OFM News spoke to Carla Bester, who recently brought home a deaf Yorkie. She explained that she has always wanted a deaf dog as she studied South African Sign Language (SASL) and she used to watch videos of how people overseas handle such dogs. She says many people euthanise deaf dogs and it breaks her heart.

Bester named her little guy Yogi and she teaches him signs through repetition, as well as facial expressions. 

Yogi is almost three months old and although he still has a lot to learn, he remembers most of what she teaches him. If she signs "toilet" then he knows that he has to go outside and do his thing.

"When he does something right, I show him the sign for good and he knows that he did something I like," she explained.

Bester said one of the amazing things is when she calls him using a laser light or when she taps, he looks straight at her hands waiting for instructions. She further explains that they have other dogs, so she does the sign and says the word out loud for them to also pick it up.

She concludes by saying SASL is one of her biggest passions and she wants to make more people aware of the advantages it has for everybody, even if there isn't a deaf person around.

Follow Yogi's progress on Instagram: @yogi_deaf_dog

OFM News