Dog breeder does the UNTHINKABLE! 😤 | Incredibly smart Australian Shepherd

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[@Trekki200]

I wonder if his owner knew that he is deaf and choose him for it or if that was more of a happy coincidence

[@GirlWithTheDogs]

Yes, she knew he was deaf and chose him for that reason. 😀

[@cancer_sucks]

🥰thats a great person right there@@GirlWithTheDogs

[@acwhit1593]

​@@GirlWithTheDogs His owner is awesome!❤

[@blue2mato312]

He’s a total sweetheart! ❤️

[@novakien2714]

This pup went to the best home possible and I'm happy to see that he is thriving in his environment!

[@Tazzie1312]

Spirit's breeding is unethical, but his training and demeanor could not be better. He was incredibly well-behaved and such a good boy.

[@emrilbennett8704]

Agreed.

[@mehere8299]

Bad breeding, excellent ownership.

[@jameslove3275]

fr 🤍

[@MrDinoMunchies]

the way i started to cry when i heard that the owner was a teacher for the deaf and adopted a deaf dog then taught him sign language was just too precious for my heart to handle

[@thesolersystemofgames841]

Movie plot material

[@cloudedfreedom6286]

When I saw her sign sit for him and he listened I was fascinated.

[@katherineyates4491]

So incredibly sweet and touching, I'm totally crying too

[@leslie3937]

I had a poorly breed rescue Aussie who was a double Merle. She was lucky enough to have pigment around her ears and eyes. She was very lucky. She came from the SPCA and was rescued from a backyard after just having puppies. She also had heartworms. I treasured every year I had with that dog. She was so smart. Edit: An Aussie in the snow is so freaking fun. I loved the ending. I rescued mine from Houston. We then moved to Massachusetts. She LOVED the snow.

[@maryvaughn7886]

Mine came from Montgomery county SPCA & loved the snow we rarely got. I also had a seriously disabled son & I refuse to consider "my boys" mistakes but I wouldn't wish their disabilities on anyone. Blessings

[@reality1701]

They bred a double merle dog?? How awful 😞 so glad she found a wonderful home with you!

[@leslie3937]

@@reality1701 I’m not sure of her whole story. She was rescued from a backyard hoarding puppy situation. That’s all I know. She was the best dog I’ve ever had, and was the love of my life.

[@XAustria]

I also have a double merle Aussie, a breeder “accident”. She’s one of the lucky ones, her irises only have surface tears and her pupils are round so she can see well, and she’s only completely deaf in one ear so she can hear enough to respond to spoken commands. I have taught her hand signs along with them in case her hearing degrades further. She is the sweetest dog I have ever met and now I can’t imagine life without her. As a puppy she was an escape artist and she seriously doesn’t let anything hold her back. It pains me the cruelty that some double merles and many disabled dogs in general face because we treat pets as merchandise and they’re the “defective” ones. My girl and so many other dogs have so much love and happiness in them, they deserve the best life we can give them and seeing that a lot of these dogs aren’t dying in shelters is one of the few things that still gives me hope despite everything going on in the world.

[@CraftyZanTub]

@@reality1701 The groomer isn't this dog's owner, he's owned by a teacher of the deaf.

[@peregrina7701]

I took one look at the thumbnail and said 'double.' Thank you for providing information about this important example of the difference between ethical and careless breeding. Spirit is such a wonderful boy and I'm overjoyed he hit the jackpot with his human family. I knew one could train a dog to respond to gestures but this is the first time I've seen a deaf dog trained using ASL! Thank you to Spirit's family for sharing their beautiful happy floof!

[@vikingdogmanship]

The merle color should be banned in breeding. I've seen a very sad trend with theese exotic colors and it spreads to more and more breeds... Same thing with the bob tail and the dangers it comes with. why on earth are we breeding for theese traits? Same with the legs of the GSD and the poor brachycephalic dog breeds. It needs to end!

[@velvetsnapdragon8713]

@@vikingdogmanshipno, merle should not be banned in breeding as it is normal in some breeds and that is too far lol. and gsd legs are fine, you’tr thinking of byb

[@vikingdogmanship]

@@velvetsnapdragon8713 I understand what you are saying. But if dogs no longer can breed "normally" because it can be detrimental, i dont think it's something we should keep on breeding for. Imagine a pack of merles in the wild.... Would end horribly regardless etichal breeders. It's sad to see were we are heading. It's becoming an epidemic.

[@spongebobsqaurepants]

Same thing. That and the fact popular aussies have merling, i knew he was double by the stark white fur and the eyes

[@velvetsnapdragon8713]

@@vikingdogmanship i cant say i agree but i understand what you’re saying, i think at least for now we should continue trying to be as rid as we can of byb but thats not exactly easy yk

[@Lorrainecats]

Poor doggie, but he seems happy. Thanks for educating about breeding.

