Love and Acceptance of Deaf and Blind Dogs at its Best

My heart is always warmed and filled with a real feeling of overflowing love, acceptance, and hope whenever I read or witness kindness and support being offered God’s precious creations. When children are learning to lend a hand to those in need, such as our deaf, blind dogs, these wonderful feelings pour like a magnificent waterfall placed smack dab in the middle of the most beautiful types of kindness, love, and acceptance.

No matter our age, all of us can learn from these incredible preschool students to open our hearts and do whatever we can to help and save others, no matter what.

Sit! Read! Enjoy!

Elsie is a three-year-old deaf and partially blind Dalmatian who was “unadoptable” until That Place Called Home (CA) diligently worked to locate her forever home located clear across the country.

Preschool raises money for blind, deaf dogs

Article from the Daily Journal, April 7, 2021

Kevin Jenkins, Managing Editor

https://dailyjournalonline.com/

Children attending Farmington Presbyterian Church's Window Tree Preschool received plenty of warmhearted entertainment Thursday morning courtesy of several furry friends who, along with their handlers, dropped by the preschool to celebrate a very special occasion.

That day marked the conclusion of Window Tree Preschool's third "Pennies for Puppies" fundraiser for "Speak St. Louis," a rescue organization for Australian Shepherds that specializes in promoting double merle awareness.

The term "double merle" refers to a dog bred by two merle-colored parents. Most people are unaware that when two merles of any breed are bred together, each puppy has a 25% chance of being born as a double merle.

Born with excessive white coloration, these dogs are known to have eye abnormalities, hearing impairments or sometimes both. Double merle puppies are often dumped into shelters or left to fend for themselves by careless breeders.

Common breeds with the merle trait include Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Catahoula Leopards, Chihuahuas, Collies, Dachshunds, and Great Danes, among others. 

While the dogs may have been unable to see or hear very well, they were masters at giving and receiving love and attention from the excited children, workers and parents who filled the room with laughter and squeals of delight.

The children gently petted and held their special guests as their faces beamed with happiness.

"We have been doing this since 2019," said Preschool Director Tammy Moriarty. "One of our teachers that used to work here adopted a dog through them. We've been raising money for them. We collect as many pennies, nickels, dimes — anything we can — every spring for them."

Moriarty explained that the children are given empty Parmesan cheese containers in which to collect money for the rescue.

"Every morning we spend about 15 minutes counting whatever money they bring in — so, we're working on counting too and we're learning about different coins," she said. Then at the end, we take it all to the bank and cash it in so we don't have to give them a thousand pounds of coins."

This year, the children raised a total of $1,191.43 for Speak St. Louis.

"I think our first year we maybe had $400 or $500 and we've just gotten bigger and bigger every year," Moriarty said. "That's a lot of pennies! We're just so glad the kids can raise money for something and see where their money is going. We always like to do things like that."

As the children gathered around to present the check to Judy Duhr of Speak St. Louis, tears began welling up in her eyes.

"It means a lot to us," she said. "We haven't been able to do any events or anything since COVID started, so it's amazing. These kids are so kind and it helps us to help a lot more dogs with special needs."

The First 30 Days of Dog Adoption

This important information is provided by Petfinder. Our preparation and expectations of our new family members are critical to success. The first few days in your home are special and critical for a pet. Your new dog will be confused about where he is and what to expect from you. Setting up some clear structure with your family for your dog will be paramount in making as smooth a transition as possible.

Before You Bring Your Dog Home:

• Determine where your dog will be spending most of his time. Because he will be under a lot of stress with the change of environment (from shelter or foster home to your house), he may forget any housebreaking (if any) he’s learned. Often a kitchen will work best for easy clean-up.

• If you plan on crate training your dog, be sure to have a crate set-up and ready to go for when you bring your new dog home. Find out more about crate training your dog.

