I will never forget the day I found out my 12 week old puppy was confirmed to be deaf. The memory of countless days of coming home to a dog in an undeterred slumber, and the knocks on the door that never led to a bark nor a growl, crossed my mind as simply a well-behaved pet. Shouting his name at the dog park and shaking his food bowl to announce it's time for dinner was maybe just maybe a dog with selective hearing.

House training a puppy is never an easy task, especially when a firm "NO!" is clearly not enough for one that is hearing impaired. Prior to realizing my puppy was more special than most, I could not understand how something that seemed so lovable could openly defy me by ignoring these universal commands.

However, when the day came and I was forced to come to terms with this seemingly death-like sentence, it was easier than expected. I no longer looked at him as though he had a handicap, an animal unable to live a life of normality. Instead, I felt like I had a purpose to serve and that was to give him the best life he could possibly ever have.

Training proved to be a now almost effortless task as those with deaf dogs know, when our precious K-9s lack this sense they depend on you for just about everything. Just as a well-trained dog fully capable of hearing awaits a verbal command, dogs that know they are unable to hear are most comfortable when within your eyesight or touch.

While all dogs require a certain amount of attention, this is even more paramount when raising a deaf dog. Not only is it easier for them to find trouble but, knowing they aren't like other dogs around them, they rely on you as their guide. That being said, they learn quickly and are more than willing to pick up on the things they know please you.

They reach an understanding of right from wrong by learning to interpret body language and facial expressions, and this higher alertness level allows for a much faster training process and an overall more intelligent animal.

They know they are special and that they have a deficiency, but this strengthens their bond with us. A deaf dog will never love someone more than he who gives him a forever home and fills his silent world.