IN/OH/KY-8 mth old Deaf Female B Mix in Shelter

  • First Basenji's

    I am so far away, but I reposted for my midwestern friends on Facebook. She looks like a darling that anyone could easily fall in love with…


  • I saw her on Saturday and my comments are below.

    Here is what the shelter is sending out about her:

    Hello!
    I'm sending you this email as an employee of the Dearborn County Animal Shelter. We are a small shelter in Southeastern Indiana with limited resources, and we have a deaf Basenji mix in need of rescue. Her name is Destiny and she is 8 months old. We've had her here since mid-February. Very few people have stopped to look at her, and we feel that she is being overlooked because of her disability. She is such a sweet dog and in her situation, we wouldn't want her to go to just anybody. We thought that if someone could work with her so that she could learn signs and gestures then she could live a happy life with someone she could understand. She is very smart and picks up on things quickly, but we just don't have the time or knowledge to work with her ourselves. Destiny is still in her puppy phase. She is playful and wrestles with her kennel mate; she also likes chew toys. She is extremely friendly and won't hesitate to curl up in your lap. All she wants is a little affection. Most days when all of our dogs are out in the kennels barking up a storm, we see Destiny sound asleep for her naptime, not a care in the worl. It's just heartbreaking knowing that there is only so much we can do for her. We had her spayed, and she is now updated on her shots. She has also been heartworm tested negative. If you can do anything to help it would be greatly appreciated. Please get back to us if you could. Thank you!

    The telephone number is 812-926-0910 and speak with Marlene Underword, Director/ACO.

    Here are my comments:

    She is a sweet and friendly girl. I was able to touch her paws and look in her mouth although she was squirmy just like a puppy. I was able to pick her up. She was good on a leash but I did not walk her very far. She took pieces of biscuits from me and she does seem to look at you more than other dogs would. As soon as she was on the grass she urinated so perhaps she was trained at one time. She looks like a Shiba/Basenji mix because her fur is longer like a Shiba. From the shoulder back she looks and stands like a Shiba and her head looks like a B/Shepherd/Collie. She is hard to describe. I estimate that she weighs about 30 lbs. and looks to be somewhat stocky.

    I was told she has had both male and female dogs with her in her kennel and gets along with them. I was told that she does need to be fed separately-away from other dogs. This may be due to her being a stray but I feed all my Bs in their own crates.

    At the present time she is not in danger but this is definitely a rural shelter with limited space.

    Please forward the information to only reputable rescues. In OH this year there was a raid of a rescue, One More Chance Rescue, a 501c3 that had about 100 dogs at one location and about 400 dogs at another location that also had 76 dead dogs.

    Jennifer


  • A place like One more chance gives all rescue bad names. Shame on them! I hope they go to jail.


  • This breaks my heart. I pray that she soon finds a forever home.


  • How hard would it be to deal with her deafess? I've had two "B" totally blind and one in just one eye but all could hear good. Even without sight, they learned where things where in the back yard and got along great in the house. Sense of smell or what, did leave the grass tall around anything in the yard and if they hit that, they knew to stop. Without hearing you yell a warning to them, how do you protect them?
    Dave


  • @DaMac:

    How hard would it be to deal with her deafess? I've had two "B" totally blind and one in just one eye but all could hear good. Even without sight, they learned where things where in the back yard and got along great in the house. Sense of smell or what, did leave the grass tall around anything in the yard and if they hit that, they knew to stop. Without hearing you yell a warning to them, how do you protect them?
    Dave

    Mine don't listen when I yell anyhow 😉 Actually deaf dogs do great. Our pets usually gain a lot more from our communication with them by watching us, rather than listening.


  • I wish I could take this girl…she is soooo cute!


  • Well, sure thinking about it and yes, they all don't seem to listen do they. It's only a nine hour drive for me but if I get the Mustang running, can do it in eight.
    Dave


  • do it! she's a cutie, and it's getting to be lovely and spring-y - a great time for a road trip!


  • If anyone is interested in her, please research deaf dogs and the training it requires. Sometimes an outside trainer is required so please find out if there is a trainer in your area that has experience with deaf dogs.