• Dog-proof the area where your pooch will spend most of his time during the first few months. This may mean taping loose electrical cords to baseboards; storing household chemicals on high shelves; removing plants, rugs, and breakables; setting up the crate, and installing baby gates.

• Training your dog will start the first moment you have him. Take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use when giving your dog directions. This will help prevent confusion and help your dog learn his commands more quickly. Not sure which commands to use? Check out How to Talk to Your Dog.

• Bring an ID tag with your phone number on it with you when you pick up your dog so that he has an extra measure of safety for the ride home and the first few uneasy days. If he is microchipped, be sure to register your contact information with the chip’s company, if the rescue or shelter did not already do so.

First Day:

• We know moving is stressful — and your new dog feels the same way! Give him time to acclimate to your home and family before introducing him to strangers. Make sure children know how to approach the dog without overwhelming him. Go here for more on introducing dogs and children.

• When you pick up your dog, remember to ask what and when he was fed. Replicate that schedule for at least the first few days to avoid gastric distress. If you wish to switch to a different brand, do so over a period of about a week by adding one part of new food to three parts of the old for several days; then switch to half new food, half old, and then one part old to three parts new. For more information about your dog’s diet, check out our section on Dog Nutrition.

• On the way home, your dog should be safely secured, preferably in a crate. Some dogs find car trips stressful, so having him in a safe place will make the trip home easier for him and you.

• Once home, take him to his toileting area immediately and spend a good amount of time with him so he will get used to the area and relieve himself. Even if your dog does relieve himself during this time, be prepared for accidents. Coming into a new home with new people, new smells and new sounds can throw even the most housebroken dog off-track, so be ready just in case. Need more housetraining tips? Check out our Dog Housetraining section.

• If you plan on crate training your dog, leave the crate open so that he can go in whenever he feels like it in case he gets overwhelmed. Also, be sure to check out the do’s and don’ts of crate training your dog.

• From there, start your schedule of feeding, toileting, and play/exercise. From Day One, your dog will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Don’t give in and comfort him if he whines when left alone. Instead, give him attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly (Source: Preparing Your Home For A New Dog).

• For the first few days, remain calm and quiet around your dog, limiting too much excitement (such as the dog park or neighborhood children). Not only will this allow your dog to settle in easier, but it will also give you more one-on-one time to get to know him and his likes/dislikes.

• If he came from another home, objects like leashes, hands, rolled up newspapers and magazines, feet, chairs, and sticks are just some of the pieces of “training equipment” that may have been used on this dog. Words like “come here” and “lie down” may bring forth a reaction other than the one you expect. Or maybe he led a sheltered life and was never socialized to children or sidewalk activity. This dog may be the product of a never-ending series of scrambled communications and unreal expectations that will require patience on your part.

Following Weeks:

• People often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks after adoption. Your dog may be a bit uneasy at first as he gets to know you. Be patient and understanding while also keeping to the schedule you intend to maintain for feeding, walks, etc. This schedule will show your dog what is expected of him as well as what he can expect from you.

• After discussing it with your veterinarian to ensure your dog has all the necessary vaccines, you may wish to take your dog to group training classes or the dog park. Pay close attention to your dog’s body language to be sure he’s having a good time — and is not fearful or a dog park bully. If you’re unsure of what signs to watch for, check out this video on safety at the dog park.

• To have a long and happy life together with your dog, stick to the original schedule you created, ensuring your dog always has the food, potty time, and attention he needs. You’ll be bonded in no time! For more information on creating a feeding schedule for your dog visit How Often Should You Feed Your Dog?

• If you encounter behavior issues you are unfamiliar with, ask your veterinarian for a trainer recommendation. Select a trainer who uses positive-reinforcement techniques to help you and your dog overcome these behavior obstacles. Visit Dog Training for more information on reward-based training.

Congratulations! If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a well-adjusted canine family member.

Special appreciation goes to Petfinder.com for providing great information and opportunities to adopt a pup in need. “Rescue is our breed of choice,” Traveling Two Dogs.