[@mastermike7000]

No need to feel sorry for this lovely lad - he's certainly not feeling sorry for himself!

[@jt1364]

It's not like he knows he's deaf and partially blind. Dogs don't think like humans. To him he doesn't have "disabilities" as they don't even know what that means.

[@katiea2228]

When you mentioned all his commands he knows, it reminded me of a deaf boxer at the dog daycare I work at. We’ve had a few deaf dogs who know a few signs but on the first day we had this boxer, his mom came with multiple copies of a packet she made just for him that had all the signs he knows. I was so happy to see that and I love watching his brain think when you give him a sign 🥰

[@maryvaughn7886]

My husband called this PuppESp

[@malloryjines5050]

They’re SUCH smart dogs (we have two), and probably one of the best to use sign language with! He’s a beauty. He found the perfect parents.

[@WendyCR72]

Irresponsible breeding aside, Spirit seems like such a loving, wonderful pup! And how fortunate of him to have owners that understand his needs and how to accommodate them all while giving him the love and life he deserves. I'd cuddle with Spirit any day. And the fact that he understands American Sign Language and could be trained using that just illustrates what a smart boy he is! ♥

[@janpesek4862]

These PSAs are a great way to educate viewers about these issues. Thumbs up for helping these dogs and their owners.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

On the other hand, our family have never had a deliberately bred dog or cat. We always adopted or were gifted whatever "mutt" or cat was available and needed a home. Way back in the 1970's when I was little, one of our horses was a papered Morgan, and dumber than a brick...

[@7531monkey]

They are even better wih the sound off so you can enjoy the dogs and avoid a sermon.

[@rangerlove7]

@@7531monkeyheaven forbid you learn something while watching a cute dog get groomed 🙄

[@Mokiefraggle]

@@MonkeyJedi99 Horses frequently are, purebred or not. Arguably, the dumb ones are easier to deal with...clever horses get up to mischief, and can be a relentless source of equal parts laughs and incredible frustration. Had a very clever horse once...he was in fact a professional purveyor of mischief and mayhem, no matter what I did to keep his mind occupied.

[@JoyceMary89]

@@7531monkeythat sounds like what an unethical backyard breeder would say. If you dont like the “sermon” that means you do t give a fck about animals wellbeing, and that means you dont give a fck about animals. Period. So why are you even here??

[@dvdkolk]

Sad to hear the breeder did this but Spirit seems like a lovely dog nonetheless, very affectionate and trusting.

[@velvety2006]

our old dog was a purebred lab with born displacia in his elbows, the breeder denied it and even told us to 'just give him back' then like the poor dog was a ikea table, we had a hunch what they would do so no we did not get him back. the doctor that operated him talked to the breeders and while he did not really say it we think he got them removed or reported to the breeding organisations. As for our dog, we did give him the best 12 and month years of his life that we could

[@dvdkolk]

@@velvety2006 good! It's not the dog's fault after all. Spirit found the right home but he shouldn't have existed in the first place. Now that he does he should be taken care of in the best way and lucky for him (and your dog) he gets what he needs.

[@krisniznik3953]

People really like Merle dogs so breeders take the risk of breeding two together even though it can result in some of them having birth defects because they can get more money for the others. The blind and deaf ones they can just dump on rescues and shelters. NEVER buy Merle dogs! Better yet, never buy any dogs, always rescue!

[@katie7748]

​@dvdkolk "Shouldn't have existed in the first place"?! Egads, how cold! Imagine saying that about someone's child born with a disability or whatnot. I get your point but still...

[@aesaphyr]

​@@katie7748 As a disabled human, I feel the need to point out the fundamental difference: unlike a disabled child, Spirit was the product of a human deciding to artificially match up two dogs that they knew would cause impairments likely to significantly affect his quality of life, but they did it anyway because they thought the puppies would look cute and make money. I hope that highlights why someone said he "shouldn't have existed". He didn't come here as the result of bad luck in a loving family, but rather as a deliberate human choice made for money. Hopefully we can all agree that this kind of behaviour is reprehensible and not comparable to parents who have a disabled child...

[@lynnwood84]

He's heckin ADORABLE is what he is. Poor baby, so glad he got adopted by an owner who was knowledgeable about how to take care of his unique needs.

[@heatherhult5838]

As a former collie owner and breeder, thank you for the PSA. The double dilute issue also applies to collies and shelties.

