Deaf puppy learns sign language in just eight weeks
- last year
A deaf puppy has learned sign language in just eight weeks - and knows how to follow hand signals to sit, spin and lie down.
Rafa - a seven-month-old Spanish Water dog - has been learning sign language ever since owner, Jo Le Page, 41, discovered he couldn’t hear.
The pooch has learnt nine different signs including 'sit', 'stand', 'watch me', 'spin', 'give paw', 'lie down', 'come', 'stay' and 'safe' - where he will walk under Jo’s legs, turn around and stay there.
He can now also pick up a toy from the ground if Jo does a 'pick up' hand signal.
Rafa is continuing to learn more hand signals and Jo says his disability won't limit her dog's life.
She hopes people will stop being quick to put disabled dogs down or put them in a shelter.
Jo, a pre-school worker and author, from Guernsey, Channel Island, said: "Rafa would turn his head when other puppies heard noises and would follow all of them.
Rafa - a seven-month-old Spanish Water dog - has been learning sign language ever since owner, Jo Le Page, 41, discovered he couldn’t hear.
The pooch has learnt nine different signs including 'sit', 'stand', 'watch me', 'spin', 'give paw', 'lie down', 'come', 'stay' and 'safe' - where he will walk under Jo’s legs, turn around and stay there.
He can now also pick up a toy from the ground if Jo does a 'pick up' hand signal.
Rafa is continuing to learn more hand signals and Jo says his disability won't limit her dog's life.
She hopes people will stop being quick to put disabled dogs down or put them in a shelter.
Jo, a pre-school worker and author, from Guernsey, Channel Island, said: "Rafa would turn his head when other puppies heard noises and would follow all of them.