasons I quit fostering, is because of the missing communication with the Rescue group I worked with. Some dogs just don't do well with sudden change. I am sure that she didn't bite because she's mean. She's deaf, ripped out of her security blanket, which is YOUR HOUSE, and was simply on guard. Did the new person startle her? Does the new person make her presence known or is she just walking up trying to pet the dog? The dog doesn't know her routine, she knows yours. She was in a new place, with new people AND being deaf on top of that. It does make a huge difference in how you approach a dog. So I wouldn't be so quick to jump on calling it aggression.

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