It is very rare we run across a deaf greyhound so I was so excited when I received Canada’s Happy Tail. This story was submitted by Mikaela Hallett. When you read the timing of her story you will see this adoption was just meant to be. There are bigger forces at work when it comes to a deaf dog being in the right place at the right time. According to my deaf dogs Nitro, Bud and myself, Canada and Mikaela totally ROCK. Enjoy Canada’s Happy Tail! ~ Christina Lee – Deaf Dogs Rock
In June 2012 I had the pleasure to go to Florida with some fellow volunteers with a local greyhound adoption group. The day after arriving we went to Sanford Orlando Kennel Club, and I was so excited!! We got there just before the first race and as I flipped through the entries I saw a dog named Canada was just about to run a race! I joked with my friends that I would be betting on the greyhound with the silly name Canada.
Beautiful deaf greyhound Canada.
The dogs burst out of the race boxes and the girl with the funny name came second! After the race we were invited to meet her and I fell in love! We went to the racing kennels several times that week and each time I made sure to go visit Canada in her crate and give her snuggles. That is where I got my first ‘Canadian’ kiss…
Mikaela and Canada
Little did I know at the time I didn’t know I’d have a lifetime of them to look forward to! For the next year I watched every one of her dog races and constantly bugged her trainers for updates and pictures of the hound who stole my heart.
Canada loves to play with her toys!
As the year went on many loads of dogs came and went, retiring and finding homes of their own. I loved seeing people’s excitement in taking their dog home and the happy days to follow. One day it would be MY turn!
August 2013 I sat in the middle of the road just outside the GPAC kennel waiting for the rescue hauler to arrive! All I could think of is that any minute there would be 24 new babies to love and cuddle! What could be more exciting!? I hear the heavy engine and I see lights of the hauler coming down the road and yell “the hauler is here!” I raced down the driveway and waited as the rescue hauler pulled in; I waited for the dogs to be unloaded. “C’mere Mikaela” shouted Don (the amazing man who drives the dogs up from Florida), “Come get the first dog”. I didn’t think anything of it until I saw her. White dog. There are no white dogs on this load! Yellow muzzle. Canada has a yellow muzzle! Then she looked at me… It was her! My girl, she is here! Instant tears ran down my face, I was SO happy!
On September 8, 2013 Canada came home with me. I was so excited and I could tell she was also very excited because she sat on my lap the whole journey home. Then it dawned on me, this was it, this is what I had waited so long for. She is all mine!
Over he next few weeks I loved her to death and we spent a lot of time together, but I also knew something was different about her. Canada wasn’t like the other greyhounds. At first I thought she ignored me or maybe she didn’t like my voice. She seemed to always walk away when I asked her for a hug, kiss, or snuggle. After many at-home hearing tests and ultimately a trip to the vet to be sure she could not hear our suspicions were confirmed, I was right, my girl is deaf. She IS very special, more than I had ever thought. She can’t hear me because her ears don’t work. She hears with her heart!
Canada is the best dog I have ever met. She lies on top of me so I can’t leave her without her knowing. She looks me in the eyes when we talk (even if she doesn’t catch a word I say), she follows me like a faithful shadow, and she kisses me just enough so I never forget how much she loves me.
Now just think, when we went to the track that fateful day in June 2012, Canada had run shortly after we arrived at the race track. I keep thinking if we had of been running even five minutes late maybe stuck in traffic or if one of us had to run back in the house to grab a purse before heading to the track we may never have seen and met Canada. Am I ever glad I got the chance to meet the dirty dog with a funny name Canada on June 9th 2012.
Canada in one of her past Greyhound racing photos.
