September 21, 2024 is our ninth annual National Deaf Dogs Rock Day to celebrate and bring awareness to how much we think our deaf dogs rock. After we adopted our deaf boxer Nitro, we estimated his date of birth was sometime between September 15 and September 30, 2010. Nitro would have been 14 years old this month but unfortunately our beloved Nitro passed away November 5, 2018 after a short but courageous battle with Lymphoma. It is because of Nitro and all of the beloved deaf dogs all over the world that we celebrate National Deaf Dogs Rock Day. Our National Deaf Dogs Rock Day will also kick off Deaf Dog Awareness week which starts this year on Sunday September 22,2024 and runs through Saturday September 28, 2024 (it always runs the last full week of September starting on a Sunday).
Photos above where taken on September 17, 2022 to celebrate National Deaf Dogs Rock Day with our deafies.
Our Deaf Dogs Rock Community totally ROCKS!
Photo above: Some of our local deaf dog families here in Roanoke, VA.
Above photo: Our Deaf Dogs Rock Executive Team (2018)
It was on this week 14 years ago our deaf boxer boy Nitro was born. Ten weeks later. a City of Salem animal control officer found him on a cold November day dumped at a rising river in Salem, Virginia. The director of the City of Salem Animal Shelter Rebecca contacted Chris and I to see if we would consider adopting a little malnourished deaf boxer puppy. The rest of Nitro’s story is history. We welcomed him into our home not knowing one thing about training a deaf puppy and we named him Nitro. We had a lot to learn about training and living with a deaf dog but we both embraced the challenge. You can read more about Nitro’s Legacy by clicking here.
Photo above. The first week Nitro was in his new home.
Because of this little deaf puppy Nitro, Deaf Dogs Rock was launched 9 months after his adoption (August 1, 2011). I could not bare to look at Nitro’s sweet innocent face every day knowing deaf dogs and deaf puppies where being put to sleep every day in shelters across the world just because they could not hear. I knew I had to do something to help puppies just like Nitro.
Today our non-profit organization Deaf Dogs Rock promotes deaf dog adoptions, sponsors deaf pups/dogs into rescue, advocates for deaf dogs all over the world, transports deaf dogs into rescue, pays for spay/neuters for deaf dogs/puppies so they can be adopted, educates new deaf dog families on living with and training a deaf dog, and has a wonderful Deaf Dogs Rock Facebook community who connects with deaf dog families all over the world. Families just like all of us who truly believe Deaf Dogs Rock.
What better way to honor our deaf dogs and how much they mean to us than by setting aside one day a year called National Deaf Dogs Rock Day to show the world how we feel about or deaf velcro dogs.
Photo above: Our CEDD (Chief Executive Deaf Dog) Nitro in 2011
On this very special day please take time to appreciate how much your deaf dogs mean to you by doing something special with your deaf dogs. Take your dog for a hike, schedule a play date with other dogs, take your deafie on a fun ride in the car, go to your local pet store and buy your deaf dog a special toy or treat. Get on the floor (at your deaf dog’s level) and play with your deaf dog. Consider bringing in a deaf dog into your family. Click here to view our adoptable deaf dogs section.
Our Deaf Dogs Rock community has a great sense of humor! Since 80-90% of deaf dogs are white, why not give them eyebrows?
National Deaf Dogs Rock Day on September 21, 2024 will also be a great way kick off to Deaf Pet Awareness Week September 22-28, 2024. Help us show the world how much your deaf dog rocks by posting photos of your family with your deaf and hearing dogs.
This week if you are on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, please follow Deaf Dogs Rock and share your family photos with your deaf dogs with the following hashtags on September 21st #DeafDogsRockDay and #DeafDogsHearWithTheirHearts #DeafDogsRock #NationallDeafDogsRockDay
Visit the official National Deaf Dogs Rock Day website by clicking here.
You can find Deaf Dogs Rock on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/deafdogsrock/
Deaf Dogs Rock on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/deafdogsrock/
Be sure to check out 10 Reasons Why Deaf Dogs Rock by clicking here.
Photo above: “The day God made deaf dogs, he just sat down and smiled”
Photos below: Just some of our wonderful supporters wearing their Deaf Dogs Rock “Deaf Dogs Hear With Their Hearts” t-shirts.