    Jennifer


  • Jennifer,
    Sent you an E-mail in that I had contacted the shelter and spoke to Marlene. Spent a lot of time looking on line and saving the info on dealing with a deaf dog. Lots of good info out there but it sounds like a lot of patience and understanding is required. Some recommend teaching the dog a kind of hand language and even using a vibration collar to get its attention. Flashlights also said to work, just to get him/her to look. Going to talk with a couple of kennels in the morning about anyone in the area who might be able to help.
    DaMac


  • @Quercus:

    I wish I could take this girl…she is soooo cute!

    me too!!! odd how some just grab your heart, even when it's just a pic


  • DaMac,Thank you for doing what you have done for this dog.
    Your wonderful!


  • Hey Sharron,
    Just been inquiring, thank me when I get her home. There were no guide lines on dealing with a blind dog when it happened to me. Know I have the time now and certainly the patience. The kennel said she has a soul mate, little beagle, that get along just great together. Maybe a two for?? Going to call in the morning but dealing with some really nasty weather the last couple of days here.
    Dave


  • Destiny was at The Ohio State Univ. Vet Clinic and had her BEAR hearing test along with a neurological exam due to her head tilting and rear paws/legs shuffling which I noticed when she walked across a thinner carpet in the kitchen area.

    Based on the BEAR test and her normal ear drums, she has sensorineural hearing loss in both ears, most likely congenital/hereditary in nature.

    I am more concerned about the results of her neurological exam. The exam suggests that she has lesions affecting her caudal cervical spinal cord (C6-C8) (neck), her rostral medulla (brainstem) and possibly her cerebellum. Most of the deficits are bilateral and fairly symmetrical. Since there is no history of onset and progression it is difficult to have an idea of the cause of these deficits. Differentials would be an inflammatory process (active or inactive), degenerative diseases, and les likely a congenital anomaly orpost-traumatic deficits. The recommendation is to have a CBC/Profile, UA, cervical radiographs, MRI of brain and cervical spine, +/- CSF. They want me to monitor her for progession of her neurological signs.

    I will be having some of these tests done for her-the CBC/Profile and the x-rays. I am looking to raise some funds in order to pay for them. She has been treated for a UTI and had to change antibiotics because it was not clearing up. So far I have spent a little over $310 for her vet care.

    She is a sweet girl but plays a bit too rough and does not know when to stop playing for two of my Bs who have health issues-one who has Fanconi and one with an esophagus motility problem. She gets along with all my Bs though-2 females and 2 males. She is spayed and up-to-date on vaccines and is on monthly heartworm medication. She is housetrained and cratetrained. She has only had 2 accident in the house and these were due to her UTI. She has been with me and out of the shelter for almost 3 weeks.

    I am hoping to take some pictures this weekend whenever the rain will stop. She is possibly a B/Herding/Spitz mix and is about 10-11 months old and weighs 32 lbs. She will lay on the ground like a herding dog even when the grass is damp/wet. She runs around the kitchen table and the living room chasing the Bs and vice versa.

    If you are interested in donating to her care or know a rescue group or someone who could take her permanently, please contact me at jensrescue@yahoo.com.

    Thanks,

    Jennifer Hill


  • Jennifer, I might know somebody who is a possiblity. Has this girl been around kids? I am going to forward my friend the pic, and I will let you know if she is interested.


  • Since she was found as a stray, no knowledge if she has been around children. When she gets overly excited to see someone she can be mouthy since she is still young so probably no real young children. I get her to sit, direct her focus away from my hand and give her a nylabone chew toy. This usually works.

    She is learning how to sit with the hand signal for sit and almost has it learned. She is a fairly easy pill giver as she has not spit out a pill yet! She did a playbow today to the Bs to try to get them to play. My two middle Bs, Arnie-10 years old and Bambi-8 years old play with her. She can bark but is not overly barky. I feel she does need more socialization and I am planning on doing that this coming week when the weather is better.

    If you need additional information or have specific questons about her, let me know.

    Jennifer


  • @dcmclcm4:

    Since she was found as a stray, no knowledge if she has been around children. When she gets overly excited to see someone she can be mouthy since she is still young so probably no real young children. I get her to sit, direct her focus away from my hand and give her a nylabone chew toy. This usually works.

    She is learning how to sit with the hand signal for sit and almost has it learned. She is a fairly easy pill giver as she has not spit out a pill yet! She did a playbow today to the Bs to try to get them to play. My two middle Bs, Arnie-10 years old and Bambi-8 years old play with her. She can bark but is not overly barky. I feel she does need more socialization and I am planning on doing that this coming week when the weather is better.

    If you need additional information or have specific questons about her, let me know.

    Jennifer

    I will Jennifer, my friend is seriously considering it 🙂

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