Deaf and Blind Puppy

Yesterday, Mango, Janie, Astrid and I went to visit a fourth grade classroom at Camelot Elementary School, off Waterford Chase PKWY and Avalon Blvd....



You may have not heard about Paws Making PALS (Positive Achievements, Learning & Sharing) as of yet; and I don't want to give away too much information on this project today as there will be a press release on it soon, but Paws Making PALS is a therapeutic project that impacts children and dogs; that have suffered/encountered or share similar backgrounds, disabilities or circumstances.

I developed Project Paws Making PALS about 7 years ago.... while I was still attending UCF (studying Psychology) and working at University Behavioral Center with the juvenile sex offenders. The program was developed to assist youths to be successful with their therapeutic and behavioral treatment plans; but was denied by the facility. I was determined this program would impact the lives of such youths in such a tremendous way, that it may also be the only "thing" that saves them; so I proposed it to numerous other residential treatment facilities for youths; but not with much luck at all.

Last year, out of the blue; I was contacted by Cheryl, a teacher at the Magnolia School, in Orlando. She had learned about my interest in working with "troubled youths," "youths with sever and profound mental and or physical disabilities" and dogs. She invited Nim (my husband) and I for dinner to talk about Paws Making PALS. For those of you who know me, would understand when I say, "I went on and on" about all the ideas I had about this program and other vocational programs that should be implemented in schools.... that was the official start to Paws Making PALS.

Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
Henry Ford

My personal goal for this project is to work with shelter dogs that have been abused, abandoned, neglected or suffer from low self esteem, and children who resemble these dogs in that manner as well. The project aims to allow both the child and dog to become friends, make positive achievements in their therapeutic and behavioral treatment, learn how to trust, develop healthy attachment, detachment, communication, maintain healthy boundaries, develop character by sharing their experiences and overcoming them together.

More on my meeting with Cheryl and how we got started later.... Stay Tuned!

As part of project Paws Making "PALS" we took Mango, our deaf and blind thirteen week old puppy to visit a fourth grade class. Janie's daughter, Hope, coordinated this for her and her class mates..... we would especially like to thank Hope and her teacher Ms. Powell for pushing to getting our visit approved by the school.

We got to the class room, and as you can imagine, all the kids were super excited and the awwwww's and ahhhhhhhhh's began.
The kids probably broke record time in getting settled down, as they were so excited to meet Mango and learn about his blindness and deafness. I must say, I was very impressed about the knowledge these kids had, the questions they asked and their level of understanding regarding all the topics we discussed. I think I caught my jaw falling to the ground several times... and I don't know what was most impressive, their knowledge, sensitivity and understanding or the impact this visit will have on them as they meet other animals and people with disabilities.... I guess that remains to be seen.




Here are some of the topics we discussed, and questions we answered:

1. Was Mango born deaf and blind?
Us: Yes.
2. What causes deafness and blindness? In Mango's case, it may be a Merle Gene.
Us: Depending on what breed his is, he may
have acquired the Merle gene from him Mum or Dad or both.
3. What is a gene? Is this a genetic issue, if so what are the repercussions of breeding him? (of course we are not breeding
Mango!)
Kids: A gene is what makes you. Genes are what one's DNA is made up of. Genes define our looks/external characteristics.
4. Just because Mango is deaf and blind, does this affect his ability to learn and understand?
Us: It is important to recognize that his physical disabilities do not make him dumb. He is a smart little puppy and learns in his own way, at his own pace. Mango learns much faster when he feels safe and trusts the smells he is around (he looks for smells he is familiar with, like Astrid, Janie, myself, Doglando, Lilo and his temporary home) when he feels unsafe or unsure.
5. What types of training tools could we use to train Mango?
Us: Vibration collar, whistles (depending on if he can hear high frequency sounds or not), and laser or flash lights (since he does respond to bright light).
6. Why have we chosen not to use training tools such as: a vibration collar yet?
Us: We find it important to allow Mango to develop at his own pace and learn to trust and use his other senses. If we introduce training tools such as a vibration collar, we will interfere with his natural survival skills and that will effect how confident he will grow to be. By introducing training tools too early in his life, he may become a very nervous, skittish and reluctant puppy, because he will be dependent on us doing everything for him. He will be very very unsure of his environment and easily startled.
7. What other senses can Mango use to learn to get around?
Kids: Smell and touch.
8. Is it important for Mango to be around other dogs? Why?
Kids: He will learn to follow the other dog(s), he can still play and lead a normal life just like other puppies.
9. How did Mango learn to adapt to his foster home?
Us: The first couple of days, Mango spent attached to Astrid via a 6' leash. He was given some freedom, but for the most part we wanted him to become familiar with her smell.
Kids: You can teach him where his food bowl is and then take some of that food, and get him to follow you around.
10. How would one greet Mango?
Kids: By reaching below is head
Us: We are teaching Mango, that if we waive our hand in front of your face we are more than likely to reach in and pet your or pick you up. He is beginning to understand that as his cue, and it will be unlikely that he ever bites because he is startled.
11. Would it be difficult for Mango to transition into his new home when he gets adopted?
Kids: Why would you just not keep Mango?
Us: We chuckled and attempted to explain the difficulty in acting as foster parents, and how hard it really is... but if we keep them all, there will be a point when we will not be able to help another dog.
Us: We think Mango will do awesome in transitioning to a new home. He learns very fast, he is a cautious explorer, and learns his environment very fast. Ideally, we would love or Mango to be in his forever home soon, since he is still very young.... but we think he will do just fine... as long as we find him a great doggy brother or sister to follow.
12. What can we do to assure Mango and make him feel comfortable when we are not in smelling distance of him, since he can
not see where we are?
Us: We can attach him to us and make him follow along, or wave our hand in front of his face and start walking. We can also do this by using his food and as he follows us, we would reward him.
13. Does Mango bang into things?
Us: Yes he does, but not as hard or as many times as you may think. (We took Mango off his leash and let the kids watch him briefly as he explored the classroom and "coincidentally" found the trash can :) )
Mango learns using his whiskers as well.... they guide him in his movement around a room.
14. How does Mango learn to avoid obstacles and to move around freely?
Us: It is really interesting... week one, if Mango bumped into something he looked at that as a dead end, and would turn around. Two weeks later, now, Mango can bump into something, but he lifts his head to feel if he can extend his head over the obstacle, and then in turn lift himself over it by jumping over it, or he tries to feel for space under it, to crawl under or walk parallel to it, to see if he can walk along side, and ultimately turn.
15. Is Mango any harder or easier to train than another puppy his age? In what way?
Us: Actually Mango is a very easy puppy to work with. He practices caution so well, and is such a stable puppy, we have not caught him startled or shocked by anything yet. He is also not as crazy as most puppies his age... maybe its because he has to be more careful or else he would land himself in danger very fast.
16. Why might it be a good idea to treat Mango like a "normal" puppy?
Us: It is important to treat Mango like a normal puppy because he is normal in every other way. If we change his environment to adapt to him, he will not learn to be a confident, independent puppy. All puppies love to learn and love to play.... we can not take this away from him by treating him abnormally.
17. Is Mango potty trained?
Us: Almost. He surely knows the feel of grass and in his foster home, knows exactly where the back door is. The only accidents Mango has are related to being in a new place.... those accidents are our fault because we did not show him where he needed to go, or take him out when he informed us.... he is still only 13 weeks old, so he can not hold it in for too long of a time span. He is way beyond where most puppies his age would be though.
18. If we were to let Mango off his leash in our classroom what would he do?
Us: lets find out.
19. Why was Mango barking?
Us: Mango was possibly barking because when we came in he immediately recognized all the new, foreign smells. He knew he was not somewhere he had ever been before. I bet that was a comfort call bark and he was calling for Lilo.
20. Where do those dogs that end up in rescue come from?
Kids: Many times they are abandoned or abused and neglected.
21. What is a pet shop?
Kids: A place that sells pets and keeps them in small, tiny cages and doesn't even let them out at night.
22. What makes pet shops, rescue groups and responsible breeders all different from one another?
Kids: A responsible breeder would not breed a dog like this and pass on the genes. (Believe it or not, this was an answer we got).
23. How long have you had Mango?
Us: We have had him about three weeks.



We hope this was as much of an impact full experience for the kids as it was for us and Mango. Thank you Camelot for allowing Paws Making PALS come out with Mango.