Miss-Delectable
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Deaf puppy rescued in Salem is now learning new tricks - southbendtribune.com
A puppy that was dumped at just eight weeks old in Salem now has a new home. The pure bred white boxer (not albino) named Nitro is now almost eight months, but Nitro is no ordinary puppy. He's deaf.
Owner Christina Lee has been training Nitro using American Sign Language to communicate with him. Nitro follows hand commands for sit, stay, down, turn-around and shake to name just a few.
Nitro has learned to follow Christina Lee on a loose leash and most importantly, he's learned to watch her.
"If he's not looking at you, let's say if you're across the room, if he's not looking at you, you can't get his attention," Lee said. Now, Lee says Nitro is in the habit of watching everything she does.
Lee hopes to one day use a vibrating collar with a remote control that she could click to get Nitro's attention. That collar would not shock Nitro, but merely vibrate to let him know she's trying to get his attention. Lee said she would use the collar to give Nitro more freedom at a dog park, for example, and to give her more freedom too.
Lee admits it was scary when she and her husband first adoped Nitro from the Salem Animal Shelter. "The first 24 hours after I got him home I freaked out. I was like 'What have a done? This is a huge commitment," Lee said.
She said it was her husband who eased her fears and told her they could learn to train Nitro. Since then Nitro has gone through several classes with flying colors at the Field of Dreams dog training center in Vinton.
His tricks are impressive. He's trained to sit when a stranger walks up to greet his owners. He's also trained to leave a treat that's set right in front of him, until he looks up at his owner and is given the okay.
Lee hopes to one day train Nitro to work as a therapy dog. She says he's definitely smart enough.
There is no question this is a rescue dog who's brought his owners many smiles.
"He's funny. He's really funny," Lee said. "He has a lot of personality, so it's a shame somebody didn't see it.'
A puppy that was dumped at just eight weeks old in Salem now has a new home. The pure bred white boxer (not albino) named Nitro is now almost eight months, but Nitro is no ordinary puppy. He's deaf.
Owner Christina Lee has been training Nitro using American Sign Language to communicate with him. Nitro follows hand commands for sit, stay, down, turn-around and shake to name just a few.
Nitro has learned to follow Christina Lee on a loose leash and most importantly, he's learned to watch her.
"If he's not looking at you, let's say if you're across the room, if he's not looking at you, you can't get his attention," Lee said. Now, Lee says Nitro is in the habit of watching everything she does.
Lee hopes to one day use a vibrating collar with a remote control that she could click to get Nitro's attention. That collar would not shock Nitro, but merely vibrate to let him know she's trying to get his attention. Lee said she would use the collar to give Nitro more freedom at a dog park, for example, and to give her more freedom too.
Lee admits it was scary when she and her husband first adoped Nitro from the Salem Animal Shelter. "The first 24 hours after I got him home I freaked out. I was like 'What have a done? This is a huge commitment," Lee said.
She said it was her husband who eased her fears and told her they could learn to train Nitro. Since then Nitro has gone through several classes with flying colors at the Field of Dreams dog training center in Vinton.
His tricks are impressive. He's trained to sit when a stranger walks up to greet his owners. He's also trained to leave a treat that's set right in front of him, until he looks up at his owner and is given the okay.
Lee hopes to one day train Nitro to work as a therapy dog. She says he's definitely smart enough.
There is no question this is a rescue dog who's brought his owners many smiles.
"He's funny. He's really funny," Lee said. "He has a lot of personality, so it's a shame somebody didn't see it.'