Mixed terrier bull PeeWee was seven months old when he was found wandering the streets alone. He was in horrendous condition, with a huge burn on his back and red rashes due to a skin infection. The pooch was rescued by Nikki Engleman who nursed him back to health and helped him shoot to fame on TikTokafter teaching him to understand American Sign Language.
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Rescued as a stray
PeeWee was rescued as a stray when he was only seven months old. He was found in a heartbreaking state, with a skin infection and a huge burn on his back. His owner Nikki Engleman believes that he was also born deaf.
According to her, at first, he struggled to live a quality life without being able to hear. He was not doing well socially, and it took a long time for him to be okay with being left alone. But eventually, he adapted.
Engleman said:
Now, he's a part of our family and he's very good at communicating with us. He'll come and find us if he wants anything or will press his nose against you.
@deafdogofmn I could make these videos each time I come home. He’s always waiting for us 🥰 Love this pupper so much! I hate leaving him.. #waiting#lovehim#deafdog#deafdogsoftiktok#dogsoftiktok#fyp#fupシ#trending#trendingdog#wakeup#dog
♬ ily (i love you baby) - Surf Mesa
Learning the sign language
PeeWee’s family came to a very clever idea in order to communicate with the pooch: they decided to give American Sign Language a try. Engleman bought a Signing With Your Baby book to learn the basics.
She commented:
It was a complete learning curve. I only knew a couple of things such as 'thank you' and 'please.
But the smart pooch picked up really fast. His owner was able to teach him to roll over in a day. Continuing with the simplest things, she signed for basics like 'Food’ and ‘Go to the bathroom’, and PeeWee nailed it too.
Engleman said:
He's very smart, he's one of the smartest dogs I've ever had. He knows about 15 signs in total.
@deafdogofmn Replying to @🫶🏻💕🫶🏻💕🫶🏻 he knows about 15 different signs and is learning more all the time! 💙 Consistency is key! #deafdog#asl#signlanguage#reply#tiktokdog#deaf#viral#fyp#fypシ
♬ Nuthin But A G'Thang - Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre
Though some things are still challenging in communicating with a deaf dog as she occasionally has to tap him or flicker the lights to get his attention, the sign language made a dramatic difference.
Famous on social media
Engleman documented PeeWee’s learning journey on TikTok to educate others about American Sign Language for dogs. To her delight, their videos touched the hearts of 164k followers on the app.
One of his clips, which racked up over 10 million views, shows Peewee and puppy Faith looking at Engleman while she signs 'Treat' and 'Dad' before they spring up the stairs.
@deafdogofmn We use our hands a lot here! Even the kids join in! #deafdog#asl#signlanguage#deafdogsoftiktok#tiktokdog#viral#viraldog#trending#themoreyouknow💫#learning#taptap#hello#stomping#lights#attention#fyp#fypシ#foryou#dogsoftiktok#tiktokdog
♬ Hello - Adele
The woman added:
People get really excited when they see it, they love it. One of my friend's sons is deaf and he thought it was really cool that he could communicate with a dog the way that he communicates. People either think it's really crazy or really cool.
Engleman is now fostering a second deaf dog, 8-months-old Faith, and is training her in the same way. Though the little pooch struggles to learn and to stay focused as she's still a puppy, her foster mum believes that she’ll eventually get there.
She admitted:
PeeWee guides her a lot, and Faith looks to him for everything. He's a big bother to her, which is awesome to see.
Sources used:
- Mail Online: 'He understands paw-fectly! Adorable deaf rescue dog who can answer commands in sign language becomes a viral sensation'