[@whitmerule2753]

Yes: am a groomer in Australia and was just talking the other day to a border collie breeder who accidentally ended up with a double merle (doggo got into the wrong enclosure!) and kept the resulting deaf baby. Will be grooming that baby soon, and am studying up (and talking to the owner) about communication cues.

[@MyLadyPanda]

I knew as soon as I saw him that he was deaf and likely blind. I'm surprised he has front vision at all. He seems like a sweet boy and I'm glad he has an owner who can teach him. 💙

[@mazmellem2773]

He looks like he has cataracts. I'm sure he doesn't or his owners would have had them removed, but that's what his eyes look like.

[@sadmac356]

Yeah when she said that about the short end of the stick, coupled with me seeing him, I went "he's double merle isn't he" but didn't know what all that entails

[@QUICKBOOKS1]

@@sadmac356 I had never heard "Double Merle", but, my first thought was "Puppy Mill".

[@ehsnils]

@@QUICKBOOKS1 I could also think of possible accidental inbreeding. At least he seems to be a very well mannered dog that took the grooming very well.

[@dynogamergurl]

It’s a shame because he really is a pretty dog

[@Decanta]

I recognized the sign for "sit" immediately and I got excited. Its not often you meet a pet who was taught asl commands. Dogs are incredible 🥰

[@tjs114]

There is a basenji breeder-owner-handler in Arizona who has profound hearing loss- I don't think she's completely deaf (if she is, she's got amazing lip reading abilities). She does obedience with basenjis and all of her dogs respond to hand gestures. I don't know if she's using ASL or not; but I bet she could teach using it.

[@jamiedecker3234]

I like to train my dogs with hand signs and words combined because while they can hear they may not always be able to hear and if they know both its not an issues later on. My current dog responds to gestures better than vocal because she's a stubborn shiba with selective hearing.

[@reality1701]

⁠@@tjs114 Deafness is a spectrum. There’s people like my neighbor who is profoundly Deaf and can’t hear at all (from birth) to my mom, who has a progressive disorder in the bones of her ears. She is deaf, but not completely so and can still mostly hear as long as the person is on the side she had surgery on (her condition is treatable) and are looking at her. Deaf/deaf is also cultural and linguistic. Small d deaf is more people like Mom who are predominantly in hearing culture and/or may not have always been deaf. Big D Deaf people are more like my neighbor, who has always been Deaf, speaks ASL/writes English, and are also very much involved in Deaf culture. You never know when someone is D/deaf or HoH if they are able to function in hearing society.

[@leandervr]

Being deaf myself, I'd adopt a dog like this in a heartbeat.

[@barbararowley6077]

A former coworker always fostered deaf dogs, since her dog was deaf and she’d learnt how to train them. We (Victoria, Australia) have fairly strict laws on backyard breeders, but unethical people do still manage to slip through occasionally.

[@MaryCoffey-pn9zv]

I am so glad he got the perfect mom. He looks happy and well cared for. She is giving him the best possible life. I wish all dogs and cats could have this.

[@QUICKBOOKS1]

A good way to start the day.

[@TheLittlebats]

I am SO tired of merle being so popular. Backyard breeders and puppymills bring the color into breeds that don't have merle in their standard (frenchies, bulldogs, poodles, cavalier king charles spaniels, etc) and don't even consider the health risks of breeding double merle. Thank you for talking about this! Spirit is a lovely pup

[@Skullkiddawn]

The worst part is that breeding Merle to Merle doesn’t increase the chance or ratio of Merle to non-Merle pups in a litter, it just adds the chance of a double Merle which should be considered animal cruelty.

[@KenS1267]

@@Skullkiddawn I have almost gotten physical with a breeder who was doing this. He had literally no idea how genetics worked and was just making stuff up as he talked. I kept showing him sources on my phone saying he was wrong and he just kept on talking like he knew what he was doing. These people find out there is a buck to be made on these puppies and that is all they care about. It makes me so angry I can scream.

[@Marvolo14]

I love Merle aussies, but I had no idea the risks it poses in breeding. Glad I know now.

[@zorohorse215]

I saw on the nextdoor sight someone selling frenchie puppies, some had merle and were priced at 4k and mom didn't look great conformation wise...pure greed with disregard to quality. Coat color needs to stop being the trendy thing to buy.

[@JessicaToews-jg9bc]

The reason behind merle to merle usually is to create a stud dog that produces merle every time when mated with a specific females. An example in rough collies would be a double merle male mated to a tricolor(black,white and brown) female would produce only merle puppies. These puppies wouldn't carry any defects. I find the practice of creating double merle studs awful. Look up ROM Avalanche from Wyndlair. He is a popular stud who is a double merle that has really impacted the rough collie world which is disgusting to me.

