RedDawnZoe Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has offered me advice regarding Zoe. However, I wanted to clarify the background on Zo??s breeding. Zoe is not the result of a merle x merle breeding?her sire was a merle, but her dam was a black and white. Her breeder has been more than supportive of me and Zoe. We are both currently working to discover if Zo??s deafness is due to genetics or to a health condition. If it turns out to be a genetic condition breeding the dogs will not occur again. I?m planning on testing Zo??s hearing with the BAER test at Iowa State University, to ensure that she is completely deaf. I?m hoping that it is a health condition - which perhaps can be improved . Zoe is very smart - the typical Border Collie - and after reading the www.deafdogs.org website?s training tips I already have her sitting and have started the beginnings of the command for stay. The biggest challenge thus far has been keeping her attention on me during the training process. I?ve been using treats as a reward and they seem to prompt her into forming eye contact with me. We?ve had some problems mentioned on the deaf dogs website - Zoe will often play bite very hard, and she doesn?t react to a vacuum unless she is close enough to feel the vibration- thus enjoys attacking it at every opportunity. I?ve been encouraged by the fact that when startled Zoe has never snapped. She seems to work primarily from hand signals during my lessons, although she is gaining some reactions to body language. Pending the results of the BAER test, Zoe will be flown back to her breeder, who has agreed to find her a new pet home. She is such a love bug ? I can imagine her being perfect for an owner who has had some prior experience with BC?s or deaf dogs. Finding Zoe a new home is my FIRST priority. I wish I could be greedy and keep her here with me, but I don?t think that would be ideal for her. I have a lot of experience training dogs in obedience - I train dogs for an assistance dog program in Nebraska - and I am enjoying learning with Zoe the basics of training a deaf dog. I think several of the training commands used in deaf dog training would come in handy for dogs with normal hearing as well. Again, thank you all for your support! Elizabeth & Zoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Hi Elizabeth! I'm wondering where in Nebraska are you? I'm in Omaha. I just finished fostering a 100% deaf BC(genetic cause), she went to her forever home last Saturday. Boy was she ever smart as a whip and didn't have a clue there was anything else different about her. She went to a regular faminly that already has one dog and a couple of kids (she LOVES kids). They knew she was deaf before they met her and checked out deafdog.org first too. Then they met her and fell in love. I think it's a match made in heaven. I noticed the same things about her that you mention about Zoe, especially the biting really hard thing. My own BC, Riley, is very submissive, and when the two of them would play together she had a tendency to grab ahold of his neck and not let go. She couldn't hear him whimper or yip if she was hurting him. She only did it to other dogs though and never humans. It's too bad that you don't feel you can keep her. With the brief glance you've given us into your backround, it sounds like you would give a great home to her. But I understand if you feel you can't. Heck, I know that I personally can't even handle a second dog, regardless of whether it can hear or not, so I can't blame you. I can only handle having a foster for a few weeks/months, then I need a break! Zoe sure is a looker though. Are you considering keeping her if the cause is medical and could be helped to improve? P.S. My 'given' name is also Elizabeth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDawnZoe Posted August 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Originally posted by Betsy:Hi Elizabeth! I'm wondering where in Nebraska are you? I'm in Omaha. I just finished fostering a 100% deaf BC(genetic cause), she went to her forever home last Saturday. Boy was she ever smart as a whip and didn't have a clue there was anything else different about her. She went to a regular faminly that already has one dog and a couple of kids (she LOVES kids). They knew she was deaf before they met her and checked out deafdog.org first too. Then they met her and fell in love. I think it's a match made in heaven. I noticed the same things about her that you mention about Zoe, especially the biting really hard thing. My own BC, Riley, is very submissive, and when the two of them would play together she had a tendency to grab ahold of his neck and not let go. She couldn't hear him whimper or yip if she was hurting him. She only did it to other dogs though and never humans. It's too bad that you don't feel you can keep her. With the brief glance you've given us into your backround, it sounds like you would give a great home to her. But I understand if you feel you can't. Heck, I know that I personally can't even handle a second dog, regardless of whether it can hear or not, so I can't blame you. I can only handle having a foster for a few weeks/months, then I need a break! Zoe sure is a looker though. Are you considering keeping her if the cause is medical and could be helped to improve? P.S. My 'given' name is also Elizabeth! I am located about 10 minutes outside of Omaha! Zo? needs to go to a home with experience with Border Collies, deaf dogs, or both. Zo? is my very first Border Collie and I?m not sure that I would be able to train her to her fullest potential. I train for Noah?s Assistance Dogs and I honestly don?t have the extra time to train a deaf dog as compared to training a hearing one. Still, if Zo??s condition isn?t genetic, you can bet 100% that I will do literally everything in my power to have her cured/improved. Genetically Zo??s parents both have nothing that would indicate why she is deaf, which is why I am hoping that it?s curable. Her sire is a merle, but is BAER tested and passed, and her dam is black and white, and from black and white bloodlines; therefore not a ghost merle. I?ve been trying to find a vet in Omaha who specializes in hearing, genetics, and/or reproduction to take Zo? too- and so far I?ve had no luck. Elizabeth & Zoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 Can I ask the name of the breeder? If you don't want to reply in the forum, you can email me if you want: betsyiz (at) yahoo (dot) com I'm good friends with the president of our local BC rescue and she may have some info about the breeder and/or vets, that why I ask. If you don't want to give the breeder's name, I can still ask her about the local vets if you want. All of our rescues go to a vet in Plattsmouth that owns BCs herself, if you want her name. I don't think she specializes in anything though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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