I was trying to adopt a pittie in California that I had fallen in love with. Her name was Tink and she was deaf. After checking numerous ways to get her all the way to me in Florida, I decided it would not be fair or safe for her, and she now had a good foster home so she was safe. Little did I know that later, her foster home would become her forever home and we would all become friends, so happy endings.
I do a lot of posting and sharing to help dogs get out of danger in the shelters and I saw another american bullie/pittie mix that had already been pulled from a kill shelter and was in a rescue right here in my town. Her name was Hannah and she too was a deafie. We planned on going the very next day to see her. It was love at first sight for my daughter Courtney and I. I think the rescue dog Hannah felt it too, we were all so happy to be together but we had to do just one more little thing and that was to bring the our grand old lady pittie named Boo to the house to meet Hannah and “approve”. We also rescued our girl Boo, almost 13 years ago. She will be 13 this December and we got her as a wee little one. We stayed with Hannah until the rescue closed but we were back the next morning when they opened with Boo in tow. It was perfect match because Boo is so kind, patient, and they got along fine.
Hannah is now in our home forever. We have been working with her on the only real problem she had and that was separation anxiety. When we would both leave the house, she went crazy, barking and eating things. So we got her a crate and she went crazy in that as well. After a few books and hours on the internet reading, we tried a Monster Mouth. It is like a Kong that you can fill with treats. She knows when the Monster Mouth appears, she goes to her crate and gets this “funny looking green thing” filled with all kinds of goodies! She works and works at it and seems to forget all about us leaving. She must wear herself out, because she usually naps when she is finished. Now, if we have to be gone for awhile, she is safe and happy.
Other than that, Hannah does not a have a problem in the world. She is learning her signing and she is so smart. She has even learned swimming in the pool is a great pastime. Although, she does get upset when our other dog Boo stops playing with her after a short time because Boo wears out quickly but we have that under control. Next month with the help of a new foster mom, we are adopting another deaf pittie girl named Molly to be Hannah’s forever sister. She was saved from the shelter and is in foster now just waiting for us to come and get her. We can’t wait to see the look on Hannah’s face when she meets Molly.
I hope everyone who reads Hannah’s story will give these deafie babies another look because you have no idea what you are missing! People say our dogs are blessed to have found us, but I think we feel blessed to have found them.
Kaye Gorman and her daughter, Courtney
Thanks Kaye and Courtney for sharing Hannah’s Happy Tail with us here at Deaf Dogs Rock. We can’t wait to hear about Molly when you get her!