Yesterday morning when I walked into the dog room to start letting all the bladders I mean dogs out, I could see blind and deaf Spinner had something stuck to her chin. I walked over to the twin bed she sleeps on (yes, she has the whole thing to herself all night long ... blind Madison, the only other "at-large" resident in the room all night, uses the dog beds on the floor) for a closer look. It turned out to be a tuft of her own white hair, though how it got there and why it stayed there I don't know. In fact, it managed to cling to her chin long enough for me to walk back down to the people wing to get the camera and come back to take a photo. She's been blowing her coat out in recent days and somehow a piece got on to her chin and decided to hang around.
Anyway, she had been sound asleep when I first walked in and was now awake and stirring, so it wasn't long before she realized something was stuck to her chin. I barely got the photo taken before she shook her head a few times and off it went.
I'm beginning to work on our fall print newsletter, and Spinner will be on the cover for another "originals" issue, where we feature some of the animals who have been here the longest. We've had this wonderful girl for six years now, and she's a great example of how disabled animals in general -- and especially those with twin disabilities like hers -- can have an amazing quality of life. Of all our disabled animals, it's clear the ones who have the biggest obstacles to overcome in terms of human perception are the ones who are both blind and deaf. So many people can't conceive of how an animal who can't see or hear can still enjoy life.
As you may recall, we put Spencer and Katie, our adorable blind and deaf pair of Dachshunds, up for adoption months ago on PetFinder. Each week I get a report from PetFinder on how many "views" our adoption listings received that week ... and Spencer and Katie are always at the top of the list, getting more than 200 views a week. Yet six months later, they are still here. And we know it's because the blind and deaf thing is a show-stopper for most people. Now, don't get me wrong ... we don't worry about it and we don't despair over it, because we know that the right person will come along in due course and we can afford to wait for that special home. But is is a sign of how this twin disability can put people off from adopting an otherwise irresistibly cute pair of little dogs.
Thus it's time to put Spinner back on the cover of our newsletter so we can tell her story. I think she was last on the cover way back in 2005!
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Still No. 3 Nationwide!
The current Shelter Challenge started on July 4th and ends at midnight on September 18th. Grand prize in this round is $5,000, plus $1,000 for weekly winners and $1,000 for state winners. There are also other categories ... please see the Shelter Challenge website for details.
And remember, you can vote every day, so consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.
You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Please note: Use Rolling Dog Ranch for our name and NH for the state and our listing will come up. [Yes, we are still listed as Rolling Dog Ranch for the purposes of the contest, not Rolling Dog Farm.]
Because of your votes, we just won $1,000 as a weekly winner in the last Shelter Challenge. Please help us win more money for the animals here by voting every day, and by encouraging your family, friends and colleagues to vote every day, too. Thank you!
Spinner has always been one of my faves. :-)
Posted by: Lisa | August 12, 2011 at 01:43 AM
We "two-legged" animals can learn so much from these fuzzy kids about disabilities and how to handle them. These fuzzy kids are amazing .... dealing with obstacles and getting on with enjoying their life!
Posted by: Penny | August 03, 2011 at 11:42 AM
All of your animals are incredible and each has an endearing qualityt that I just love, but there is something about Spinner... she is and has always been my favorite of your pack. So glad to see she is living life to the fullest... fluffy white fur on her chin and all.
Posted by: Linda | August 03, 2011 at 11:27 AM
Spinner is beautiful, a worthy (double) cover girl!
Posted by: Dawn | August 03, 2011 at 11:03 AM
I wish all the people who check PetFinder would look at your blog and see how well adjusted the animals are. They are happy, normal dogs. Having one of them in your home would be the best gift someone could give themselves.
Posted by: Betsy | August 03, 2011 at 09:26 AM
Spinner is adorable! And that sure does look like a fake mustache she has there. After looking through the comments I was interested to know where Moon lives that there is a limit to how many pets you can have in your house. I understand that it may prevent hoarding, but a limit of three is a but overly cautious. I could never live in that town. :(
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | August 03, 2011 at 09:01 AM
What a beautiful girl you are, Spinner. And so lucky to have a bed all to yourself !