[@dogetheswaggy3830]

My family also has an Aussie that is deaf. She looks similar to this dog, with a mostly white coat and spatters of pattern on her back and nose. We had went to a breeder and found that after months, she still hadn't been adopted unlike all her siblings so we took her in and gave her a home. We had a male deaf Aussie previous to her (he passed away from cancer), so we had experience. She is such a sweet and intelligent dog, and I'd rather have her than any other dog.

[@guhrizzlybaire]

Spirit is a cutie, I loved his silly goofy smile. Unbothered by the noises, it's a bit of an advantage for grooming at least! ❤

[@Diskuli]

Oh, sweet Spirit

[@Grimm-Gaming]

17 year old pitbull thats a nice long cuddle filled life

[@Diskuli]

@@Grimm-Gaming She really did soldier on for so long! She had a bad health scare when she was around 10, but my mom begged her to stick around for a little longer. And stick around she did! :)

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

Such a sweet story ❤ Thanks for sharing it!

[@woodstream6137]

That's a great story. I didn't realize my senior cat went deaf until the vacuum stopped scaring him.

[@eva-w]

​@@woodstream6137that's how we figured out our first cat was deaf, him playing with the vacuum cleaner as a kitten!

[@jenniferwintz2514]

I trained my red Aussie cattle dog with signs and verbal commands and I'm so glad I did. She's now 13 and lost most of her hearing but she still knows her command gestures. It's better for her well being.

[@glenysdukes4340]

I think all people should, because there may be times a command needs to be given, but noises are not allowed. Discretion! Also, for the reason you gave for sure!!!!

[@anastaciashaffer6559]

We also did this with our golden retriever bc she was my husbands hunting and fishing buddy and yup can't always speak a command. Then we had our son who did not speak when he was toddler/ young, so he grew up giving her commands in sign. They were best friends until she passed when my son was 14 and she was 16.

[@TheBaumcm]

Same here. Have a 10 lb mix and we trained him with both hand and voice command. Now that he’s 18, it really comes in handy, even if he selectively “forgets”every now and again😂

[@conaldeugenepeterson2147]

Dogs also learn faster by combining a verbal command with a sign or gesture

[@toxic_misery6369]

The thought of the teacher who taught kids who were hard of hearing who then adopts a deaf dog is making me cry ❤

[@StrwbrrySmmr]

Love that this dog has a great owner! I've had deaf dogs and they're no harder to train and communicate with than hearing dogs. I still use signs to train current animals to this day!

[@KellyS_77]

A lot of dogs can be taught sign language, either an actual sign language (like ASL) or even just hand signals instead of verbal commands. For us, it was an important thing to do so that we could give our dog commands silently. It's definitely a useful skill for them to have.

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

I have a Belgian Malinois who's just as comfortable with hand signals as she is with verbal commands. The funny thing is that when I decided to teach her hand signals, I found that she already knew them (I suspect that she was being trained as an explosive detection dog. She absolutely must sniff every car that is parked on the street. And it's always where explosive devices would be placed).

[@QUICKBOOKS1]

We called it DSL. Dog Sign Language. It was the only way to get Niles's attention.

[@tedpreston4155]

Very true. It's a nice trick to entertain and impress your friends too! I once taught a smart Labrador voice commands, hand signals and even complex whistles and full arm signals for control at longer distances. It was handy in lots of situations! Years later, training a deaf dog was much easier, using the skills I had learned earlier.

[@Nightshade1212525]

What a wonderful boy. As someone who had a dog who got kind of the bad end of the stick (bad hip dysplasia right from the start) but didn't let it stop her from living her best life, I'm always astounded how dogs can just forge ahead. As someone who also had a dog with degenerative myelopathy, my patience for greedy or sloppy breeders is, on the other hand, utterly nonexistent. Thanks again for all your work, Vanessa.

[@Choujifangirl]

I agree wholeheartedly

[@janetyamashige9573]

I agree with you also. I think dogs forge ahead because, unlike humans, they don't feel sorry for themselves. No bellyaching, they just get on with life the best they can.

[@frikfrak5286]

How long did your girl live?

[@Nightshade1212525]

@@frikfrak5286 The one with hip dysplasia or the one with degenerative myelopathy? The former made it to 12, the latter to 9.

[@Tokyo_Rose.]

I also adopted my elderly, blind and disabled dog intentionally, to make sure she has a wonderful last few years. Same with my dog before her. I take the elderly ones that others dont want. I get soooooooo much love from them ❤ People think '"she can't do this, she can't do that . . .'' But dogs have a survival instinct! 😃 Spirit's owner will get so much love from Spirit. Fate brings you together. Thank you for adopting Spirit 🥰 And thank you for sharing this vid ❤

[@JohnHF1957]

Spirit is certainly well named and he seems to be a fantastic companion. I liked how he raised his leg when Vanessa came out with the spray bottle of cologne, just in case it was deodorant. What a smart boy.

