Dogs Trust Bridgend is appealing for a loving home for a Border Collie puppy that was born deaf.
The delightful three-month old puppy called Stuart, arrived at the rehoming centre earlier this month after his previous owners made the difficult but responsible decision to hand him into Dogs Trust.
They thought it would be unsafe for him to live on a farm with large machinery around that he wouldn’t be able to hear.
Despite his lack of hearing, Stuart does not lack in personality or cleverness, and is a healthy pup, keeping his foster carer on her toes with his mischievous antics.
Proving that you can teach a deaf dog new tricks, Stuart is starting to respond well to sign language training which he is really enjoying, especially as he gets rewarded with tasty treats.
Stuart has bundles of energy and is looking for a committed owner who can give him what he needs both physically and mentally and who are prepared to do what it takes to train a deaf dog.
Dogs Trust Rehoming Manager, Angela Wetherall, said: “Stuart is such a joy and certainly doesn’t let the fact that he is deaf hold him back. Often people feel they wouldn’t be able to cope with a dog like Stuart, but deaf dogs can have a perfectly normal life and can be trained just as well as hearing dogs using hand signals and positive, reward-based techniques.
“He is still very young, so he has lots of potential to learn and grown into a well-socialised adult dog. He is lively and bouncy with plenty of energy, so he would love active owners who can offer him lots of physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. He would benefit from living with another dog as he will learn from them and follow their lead.
“He loves to play and enjoy lots of human company so is really just looking for a forever home where he can build his confidence and can blossom into a wonderful pet.”
Sadly, many deaf dogs end up in rehoming centres. However, Dogs Trust never puts a healthy dog to sleep and will look after each and every one of the four-legged friends in their care until they find their special someone.
The team at Dogs Trust Bridgend say Stuart would be best suited at a home with children over 11. Ideally his new family would have experience of, or have researched training, a deaf dog, but as with all dogs cared for by Dogs Trust, the behaviour team will be on hand to give Stuart’s new owners whatever support or guidance they need to make sure he settles in.
If you are interested in giving Stuart or other Dogs Trust Bridgend residents a loving new home, you can contact the Rehoming Centre directly on 01656 338745 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk.
