Dog who was abandoned for being deaf finds a home and learns sign language

You could be forgiven for thinking that sign language is just for humans, but a clever dog has managed to learn this unique form of communication and turn his life around.

A ten-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy named Ivor has been deaf since the day he was born and was subsequently rejected by five different families in the earliest days of his life.

He eventually wound up in the care of the RSPCA and it was obvious that he suffered from trust issues due to all the rejection he had received.

However, after the RSPCA showed all the love and tenderness that any animal should receive, he was adopted by Ellie Bromilow and her family in December, after they fell in love with the dog despite his disability.

Amazingly, not only is he a sweet and adorable young dog, he has also managed to learn several pieces of sign language. Speaking to the Express, Ellie said:

He’d already learned the sign command for ‘sit’ and ‘come’ from staff at the RSPCA centre but now he knows lots more like ‘lie down’, ‘stay’, ‘all gone’ and he’s learning ‘roll over’.

When he gets the sign for ‘walkies’ he gets so excited. We keep him on a long lead and, if he’s looking, he’ll come to you when you raise one hand in the air.

Ellie adds that owning Ivor is no different to owning a dog with regular hearing as they still chat with him like any other dog owner would and that he has an amazing sense of smell.

Like us, if your heart has been won over by Ivor and his story, the RSPCA encourage anyone to adopt a deaf pooch as the benefits can be very rewarding.

Natalie Heaton, who works for the RSPCA in West Yorkshire, told The Express:

Deaf dogs can cope extremely well and rely on their other senses to help them navigate and understand everything.

However, there can be challenges with deaf dogs because of their hearing problems. 

They often bark a lot and can get quite frustrated, but Ellie seems to be managing this well by keeping Ivor mentally and physically stimulated and satisfied.

If you would like to learn more about Ivor and see more of his adventures, follow him on Facebook.

Ivor would also like you to learn more about the various rescue dogs charities around the UK especially RSPCA Halifax Huddersfield and Bradford where he was adopted from.

In conclusion, Ellie told Indy100:

Ivor is brilliant, a very bright dog that picks up new signs quickly and he loves to please - there are so many dogs just like him out there that deserve another chance with a loving family.

HT Bored Panda

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