[@emexdizzy]

Two of my dogs came from a breeder who was crossing aussies and keeshonds. His founding sire was a merle aussie he crossed with a keeshond dam and that resulted in the first litter of four where I got my older boy Kai from. Kai came out merle. The breeder kept one of Kai's sisters who didn't appear to be merle and bred her to a pure kees sire. That resulted in a litter where I got Kai's nephew Kodiak from. Like his dam, Kodi and his entire litter didn't look like merles. The pups all looked like brown kees. Everything was fine until the breeder then crossed one of Kodi's sisters with a merle sire, and suddenly produced a litter of two VERY white pups. He had not tested her to see if she carried merle, and he should have, because both the pups were almost certainly double merles. I had a closer look at Kodiak afterward and I'm pretty sure he's crypto merle himself. He has the tiniest little patch of white grizzling on his chin. Merle can hide VERY well, and you can know not to breed merles together and still wind up with a litter of double merles. Vanessa is absolutely spot on here. If you're breeding a merle and there's ANY merle in the lineage of the other dog you're crossing them with, absolutely get the supposed non-merle tested. Ditto goes for breeding two supposedly non-merles from a breed/lineage where merle shows up.

[@20thcenturyrelic]

Recessive genes. People who breed dogs should have some knowledge of genetics. Doesn't mean they do although many breeders are knowledgeable.

[@ferretyluv]

I didn’t know keeshonds could be Merle.

[@janemacintyre9801]

What??? I had a Keeshond (from the pound!) how did they turn out???

[@lanasinapayen3354]

That breeder sounds like they were just trying random things and had no interest in educating themselves. You should always test all of your dogs before breeding them- merle isn't even the only genetic condition that can easily be avoided.

[@draugr.deathlord]

@@ferretyluv I think you might have misread, keeshonds don't carry merle.

[@charlesmartel6103]

It is very heart warming that people take these disabled dogs in their care and protection. Without them they are doomed. Let's not forget our homeless people in these cold days.

[@BookishNaiad]

Why did this make me cry? So beautiful that he got the perfect home for him 🥺❤

[@amasterofone]

When you said luckily for Spirit he was adopted by a teacher of the Deaf i almost burst into tears. What a wonderful thing.

[@TheChej]

I have a double merle mini Aussie. I rescued her 10yrs ago. She is the same color as Spirit in the video. My Gracie is totally deaf and partially blind in her right eye. She is the amazing dog I have ever owned! She is still thriving but she now has a collapsed trachea. So, we can no longer take long walks and our playing fetch is limited. But she is still happy and healthy as can be. Thank you for sharing ❤

[@valerieeslick6324]

What an adorable dog. I have been doing sign language for about 33 years.

[@gaborb.2926]

Also his reaction was hillarious when he saw the sign to sit. he was like "Allright Gotcha!"

[@8luvbug]

I wonder why he was hesitant to give his paw

[@gaborb.2926]

@@8luvbug dogs are generally avoidant having their paws touched even more so than humans with hands as they need 4 legs to walk properly so their innate default is "yer not touching them" You can train them to give paw but I think in some dogs there remains some hesitancy especially with someone who is not their owner

[@pkm5150]

He is beautiful! Shame on the breeder for being so negligent. The only upside is spirit. His hooman is blessed

[@SwedetasticGames]

As someone currently looking into getting my first dog, the amount of information your videos provide is a true god-send.

[@TisHotMessHistory]

What a beautiful dog! And a beautiful mother he has for taking such amazing care of him. Thank you for this lesson.

[@rosiereal]

Thank you so much for educating people about the double merle breeding problem, especially for Australian shepherds! They are such wonderful dogs. I'm glad Spirit is living his best life.

