Tennessee Woman Was Nervous About Raising A Deaf Dog Until Her Day Job Gave Her An Unusual Idea
A Tennessee woman wasn’t planning on getting a French bulldog, but when a coworker needed to rehome a deaf pup, she stepped up. Using her background as a speech therapist, she found creative ways to bridge the communication gap and build a beautiful bond.
An Unexpected Addition
A woman in California was not planning on bringing a French bulldog into her life. She already had a dog named Ghost and felt her family routine was perfectly set.
But fate had other plans when a coworker mentioned they were looking to give away a deaf dog.
Knowing the pup needed a safe, loving home, she decided to open her doors to the little Frenchie named Stiizy.
While she wasn’t worried about how Ghost would react—knowing he absolutely loves other dogs—the prospect of raising a deaf pup brought some initial nerves.
A Unique Skill Set
“Yes, I did have doubts,” she admitted. She was nervous because she had no prior experience training a deaf dog.
However, her professional background gave her a unique advantage.
As a speech therapist, she had plenty of experience working with deaf people and understanding non-verbal communication.
Relying on her career skills, she reassured herself. “So I was like, ‘It should be fine,'” she recalled.
The Communication Barrier
Despite her professional confidence, the reality of living with a deaf dog presented immediate hurdles.
She quickly realized that she didn’t fully know what she was walking into when she brought Stiizy home.
In the beginning, simply getting Stiizy’s attention was a major difficulty.
The little Frenchie also wasn’t giving her new mom any signs that she wanted something, leaving them both slightly disconnected.
Inventing A Custom Language
The speech therapist knew she had to bridge the gap, but she had to adapt her methods.
“How do I teach her sign?” she wondered, noting that teaching a dog is completely different from teaching a person.
She sat down and came up with a dedicated training plan.
She decided to invent a custom language just for Stiizy, making up a lot of the signs herself to ask things like, “What do you want?” and “Where ball?”
A Brilliant Breakthrough
To solve the attention problem, she introduced a clever tool into their daily routine.
Whenever she had a really hard time getting the Frenchie to look her way, she would use a laser pointer.
This simple visual cue became a massive breakthrough for the pair.
It helped Stiizy realize that she could also initiate communication, finally understanding, “Oh, hey, I can get her attention this way.”
The Big Brother Dynamic
As Stiizy settled in, her relationship with her new canine brother blossomed into a beautiful dynamic.
“It’s very much big brother, little sister,” their mom explained.
Stiizy is full of playful energy, often wanting to romp even when Ghost just wants to relax.
The little Frenchie looks up to Ghost so much that she started copying his habits, like sitting at the window resting perfectly on her paws just like he does.
A Special Sibling Check-In
Ghost quickly found his own way to understand his little sister.
Whenever Stiizy and her mom return from a walk, Ghost immediately goes up to her and smells her, as if to ask, “Where have you been?”
Their mom laughs at their interactions, honestly wondering if Ghost even knows that Stiizy is deaf.
Sometimes, it seems like he’s just looking at his little sister thinking, “Why isn’t she listening to me?”
Shattering Stereotypes
Today, Stiizy is thriving and constantly defying the expectations people have for special-needs dogs.
Strangers often expect her to be timid and slower, but her mom proudly states that isn’t the case at all.
Because she loves food, she was incredibly easy to train and picked up her new sign language with enthusiasm.
Looking back on the unexpected journey, her mom couldn’t be happier, knowing they simply “get each other.”
