Keller: Speaking up for those who cannot

I met my friend Amanda at an Aussie Meetup out about a year ago.  She had the cutest and happiest dog – Keller.  Keller was oozing with personality.  Still in her puppy phase, I watched her romping around with the other dogs, having a blast, but always circle back to Amanda.  It was clear that Keller was a smart dog.  Our Meetup was at an indoor agility course and there was nothing that Keller could not do – she was literally jumping through hoops and bouncing over bridges, not an ounce of apprehension.

 Keller was as beautiful as she was smart – all white with little pops of color and THE sweetest face.  I was shocked when Amanda told me that Keller was deaf and had limited vision – you never would have guessed by watching her.

Sweet and active Keller is a double merle Aussie – it’s the result of breeding two merles.  Truthfully, it’s the result of ignorance.  Having had Aussies, I was familiar with the term – but it is a term also associated with Boxers, Great Danes, Shelties, any number of breeds. Puppies from merle to merle breeding have a 25% chance of being born deaf and/or blind.

Keller as a puppy, could you resist her?

Our dog Boomer, has unusual markings for an Aussie - he has a white head.  His markings are NOT the result of bad breeding, but I am often asked if he is deaf – he is not.

Amanda already had an Aussie named Kai, when like many of us, she was scrolling through Facebook and saw a picture of what she thought was cutest little puppy.  The puppy was searching for a home. The pup was a double merle.  She had been rescued from the breeder because the breeder who was responsible for her and created her disabilities was going to destroy her.

Unable to get this puppy out of her head – Amanda called and emailed the rescue group and learned that the puppy has deaf and possibly blind.  As nervous as she was, saving this puppy trumped any apprehension.  Soon, she and Kai were in the car making the two hour drive to pick up their newest family member.

Amanda, a vet tech, says owning a dog with "disabilities" is no different than owning her perfectly "normal" dog.   She says she is not sure when or how a stigma came to be around deaf or blind dogs, but they make wonderful pets.

Keller is testament that any dog can make a great pet if you give it love and train it to be what you want. Yes, Keller is deaf, and yes she is vision impaired, but that doesn't stop her from doing a single thing. Keller has completed 4 agility classes and an obedience class.   Keller swims, she hikes, she loves everything that any other dog loves.  Keller just does receives her information a little differently.  Amanda’s commands are all through hand and touch signals – rather than voice. Keller knows, sit, down, stay, come, spin, paw, drop it, crate and stand. She truly is a great example that dogs are capable of anything.

If Keller is the canine example that anything is possible through love and patience, Amanda is the human example that anything is possible through love and determination.

With Keller as her example, Amanda has set out to erase the stigma of deaf and blind dogs AND to educate the dog world on the dangers of merle to merle breeding – and eradicate the practice.

Harnessing the power of social media, Amanda  has a Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/Kellerthedm  where she can share the normality and some challenges of her double merle darling.  For instance, Keller’s regular eye exams are the source of understandable anxiety, we were all relieved when Keller’s exam yielded good news!  Amanda also recently launched an online campaign to make Keller Modern Dog Magazine’s cover girl  -- she placed in the top 10, a great platform to educate the dog public on double merles.

Amanda also created a website where the owners of double merle dogs can share their beautiful pups and dog lovers can learn more about these special dogs -- http://www.doublemerles.info/what-is-a-double-merle--1.html

 Most recently, Amanda has launched a petition through change.org  https://www.change.org/p/american-kennel-club-american-kennel-club-stop-ignoring-the-needless-death-and-suffering-of-puppies

 She is asking that the AKC ban the registration of a dog from merle to merle breeding. Arguing that it is an unethical breeding practice and should be banned as it has been in other countries – notably the UK in 2012.

Incredibly, Amanda is frequently attacked by those who choose to ignore science (and middle school biology) for her outspoken advocacy in support of her dog and the countless others who aren’t as lucky as Keller.

If you are moved by Keller’s story and Amanda’s determination, please take a moment to sign the petition and if you’re on Facebook check out Keller’s page.  Finally, if there is room in your home and your heart is open to it – consider adopting a dog as special as Keller.