[@puhpoodles13]

I was going to say the same thing! Keep sharing your vast canine and feline knowledge with your sarcastic commentary. 😍

[@nancywillaert5129]

It’s not only the case for Australian shepherds that this rule counts, I have two border collies my male is a slate merle. My girl is the classic black and white. I’m what they call in Belgium a small breeder, I did before breeding a course with the studbook keeper and passed, learned what test I needed to do to be sure, eye checkup every year because he’s a merle, than also as minimum requirement here it’s only hips but due he’s a flyball dog I did also his elbows and shoulders. Than went looking for a girl and did all the tests. Even for some extra eye illness like early glaucoma. Her eyes tested dna tested, hips/shoulder/ elbows to make sure she was a latch for him. After all the test where done I turned in my papers for my own breeders name. Last year they had two pups one is Bleu Merle and one is black and white. Also I looked for a girl with as less white I could be found. I also did with him a breeders standards test it isn’t a show but they say if you can breed and with what. Rienna our girl went to a full blown dog show and ended fifth out of 15 dogs presenting. For junior. I waited long enough because she wasn’t mentally ready she was three to get her first litter. As a breeder I have to do a dna test and chip them before they even can go to their home. The Bleu Merle kept his nickname Thor and is now a youngster aiding a girl with autisme, the black and white had nickname Loki because he was one mischievous pup was renamed Ryx and his family is giving him a taste of different sports and does training for agility and is one smart pants. It’s even in Belgium known that some breeders toss out all common sense because the demand for the color. Especially like Parkley our male that’s a slate Merle it’s rare. His mom was Bleu Merle tricolor and his dad a Bleu/ white one. His grandma was slate Merle tricolor with black/ white grandpa. Yes I went back 8 generations. I’m saddening to see breeders doing this. This lovely one has luckily a good home.

[@vikingdogmanship]

The merle color should be banned in breeding. I've seen a very sad trend with theese exotic colors and it spreads to more and more breeds... Same thing with the bob tail and the dangers it comes with. why on earth are we breeding for theese traits? Same with the legs of the GSD and the poor brachycephalic dog breeds. It needs to end!

[@k9partnership382]

As a breeder myself, thank you for educating the public on ethical breeding practices. Knowledge is power.

[@AA5SA]

I found a deaf and vision impaired double merle Aussie at the city pound...She was the best dog and we had 11 wonderful years together before I had to say goodbye...I still miss her every day.

[@sakakitr6809]

Spirit is such an lovely dog! And props to the owners, teaching him and giving him the good life he deserves! ♡

[@PaulSteMarie]

What a lovely, happy dog! I am so glad he has a home that understands him and enables him to thrive.

[@thesolersystemofgames841]

At a shelter i volunteer at, we have a pitbull who was found with a head injury, and is deaf. She has a set of hand signals as well, and has boss lady attitude. Love that dog.

[@hez5160]

Poor Spirit. What a sweet baby. I'm personally dedicated to adopting my animals from rescues. Both my pups are from shelters/local rescues. ❤

[@linkderp]

Same with me! My last 2 dogs were adopted from humane societies and I wouldn't change it for the world❤

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

All of my dogs except two have been rescues (one was the puppy from one of our rescues, the other my parents bought from an ethical breeder ). A couple of my dogs have been challenged -- one mentally, and one physically. They are fantastic pets if you have the patience needed to deal with their quirks (it took me three months to teach the learning disabled pup to sit).

[@susan8471]

Always adopt.....

[@equalityforall8418]

To the owner of Spirit, you don't know me but I love you. Thank you for giving him such a wonderful life. And Vanessa....watching you playing outside in the snow with Spirit brought so much joy to my day:)

[@Dave_Wave]

Boarding deaf / blind pups is a unique experience. They are, without exception, the sweetest, most loving dogs ever. It's so sad that people don't consider the animal when 'breeding' (mating) their pet with their neighbor's pet. "Oh they have such similar markings, they'll make beautiful puppies."... "What happened, we thought the puppies would be so beautiful?". I so enjoy your videos. We've learned so much from you.

[@user-zs5tn8oi7q]

What a privilege to see this beautiful dog! Spirit is obviously loved!

[@jelenakatic1778]

Thank you for this PSA and showcasing a happy ending to a horrible beginning. Spirit is exactly right name for this pup! 🙏🏻

[@elysenicole417]

This is a fluffier version of my Australian Shepard bailey, she's a rescue and completely deaf and partially blind. But she gets all the love and is so happy. ❤ your videos always amazing :)

[@pekepoomom]

There is a rescue near me for double merle dogs. One of them, Braille, is both blind and deaf. But let me to you..... you barely touch his butt, and he whips around and shows how much he loves people. He's such a sweet boy.

[@lisaleilich8236]

Training a deaf animal is not difficult. We brought home a deaf horse 5 years ago. With patience and kindness (and his favorite treats) he has become a favorite and trustworthy mount for our grandkids and friends.

[@tylociraptor8131]

My Chi is a chocolate merle. The people who had her before me were breeders and were SO CAREFUL about who she was bred to for this very reason. Poor Spirit, but I'm so glad that he's with a person who is willing to do the best for him!!!

