Mia

[MissSuzie]

This just pulls at my heart strings! My sweet Cooper is probably the result of a merle to merle breeding, being blind in one eye and partially deaf. As TofuPup said, I've read that some breeders actually breed this way intentionally and that makes me so angry. And, humane or not, the fact that the sweet pups are uthanized day one if they are blind/deaf, just makes me crazy angry. Someone once told me Cooper should have been put down at birth? WHY!? Just because he is not a perfect specimen?? Whose fault was that in the first place? He is a wonderful, sweet, loving dog and I would have missed out on a wonderful companion if he had been put down.

If someone is going to take the risk of breeding in that way, they should be responsible enough to find ALL of the pups kind, responsible, loving homes. If they are not willing to do that, then they should not breed merle to merle.

My sweet boy says, "I'm just as lovable and just as smart as any sighted, hearing sable, tri or merle?"

 

[BarbV]

I would point out that Mia is more likely the result of a merle-to-merle breeding that was either unintentional, or done by people who didn't know the risk of producing deaf/blind dogs.

Very, very few breeders intentionally produce double-merles. It does happen, but it is rare.

That's what I was going to say. Another reason to stay away from a BYB because generally they don't know what they are doing. Poor girl!

 

[Smudge]

geeze, I wish we'd do that here... if nothing else, it would mean that people couldn't advertise "Super-rare amazing white Shelties, AKC-registered!"

I'm sorry but I had to laugh at that. It completely sounds like something you would read in the newspaper, and I have before! Not with shelties, but with other breeds.

 

[SheltieLuver]

I'm sorry but I had to laugh at that. It completely sounds like something you would read in the newspaper, and I have before! Not with shelties, but with other breeds.

Or you could hear... "look Mommy! Look at the pink doggie." Mia is still getting to me. I don't know a month down the road, if she's still available, you may just see me walking my pink sheltie.

 

[SheltieLuver]

Just noticed they changed her special needs category as blind and deaf? Did somebody of the forum ask about that?

I really don't have the facilities for a special needs dog, but I so hope someone gets her not for her looks, but gets her because they know how to take care of a special needs case like this.

I feel so sorry for this baby!

 

[mbfrench]

Just noticed they changed her special needs category as blind and deaf? Did somebody of the forum ask about that?

I really don't have the facilities for a special needs dog, but I so hope someone gets her not for her looks, but gets her because they know how to take care of a special needs case like this.

I feel so sorry for this baby!

I noticed it as well.And actually caught Brian looking again at her this morning.He came home,and the first thing he said was he thought of Mia all night at work.

I know not dog related,but when we took in Bumper to spend the rest of her life here with us,we knew we had things to learn about blind cats.But she has amazed us in so many ways. And has fullfilled our lives in so many ways. At times I forget she is blind,and one would never know it to watch her.

Mia is a special needs dog,there's no question.I would be confidant that with the right owner,she would live a wonderful life.
What I do know and have realized,in our begginning times with Bumper,she relies on her sense of smell,and also vibrations.She can tell the differant textures of flooring,and can tell when we are approaching her,by the vibrations.

I would imagine,this is how Mia would also become comfortable in a new home.I have read a great deal on how owners with dogs do certain things with thier deaf or blind dogs. They are so sensitive to your touch,I recently read one story on a blind & deaf great dane whose owner would touch (Keller) on his chin,and the dog would follow him any wheres just by the vibrations one would make,and the direction he would walk by the vibrations.

He always knew it was meal times,as the owner would touch his muzzle to his dish,and Keller would go right to his crate to be fed.The owner made mention,that it was he (the owner) that needed the adjustment...not Keller. Keller knew notihng other than being blind and deaf,so to him HE was normal~

We feel the same about Bumper.She has known nothing other than darkness,but has managed to make us laugh and fullfill our lives each and every day.

 

[SheltieLuver]

I noticed it as well.And actually caught Brian looking again at her this morning.He came home,and the first thing he said was he thought of Mia all night at work.

I know not dog related,but when we took in Bumper to spend the rest of her life here with us,we knew we had things to learn about blind cats.But she has amazed us in so many ways. And has fullfilled our lives in so many ways. At times I forget she is blind,and one would never know it to watch her.

