We all have our own individual biases based on personal learning histories. Anyone who tries to tell you differently simply hasn’t realized that fact yet. Because of this, it’s important to understand that we are our dogs’ best advocates. No one knows your dog better than you.

This is a topic that I want to address because I’ve seen it pop up a few times recently. This post is not meant to shame anyone in a professional industry. This isn’t meant to shame anyone at all, but it’s important to understand that not everyone has experience working with deaf and blind dogs. This includes those working in professional animal-related industries.

The following is a very personal story that I have gotten permission to share with all of you.

A few months ago my Keller’s Cause co-founder, Amanda, walked in to a neurologist’s office with her dog Calamity. She explained to the neurologist that Calamity was having random bouts of aggression out of seemingly nowhere. She just wasn’t acting herself. The neurologist stated that “deaf dogs have a tendency to startle,” so that was likely what she was seeing. Amanda left the doctor’s office in a fit of confusion. Was she just imaging these issues? Surely this doctor knows what he’s talking about. But also, surely she knows her dog.



That night, we talked. We brainstormed and discussed what we knew about deaf dogs, and Calamity specifically. Being a vet tech herself, Amanda wanted to give the neurologist the benefit of the doubt, but something just didn’t sit right. We decided to sleep on it for a few days and discuss again if we thought it was worth it to go back. Amanda woke up the next day and said to me, “I know my dog. This isn’t normal. I’m getting her an MRI,” and booked an appointment with a different neurologist.

Following the MRI, Calamity was diagnosed with brain atrophy.

I want the takeaway from this story to be that it’s important to understand that we all play victim to our own personal learning histories. Because of that, we need to advocate for our dogs. We need to change learning histories, not ridicule them. The first neurologist made a judgement likely on one or more deaf dogs he had met in the past. This isn’t the first time we’ve run in to this, even in the few short years our organization has been in existence. We’ve heard everything from behavioral changes to odd reactions to medications. But ultimately, the fact that a dog is deaf, doesn’t mean they’re any less of a dog. It’s not a reason to brush off abnormal behavior. We can influence those learning histories. We can change minds.

Trust your gut. Advocate for your dog. Break the stereotype.

Rose Adler

Keller’s Cause Co-Founder