Posted by: Kathy Hertzel | August 03, 2011 at 08:37 AM
Spinner...you are so precious!
What a sweetheart...
I would love to have them all!
My deaf and/or blind animals have always been my most precious.
I can't imagine not wanting or loving them...
Posted by: Glenda | August 03, 2011 at 07:24 AM
Spinner looks like she has one of those fake mustaches that has decided to fall off and work its way down! She's a beautiful girl.
Being on disability I don't have the finances (I do without some things so I can make sure the 2 dogs I have will have everything they need) but if I did, I would take a blind, deaf or blind & deaf dog in a heartbeat. They have no idea that anything is wrong, this is just regular life for them. I wish more people would realize that there isn't really any more work involved than with a dog with sight or hearing and they are missing out on a loving companion!
Posted by: Ann | August 03, 2011 at 05:21 AM
Great blog. Spinner you are wonderful in every way!!!!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | August 03, 2011 at 01:04 AM
Steve & Alayne--I will make a long story short in telling you that back on May 9th we became the proud parents of Milli Diablo. She is a little pitch black poodle, @ 10 years old, deaf as a stone and mostly blind from cataracts. She was confiscated from a hoarder in Montana in January 2011 and came into our lives on May 9th. The progress that this little girl has made in almost 3 months is amazing. She doesn't have nightmares anymore---that was the worst! Her 'new' 14 yr old yorkie brother now sleeps next to her and eats about 6 inches from her. If you knew him you would understand how huge this is. Two weeks ago she got a new baby sister---a 7 month old yorkie. You should see them play!!! When Milli came to us she had no idea what toys were. Now she and the puppy romp and tussle and bark like crazy:-) We are the luckiest two humans because of these four legged furry treasures.
Posted by: Colleen & Wes Vermillion | August 03, 2011 at 12:07 AM
Isn't a white feather stuck to her chin? RIP, poor bird... :( :(
Posted by: Mauro Salles | August 02, 2011 at 11:39 PM
Well I can personally vouch for how while these two ADORABLE dogs get around. While I was visiting this past spring, I had let them out of their section of the yard, and they both zoomed over to the steps and zipped right into the dog wing!! They knew EXACTLY where they were going. They may have over estimated where the door was, but they never the less, knew which direction to go. If I didn’t have Levi and Timmy…I would snatch these two up myself before my sister gets to them!! The right person will definitely come along, I have no doubt!! And Spinner you too are just to adorable for words!
Posted by: Laura, Levi & Timmy | August 02, 2011 at 08:57 PM
You dont have Spinner up for adoption do you?? I thought she was a "keeper"! You yourself said once how well bonded she was to you and I remember reading of the greeting she gave you when she realized you were at the end of the long dog caravan to NH. I hope you only want to feature her as how well a differently-abled animal can do in our world of sights and sounds. Please give that wonderful, beautiful girl a big hug from we in Florida. I am glad she will a cover girl (maybe someday she can even be a centerfold!!!)
Posted by: Anne in FL | August 02, 2011 at 08:48 PM
Looks like she has a little mustache. :-) What a cutie pie!
Posted by: Leila - Western Washington | August 02, 2011 at 08:19 PM
Oh, Spinner! I LOVE her!! And I especially love that she has a whole twin bed to herself! Yay! :-) Glad she is doing so well and loving life in New Hampshire. Thank you for featuring your long-timers so that we don't forget about them, Steve.
Posted by: Cassie Betz | August 02, 2011 at 08:17 PM
When the time comes that I can have a dog and take care of one like he/she deserves, I hope I have the opportunity to adopt a pair like Spencer and Katie. Thanks, again, for all the work you do.
Posted by: Ashley | August 02, 2011 at 07:51 PM
Hey, Spinner, this could be a new look for you - - it's awfully cute! I would *dearly love* to welcome Kate and Spencer into my home. My town's limit on three pets per household stops me from doing so. The town clerk should get a look at those two; they're so beautiful they'd surely change his mind.
Posted by: Moon Rani | August 02, 2011 at 07:34 PM
Spinner is lovely, no matter what is stuck to her beautiful face!!
Posted by: Marla from KC | August 02, 2011 at 07:33 PM