Deaf Puppy Was Surrendered By A Breeder, Then His Pennsylvania Family Realized Something Else Was Wrong

When a breeder surrendered a Great Dane puppy from a ‘mistake’ litter, a dedicated rescue stepped in. Now, his new Pennsylvania family is finding creative ways to help him navigate the world.

An Unexpected Call

When a breeder found themselves with a “mistake” litter, one of the puppies needed a special kind of help. The young Great Dane, named Hogan, was born completely deaf.

Knowing the puppy would require a dedicated home, the breeder surrendered him to a Great Dane Rescue. The rescue team immediately began looking for someone who could handle his unique needs.

They reached out to an experienced adopter named Crystal, asking if she would be interested in giving the puppy a chance. For Crystal, the answer was an easy one.

She was thrilled to be given the opportunity to welcome the growing dog into her home. From the moment they met, it was love at first sight.

A Promise For The Future

Crystal knew that raising a deaf dog would come with a learning curve, but she was fully committed.

Her main goal was simple: she wanted Hogan to live the absolute fullest life possible. She was determined to make sure he wouldn’t miss out on anything just because he couldn’t hear.

Hogan quickly proved that he was up for any adventure Crystal wanted to take him on.

His joyful spirit made the early days of his adoption incredibly rewarding for his new family.

Testing His Senses

To understand the full extent of his hearing loss, the family did some testing of their own at home.

They tried dropping objects, yelling, and calling his name from other rooms. It quickly became clear that Hogan was completely deaf.

But as the months passed, Crystal began to notice other concerning behaviors.

It seemed that Hogan’s challenges weren’t limited to just his hearing.

A Second Diagnosis

While navigating his new environment, Hogan started running into parked cars. He was also accidentally falling off of curbs during his walks.

Crystal took him to the vet, where they discovered that Hogan was also visually impaired. The veterinarian explained that the dog’s pupils were underdeveloped.

This condition gave him major light sensitivity, making it difficult for him to see clearly, especially outdoors.

Sometimes, Hogan would bark at shadows or moving objects that he couldn’t quite make out, leaving his family trying to comfort him.

Finding The Right Gear

Knowing that the sunlight was hurting his eyes and limiting his mobility, Crystal looked for a solution.

She outfitted Hogan with a pair of protective “doggles” to shield his sensitive eyes from the bright light.

The specialized eyewear made an immediate difference. The doggles really seemed to improve his vision during the daytime hours.

With his eyes protected, Hogan was able to explore the outdoors with much more confidence.

A New Way To Call Him

Because Hogan couldn’t hear his name being called, the family needed a reliable way to get his attention.

They introduced a vibrating collar to help with his training and recall. Crystal holds a remote trigger in her hand while Hogan wears the collar.

When she presses the button, the collar gives a gentle vibration, much like a Fitbit buzzing on a wrist.

Hogan has been trained to know that when he feels that vibration, it means he needs to come back and check in with his mom.

Inventing A Language

Communication in the house goes far beyond the vibrating collar. The family has also taught Hogan sign language.

However, because of his visual impairment, standard hand signals weren’t enough. They had to adapt their movements to use large, exaggerated sign language.

Crystal and her family have even made up many of their own custom signs to ensure Hogan can see and understand them.

Thanks to this unique language, Hogan now knows commands like sit, stay, come, paw, away, and off, and they are currently working on teaching him “around.”

A Growing Gentle Giant

Despite his rough start, Hogan is a super happy-go-lucky dog who just wants to be close to his people.

At 98 pounds, he is still considered pretty petite for a Great Dane, especially compared to Crystal’s previous Danes who weighed 140 and 160 pounds.

He still has some filling out to do, but his personality is already larger than life.

He loves to snuggle, though he gets so excited about cuddling that it sometimes takes him a while to calm down.

A Richer Life Together

Hogan isn’t the only lucky animal in the house. Crystal’s family has five pets in total, all of whom are adopted or rescued.

Crystal believes that Hogan is incredibly intuitive, always knowing exactly what she needs and offering comfort when she needs it most.

She feels deeply gracious for the chance to adopt such a unique soul.

He brings endless light and happiness into their home, making their lives richer simply by being in it.