[@American_Heathen]

This story brought me to tears. Some humans don’t see what they do or don’t care. Love seeing this puppy play outside and that the owner takes the time to teach spirit a different language. Kudos

[@lenellamaxwell6934]

Such a loving dog, and such a calm playful personality. It brought a smile to my face watching you play with him. 🙂

[@flarpster3675]

Thank you for reiterating the ethical breeding of dogs. Also what a perfect name for this beautiful guy!!

[@LizzyDidntDoIt]

HOW AMAZING! I started crying when you signed sits never seen a dog know sign language. what a wonderfully sweet boy

[@suzannepottsshorts]

If there's food involved, dogs can learn just about anything. ❤️🐕

[@QUICKBOOKS1]

@@suzannepottsshorts With Labs, Food is the key. (I know that was not a Lab.).

[@tedpreston4155]

Very true. It's a nice trick to entertain and impress your friends too! I once taught a smart Labrador voice commands, hand signals and even complex whistles and full arm signals for control at longer distances. It was handy in lots of situations! Years later, training a deaf dog was much easier, using the skills I had learned earlier.

[@ohdeer-sabrina8132]

Dogs are very good at recognizing gestures and it's usually recommended you teach them the verbal cue + gesture together to make it easier for them to learn things! Sometimes dogs learn the gestures faster than the verbal cues as a gesture is way harder to mix up than noises :)

[@Marvolo14]

He seems precious. Glad he has a responsible and caring owner.

[@WildMarie4]

Precious boy. I am so happy he and his perfect owner found each other. God cares about the animals, in case anyone doubts that.

[@user-nw2jr8cq9g]

I'm very heartened by the wonderful owners of unfortunate animals that you showcase. Well done Girl With The Dogs!

[@andreabewley5005]

We had an aussy just like Spirit, and despite her vision and hearing challenges, she was an amazing, smart, kind, and beautiful soul! We still miss our Meg!!!

[@pkonneker]

One thing we learned while doing dog training is that dogs are very visually oriented, so it makes sense they can learn signs even while deaf. Sometimes I think my dogs are deaf even when I know they are not. 🙄😁

[@amylake8499]

Thank God his story turned out better than most.❤

[@user-uf4ev4pk4y]

What a beautiful example of pure love, may Spirit live a long, healthier and happy life.

[@ericmarois6960]

This was a lot more educational than I was expecting it to be. Thank you so much once more, not only was I entertained but I also learned something.

[@fatclemenzzza]

When i was a kid, my mom & i got a pup similar to Spirit but not completely deaf. The black markings made her look like she was wearing pants. She was such a sweet girl

[@user-fk6xf3bs1f]

I am so glad that Spirit has a wonderful owner who realizes how wonderful Spirit is! I wish every pet owner would love and train their dog like this.💕

[@GrainneDhub-ll6vw]

LOL, I was waiting for the irresistible snow roll and Spirit did not disappoint!

[@Future-zx9ts]

Poor little baby. 💔 Thank you so much for taking good care of him. 💙🐶💙

[@mariaramunno8202]

As a child, my parents adopted Max, a Dalmatian from the humane society, but unfortunately we later realized he was deaf. My dad wanted a guard dog, so he was returned. It broke my heart. Not sure what happened to Max. Spirit is wonderful and one may never know he has a disability. Great job to the owner and very informative i information Vanessa!❤❤❤

[@jaynemar1]

What a sweet beautiful boy!

[@DanielOwen-ms4jg]

Hey Jaynes 🌹🌹🌹 How are you doing??

[@drobo7]

I love you use your large platform to educate as well as entertain. Thankyou Vanessa for teaching us such important information. ❤

[@MsBellaNightshade]

Beautiful, so glad he's got the perfect owner!

[@ubetchaslots]

I 1st heard of mearle when i worked in San Antonio at the bexar county shelter, after i discharged from Army(from NE Boston 🇺🇸) and saw my 1st Catahoula dog. She was blue-eyed Merle and deaf and i wished i could've adopted her but new at the shelter, we had to wait 90days before new hires could adopt. She was adopted tho i got to adopt an Australian Shepard blue healer and had him for a wonderful 10years. He was my pal and 1 year older than my newborn so they grew up together. The best sweetest pal of a pet. Sorry u got the poop end of the stick Spirit, some ppl stink but I'm happy to know that u have hoomans that wove u. I wove u 2🥰

[@diezelskadad4500]

i dont know why, but seeing Spirit having fun in the snow actually made me tear up. Am i broken?

[@Sylvesteryasdnil]

Although sad example of breeding. Spirit just looks so happy and this warmed my heart for the whole day

[@youarebymyside]

What a wonderful baby boy. Good to know that he's thriving.

