Meet adoptable deaf 12 month old Dalmatian/Heeler mix girl Blueberry Muffin Mimosa aka Muffin who is looking for a loving forever home with someone who will cherish her, make daily positive reinforcement training/socialization/enrichment a priority and always keep her safe.

 

Note from Christina Lee with Deaf Dogs Rock on Potty Training: First it is so important to be so patient. I just potty trained my deaf Frenchton Emmylou (it took me four months for her little light bulb to come on and for her to go to the back door and scratch or cry). Muffin will need potty training in her new home by a loving and patient person. When one of my deaf dogs goes potty in the house, it is 100% my fault for not reading her body language, taking her out fast enough or often enough and limiting her access in the house (a dog having an accident in the home is 100% of human error for not setting the deaf dog up for success).  Muffin will need positive reinforcement potty training in her new home. She will need to be taken out often on a leash so you can tap her on the shoulder, give her the “go potty sign” and when she goes, give her an exuberant smile and a thumbs up sign. We do potty training on the leash because the minute she goes potty, gets a positive response from her handler as a reward she gets to come off leash to explore. Without the leash, a puppy will explore for 20 minutes, come into the house and go potty inside the house. Once they figure out there is a reward of coming off the leash as a reward for going potty when a sign cue is given and repeated often, potty training will progress. It helps to take the dog out every 45 minutes to an hour to encourage potty training. Also limited access to your home is a must during potty training so you can read her body language.

From her caregiver: Ms. Muffin came to our family as a puppy as a result of an unwanted litter. We were told that she is a mixed breed of Dalmatian and Blue Heeler. We had her for approximately for 2 weeks when we had a suspicion that she may be deaf. A trip to the our veterinarians office, confirmed this and our hunt began for a trainer. Muffin was seen by a local professional trainer who had stated that their company had experience with working this type of condition over a period of 2 months. While the training centered around the use of a E- Collar, the use of hand signals was included as a request by us. Training agency information can be requested, if you would like to verification of her training!

Unfortunately the training, has done nothing for Muffin except for cause her what I believe to have been fear of the E-Collar and the use of hand signals has not been effective. I don’t believe instilling fear/anxiety in an animal is not the way to gain obedience in an animal with a disability such as this (sorry, that’s just my honest opinion). Due to the training not being effective, Muffin although is a sweetheart who very lovable and playful is not potty trained, she can be over rambunctious and has ended up causing problems in our household. We have really small children in our home, and she doesn’t realize that her rambunctious puppy personality and her inability to not be so playfully over stimulated (in a non violent manner but very very playful! ) has caused anxiety and fear in our youngest children and we need to find her a new home.

Ms. Muffin is a good girl, who is not in any way violent. She would do better in a home I think with out young children meaning 6 years old and younger (a home with kids 10+ would be okay). She needs structure and probably some daily consistent positive reinforcement training.

Note from Christina with DDR – All of our dogs and deaf puppies go through Nothing In Life is Free training which would benefit Muffin greatly). She is a doll, and I want her to go to a home with someone who understands what it takes to care for her and of course show her all of the love and care she deserves. She does well with other animals as we have other pets and I have attached pictures showing just how sweet she is with them. Please contact me if you are interested or if you know of anyone that may be able to foster her until a good home is found.

Muffin’s adoption fee is $250 to a screened and approved home only. She was just spayed and vetted (over $400 in vetting). Muffin would not make a good apartment dog. She needs a home owner who has a house with a secure fenced in back yard where she can romp, play and stay safe.

You must live within 3 hours of Montague, CA to be considered for adoption. IF you are interested in adopting Muffin and willing to be patient and work with her, please email Andrea at: forfoxsake1979@gmail.com