Mia is a special needs dog,there's no question.I would be confidant that with the right owner,she would live a wonderful life.
What I do know and have realized,in our begginning times with Bumper,she relies on her sense of smell,and also vibrations.She can tell the differant textures of flooring,and can tell when we are approaching her,by the vibrations.

I would imagine,this is how Mia would also become comfortable in a new home.I have read a great deal on how owners with dogs do certain things with thier deaf or blind dogs. They are so sensitive to your touch,I recently read one story on a blind & deaf great dane whose owner would touch (Keller) on his chin,and the dog would follow him any wheres just by the vibrations one would make,and the direction he would walk by the vibrations.

He always knew it was meal times,as the owner would touch his muzzle to his dish,and Keller would go right to his crate to be fed.The owner made mention,that it was he (the owner) that needed the adjustment...not Keller. Keller knew notihng other than being blind and deaf,so to him HE was normal~

We feel the same about Bumper.She has known nothing other than darkness,but has managed to make us laugh and fullfill our lives each and every day.

You know... you would be the perfect home for her. You're experienced with a special needs dog and we all know you need another sheltie... it would be perfect!

 

[MissSuzie]

I think the great point of Michelle's post is that a disabled animal doesn't know any different. I realize Cooper is not totally blind, nor totally deaf, but I'm 100% sure that he does not realize he has any disabilities at all. He doesn't know any different and believes he can do anything Meggie does. And, if fact, he can! Everything except hear as well or see as well.

I truly hope someone has a big enough heart to take little Mia into their home. Yes, it may be a little more work to train her, but the rewards would be endless!

 

[mbfrench]

I think the great point of Michelle's post is that a disabled animal doesn't know any different. I realize Cooper is not totally blind, nor totally deaf, but I'm 100% sure that he does not realize he has any disabilities at all. He doesn't know any different and believes he can do anything Meggie does. And, if fact, he can! Everything except hear as well or see as well.

I truly hope someone has a big enough heart to take little Mia into their home. Yes, it may be a little more work to train her, but the rewards would be endless!

Thank you,I appreciate your post.I know with a past foster we had here,her name was Danni.
She was deaf,but boy oh boy she relied so much on Earnhardt.He was her ears. Just a really awesome dog.
I might also add,she was taken all the way to Virginia to her new home,and was part of a canine program.She went thru a program to be certified as a therapy dog.
But again,even with her disability,she continued to enhance the life of her new owners,and those that she came in contact with.

Sadly,Danni passed away almost a year ago,Oct.31st.It was also her birthday.She was bitten by a snake.

 

[lava]

Hi--new here--Mia's foster mom

Someone here told me our girl was a hot topic, so thought I'd bop over and say hello. The breeder who placed her with us was told her sire was a sable. Someone wasn't quite truthful there. We're just grateful she's with us now until she finds her furever home. (She has a deaf but sighted litter brother we also got who's been adopted out already to a wonderful home).

She is I would say 90-95% deaf. She can hear certain sounds--and she didn't used to. I'm not sure the physiological mechanics of it but she seems to be gaining a small amount of hearing. She's never had formal testing (do they BAER dogs?) but when I got her at 6 weeks she seemed to be totally deaf, and at this point she can hear clickers and some low-pitched loud sounds. Whether she will gain any more hearing I can't say--she'll never have close to normal hearing, but even a little is awesome for her. And I believe she's completely blind--although her microphthlamic eyes do have small pupils in there so I have a small hope that she might gain at least light perception before she's grown.

She's happy and healthy other than her special needs. She plays like any other puppy (before he left, she and her brother would get WILD together, just like any other two SS pups). She runs around, and then loves to sit in your lap and chill. Just like any other 4MO pup.

Also, FYI, there are more of these dogs born than you probably think--but most are culled. More LW Australian Shepherds seem to make it to the general public than Shelties--although it can occur in any breed that carries the merle gene and inherits it the same way--I've heard of LW Dachshunds, Great Danes, and Cocker Spaniels.

This is one of my favorite LW rescue groups (Aussies)
http://aussielads.com/lethal_white.htm
If you scroll about halfway down this page you'll see they have now posted training videos to help with deaf, blind, and deaf-blind dogs as well.

I'd love answer any questions I can about her, our rescue
http://www.cullensarchangelrescue.org/, etc. We are a 501(c)(3) all-breed all-species animal rescue.

Nice to meet you all.