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A deaf dog who knows sign language found a forever home with a deaf owner

An older dog who is deaf captured the hearts of both the Nebraska humane society volunteer who trained her with simple sign language.

 

Michelle Jaworski

IRL

Posted on May 12, 2014   Updated on May 31, 2021, 8:09 am CDT

A deaf dog captured the heart of the Nebraska Humane Society volunteer who trained her with simple sign language.

Rosie, a 3-year-old pit bull, ended up at the shelter where Tracie Pfeifle volunteers, and faced multiple challenges when finding a new home. Not only was she an older dog, she couldn’t respond to simple verbal commands. So Pfeifle got creative and started teaching Rosie sign language.

“We started using treats and putting the treat up to your face and saying ‘good girl’ with your thumb up, and then she figured out … that we were communicating with her,” Pfeifle said.

Rosie eventually found a new home with a deaf woman and her family. They plan to teach her more sign language.

H/T KCTV5 | Screengrab via KHGI-TV

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*First Published: May 12, 2014, 1:00 pm CDT