Hope that abandoned deaf dog learns sign language
RSPCAStaff looking for a new home for an abandoned deaf dog said they hoped he would be able to learn some sign language to help him navigate life.
Eddie, a six-year-old bull breed, was rescued by RSPCA officers and police when he was left by his owners at a property in Durham.
He was taken to the charity's Block Fen centre at Wimblington in Cambridgeshire, where staff discovered he was deaf.
Kennel supervisor Tiffany Fowler said: "He'll sit if you hold a treat up above his head, so we think he'll pick up sign language well and enjoy training. We all chat away to him, and if he's looking at us, he'll wag his tail and get excited - it's like he can lip-read and knows we're speaking to him."
RSPCAThe charity believes Eddie was born deaf and said he coped "very well without his hearing".
"In fact, we often forget that he's deaf," Fowler said.
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Fowler added: "Eddie's deafness has actually benefited him in kennels.
"When we arrive in the mornings and go to say 'good morning' to all of the dogs, who are all barking and wagging their tails at their doors, Eddie is usually fast asleep, snoring in his bed.
"He doesn't get stressed by the noise and the other dogs, and this can be tough for some dogs.
"We go into his kennel and give him a gentle stroke to wake him up and let him know that we're there, so we don't startle him and make him jump."
The team is hoping to find him a new home with owners who can help teach him visual commands to further his training and adjust to a new life.
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