A heartwarming video has showcased the way a deaf dog has built up a way to communicate with her owners, despite not being able to hear.
Faith, a 3-year-old mixed breed, was born deaf, but owner Nikki, 38, has dedicated time and effort into teaching her canine how to communicate with the family.
Nikki, who didn’t give her surname, lives in Minnesota. She told Newsweek: “Our family taught Faith all of her signs. We love sharing Faith on social media. Our hope is to showcase animals with special needs in a positive light.”
In a video on TikTok that has over 871,000 views, Nikki shared how Faith responds to her sign language. Essential commands like “potty” and “water” include specific signs, and Faith says yes by walking toward her owner and “booping” the hand to indicate agreement.
“Although Faith is deaf, she is extremely smart and learns sign language quickly. We hope people enjoy learning from our family and Faith,” Nikki said.
The exact number of deaf dogs is hard to know, mainly because of a lack of studies, but it is estimated to be relatively low at around 2.56 to 6.5 cases per 10,000 canines seen at veterinary teaching hospitals. Dogs that are deaf at birth is often a result of genetic factors, and can be especially present in breeds with white or marbled coats.
Despite the challenges that come with deafness, dogs without hearing can live full and happy lives. Dachshund Charlie had an adorable reaction when he sensed his owner was home, and Evie the dog is super helpful at taking care of baby animals on the family farm in Arizona.
As the clip of Faith’s sign language skills gained more attention on TikTok, people shared reactions in the comments.
“Seeing you wave to get her attention made me tear up,” posted viewer Courtz. “My dog went almost entirely deaf the last couple of years of his life and that was how i got his attention if he was far away, get in his line of sight and wave.”
“I use the same system for my dog, she is hearing so I do name some options to figure out what she wants. Its great,” added lifeofbrendastefanie.
“She’s a stunning dog and so smart!” wrote EatThisBrat.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
The post Deaf Dog’s Sign-Language Skills Melt Hearts: ‘Extremely Smart’ appeared first on Newsweek.