[@janh4975]

Thank you for this informative video. It’s so important for people to learn about ethical breeding. I love that Spirit’s owners taught him American Sign Language. I loved seeing you sign to him and how quickly he responded. ❤❤❤❤

[@lauriegentry7764]

I cried. What a sweet dog.

[@rhyfelwrDuw]

Spirit has an amazing owner if she took the time to teach signs to her deaf dog! Lovely dog full of life!

[@alexspeake9359]

Spirit seems SUCH a sweet dog. Both him and his owner are exceptional! He’s so sweeeet 😭

[@LuxintN7]

The Human who adopted him is a true saint. Spirit deserves to live a full and happy life ❤

[@nicolefranklin1752]

I love your videos Vanessa! Even knowing dogs can learn sign language, being able to see it is truly so beautiful. Thank you to you, Spirit, and Spirit's lovely owners for sharing him with us!

[@audioliciousxxx]

He's such a sweetheart and is thriving despite his genetic faults. So happy he's happy.☺️♥️

[@raven44012]

When we noticed my elderly doxie was going deaf, we managed to teach him a few signs. Because of that my Pom has also picked up those signs. Dogs want to communicate, and will learn to adapt.

[@Arsenicosis]

Scratching my head at how so many folks think it's difficult to train deaf dogs. Honestly, I find that lots of dogs respond more quickly with signs than words anyway. And it's not too surprising when you consider how much of dog communication relies on body language! I use both verbal and hand signs when training for exactly that reason. Seems to make it easier to understand.

[@sachikatsutano]

I love how goofy he is, bless...

[@ardenlolli4612]

We had a double merle Aussie at a daycare I used to work at, he looked a lot like Spirit and was completely deaf. He was extremely anxious but thankfully he ended up loving my Anatolian mix when I brought her to work with me to meet him. He was a very sweet boy who got a really unfortunate lot in life. It makes me happy that you’re spreading awareness about these dogs and the dangers of irresponsible backyard breeding! As always loved your video!!

[@bill9540]

I’m REALLY impressed with the knowledge that you have and the manner in which you choose clients and bring awareness of complicated issues IN ADDITION to your grooming and care…very well done Vanessa☺️

[@Mean_Jean]

I'm glad his owner took him. Warms my heart knowing there are good people out there who take in animals with handicaps and/or deformities

[@isthatrubble]

look at him having a ball in the snow. he did well with his groom! if you'd ever consider using the same dog/appointment on both your channels, I'd love to see a longer video of this groom and how you manage communicating with him and keeping the grooming as not-scary as possible giving his sensory limitations.

[@elsagreen1476]

Spirit is the perfect name for this smart, strong-willed boy!!

[@cl5378]

This was an amazing groom. The fact that the owner taught him sign language is beautiful. And such a handsome dog.

[@First._.Last.]

"He was adopted by an owner who is a teacher of the deaf. She has taught him 20 different signs in ASL...." and I am so choked up. I love it. 🤎🤎

[@dianamarie5663]

I love the outdoor shots. Beautiful, intelligent dog.

[@alekseev7646]

Broke my heart. I hope Spirit has a long and happy life

[@Tori_TLCR]

What a sweet baby! I admit I am kind of biased against Aussies but Spirit might have changed my mind. He's a gentleman. What a doll. Glad he found the perfect home for him.

[@Dee-cg4hy]

Thank you for sharing this valuable information Vanessa. I'm glad Spirit was blessed with pet parents that is able to understand and teach him sign languages and give him the love he deserves. ❤️

[@omg9261]

I want to thank his owners and Vanessa for their kindness 🙏🧡🙏

[@imzadi83fanvids7]

Thank you for going into more details about health testing. People looking for puppies hear that and often assume it just means regular vet visits. But health testing can mean different things depending on what breed your looking for.

[@vikingdogmanship]

The merle color should be banned in breeding. I've seen a very sad trend with theese exotic colors and it spreads to more and more breeds... Same thing with the bob tail and the dangers it comes with. why on earth are we breeding for theese traits? Same with the legs of the GSD and the poor brachycephalic dog breeds. It needs to end!

[@imzadi83fanvids7]

Banned how? There are breeds that don't allow certain colors in the breed standard because of the associated potential complications. But that only applies to people who are following the breed standard. Irresponsible breeders don't care about that as they aren't showing their dogs anyway. It's a buyer beware market. If people would stop buying these dogs irresponsible breeders wouldn't make money off them and would stop breeding them.@@vikingdogmanship

[@imcurlyblue]

He’s gorgeous. And obviously very loved. I wouldn’t say he got the bad end but the fantastic end because of his owners. ❤❤

[@parisarav3952]

His mom is an angel ❤