Tuesday, August 9, 2011

A new leash of life: Animal lover teaches deaf dog sign language

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Watch this: Lynne Chapman has successfully taught her Staffordshire Bull Terrier sign language

Pet owner Lynne Chapman found the paw-fect solution for her deaf dog Snowy, by teaching her sign language.

Kind-hearted Lynn adopted Snowy four years ago after visiting an animal shelter and finding out that she could not hear any vocal commands.

Determined to give her a proper doggie life the great grandmother borrowed sign language tips from a family friend and slowly began tutoring the hard-of-hearing Staffordshire-cross.


Obedience: Lynne signs the command 'play' (left) and 'food' (right) to Snowy at her Manchester home


Gradually Snowy began to understand the signs for commands such as 'up', 'food', 'home' and 'bedtime'.

Lynne, 62, from Sale, Greater Manchester, said: 'If people who are hard of hearing have to communicate by sing language the there is no reason why a dog can't learn it too and my Snowy has come on leaps and bounds.'

'I have always had animals and when I visited the shelter and saw her four years ago. The poor thing looked such a pathetic mess.

'I felt so sorry for her being deaf so I wanted to let her get to know me first.

'I used to sit outside her cage and she used to come up to me wagging her tail. She also has a bent leg and her eye is a little wonky, but I knew I wanted her as soon as I saw her.

source: dailymail


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