Late at night, into early next morning on October 16, 2003, a litter of 8 Australian Shepherds were born in Apache Junction, AZ. The next day, the breeder called her Vet to schedule an appointment to have 4 tails docked…and 4 pups euthanized. Lucky for those 4 pups, the Vet was on vacation! The 4 beautiful pups whose lives were to end, without a second thought, were Lethal Whites (deaf and/or blind in varying degrees), a common result from a Merle-to-Merle breeding. The “average” percentage is 25%, but in many cases, such as this one, it certainly can be more.
Enter a kind soul who could not bear to see these pups put to sleep, brings us to the wonderful, heartwarming story of what love, compassion and dedication can accomplish. This story is about Cheyenne, Dakota and Cocoa…and their loving family, Mark & Luanna Lawrence, who sought professional help when challenged beyond their capabilities.
Cheyenne is deaf and sight impaired; Dakota has slight sight impairment; Cocoa is deaf and has slight sight impairment. On 1/31/04, Dakota and Cheyenne were adopted by Mark & Luanna, who made the trip from Rosamond, CA to Mesa, AZ with all canine residents in tow to meet these precious babies. All went well, and they soon began their new life together. Not unfamiliar with Aussies, Luanna soon realized that Cheyenne’s deafness did create some obstacles not easily overcome. Determined to find a solution, Luanna searched for training opportunities that would address her concerns in communicating with a deaf dog. Luanna & Mark had criteria in mind when selecting a trainer: familiarity with deaf dogs; only positive reinforcement; availability of in-home training; and a trainer that would recognize the potential hidden inside them and appreciate them for what they are capable of.
They found exactly what they were looking for in a trainer when they contacted Uncle Matty, where they met Nikki (Nickol Litwin). She helped change all their lives!
While Cheyenne and Dakota were growing up in a loving, secure home, Cocoa (Kissin’ Kate) had already been adopted and returned to foster care, living again with her brother Magnus. She already had some issues (submissive peeing), but was coming along. Soon, Cocoa and Magnus were adopted by a wonderful couple who were soon to be married. Life’s unexpected turns sometimes creates chaos for others involved. The marriage plans fell through and Cocoa’s life, once again, was in upheaval. Confused and bewildered, wondering where exactly she belonged, Cocoa became too difficult to handle, so she was, once again, in need of a new home.
No better place than with her siblings and a family very familiar in training a deaf dog! On 1/11/05, Cocoa was officially adopted by Mark and Luanna and her life was about to change forever! She has joined Cheyenne and Dakota in their weekly obedience lessons and is doing great. Nikki thinks she is very smart and is quickly learning what is “expected” of her, even though she has never had to “do” anything she didn’t want to. J
With a little direction and a lot of love and patience, Cocoa is becoming the lady she was destined to be. There are always options for the deaf dog…sign language; and for the deaf and blind…touch commands. Don’t give up on the impaired…find a solution! As a guardian, you owe it to them to let them be the best that they can. The possibilities are endless!
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