DEAF DALMATIANS HEAR WITH
THEIR HEART
by
Patricia Belt
- TheDogPlace
March 2011
 TN
Safety Spotters
http://tnsafetyspotters.org is a non profit charitable organization of
deaf therapy dog group. These deaf Dalmatians have been rescued and are now
registered therapy dogs, Reading Education Assistance Dogs, Education
Assistants teaching Fire Safety and Dog Bite Prevention.
 Therapy
dogs encourage adults and children to reach out and interact. The Dalmatian
is such a friendly “touchable” breed. A Reading Assistance Dog never
questions or pressures the person, and it is even possible that a deaf
Dalmatian is understood to never criticize the way a word is pronounced!
The organization hopes to educate the public because deaf dogs make great
companion dogs. We want to ultimately increase the number of adoptions and
decrease the numbers of deaf dogs killed only because they were born deaf. A
dog’s sense of smell is so keen that the loss of sight or hearing is not as
serious as it would be in a person.
 As
you know AKC does not allow deaf dogs in competition and we understand, dog
shows are about selecting the next generation of breeding stock. But why
does the Dalmatian Club of America [Ref #1] strongly insist on
euthanasia of any deaf pups? Can’t members of the national club be trusted
not to breed deaf Dalmatians? Does the club not educate members? Deaf
Dalmatian puppies can be spayed or neutered (at the appropriate age) so they
can’t be bred by some unscrupulous person. Isn’t that better than killing an
otherwise normal innocent puppy?
New scientific studies now show 30% of Dalmatians are born deaf [Ref #2].
For years I have tried to convince the American Kennel Club and the
Dalmatian Club Of America that deaf dogs make wonderful companion animals
and to euthanize a healthy pup for their deafness is unconscionable.
UKC (The United Kennel Club) allows them to compete in all performance
events, everything but conformation. UKC understands the deaf Dalmatian can
train for performance events just like any hearing dog.
  Please
visit
http://tnsafetyspotters.org and see what deaf dogs are capable of if
given a chance. Lottie Dot has been one of the very lucky deaf Dalmatians to
work with kids at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dora works with
dyslexic and autistic children. They both work with abused and special needs
children and teens and have educated hundreds of children on the rules of
fire and dog safety.
I would love if these dogs could be recognized for their wonderful
attributes because in every way, they are wonderful Dalmatians. They just
happen to be deaf and to destroy is simply barbaric! Deaf dogs, when treated
kindly by caring owners, learn to “watch” the owner, they instinctively
understand hand signals, and are a blessing to the good people who let them
live!
Ref #1 http://www.thedca.org/deaf1.html
Ref #2 http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/incidenc.htm
http://www.thedogplace.org/Genetics/Deaf-Dalmatians-Hear-11033_Belt.asp
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