Fostering pup

Driving down to a very rural town, an hour away, I met with a woman.  She had dark circles under her eyes, had obviously wept before my arrival.   During the silence, I watched as she coaxed a little creature out of the crate.  We met front of her car, as she handed me the leash to her little dog.   She looked like she was about to cry again.  I took her in arms and held her while she cried.  Afterwards, I coaxed the dog into the car-   he insisted on staying on my lap while I drove back to my place.  Obviously confused and scared, he trembled, holding my hand close with a paw over it.

After a flea dip/deep bath and a vet visit to get medication for his infection and wounds,  Colin is on the mend, sleeping beside me on the sofa.

All in silence.  

You see, Colin is a deaf Pomeranian.  

I heard about him when Deaf Dogs Rock sent out a call looking for either a forever home or fostering for this dog due to a foreclosure, and that this dog is in Kentucky.   I had thought of fostering dogs for a year, but I hadn't an opportunity.  Until now.

So I'm fostering a small dog, deaf since birth.  I did notice that he intensely stare at my face, so I suspect he looks for communication that way. I had started working with him with using basic signs associated with commands, such as sit, stay, walk, food, no, etc. I don't have to worry about him barking or yipping.   The stereotypical Pomeranian is..all yipping.. He doesn't yip, but he does whimper.

He will stay here until he's healed and trained in communication/discipline before I will let it be known that he's looking for a forever home. I know it's hard for deaf dogs to be adopted, so the family has to have motivation and overmuch love to give to a dog like that. He had already figured out quickly two rules here- no getting on bed, and no begging for food while I'm eating.  He may be deaf, but he ain't dumb!  So there's hope for him.

This is an opportunity for me to explore what I want to do at this time of my life.  I might be a mother someday or not, but at this time, I'll be content as a foster mother for a dog.