Watch This Tiny Deaf Puppy Grow Up To Be So Big And Happy | The Dodo Adoption Day

JJ was rescued when she was a teeny-tiny puppy. She overcame all sorts of health problems — then her foster mom realized she was deaf. With months of training and love, JJ learned sign language and grew up to be a beautiful dog. Now she just needed a forever home — and a family who fell in love with her video online is driving hours to meet her.

Video Script:: 

JJ was surrendered as a stray. They didn’t know
where she came from. She was so small, like a loaf of bread. She had wounds of an
unknown origin to the face. At that young of an age, she was
not able to stay in the shelter. She was handed to me,
and I brought her home. I want to help this dog and
make sure she gets a home. - Yum. The first thing she did
when she got to my house, she was wrapped up in a blanket,
and she fell asleep right on my chest. I was terrified she wasn’t going
to make it through the night. She was so little. But she stayed that whole night. And she was definitely
tired that first day, but the next morning, as soon as she had the medication
and started to feel a little bit better, she did the little growlies, and-- - Oh, you’re vicious? - It was the cutest. She is so spunky,
and this little brat. But she’s really the coolest
and happiest puppy. She’s a ball of energy. - That’s not fair. What are you doing? - She really likes to try and
initiate play with my other dog. - Be nice to the baby.
Good boy. - But something wasn’t adding up. There was no response from her,
and I said, this is interesting. She is deaf. So I knew that I had to do
everything possible to help JJ. It’s especially important to incorporate
hand signals for her training. Understanding the specific
needs that she has is really important for
her forever home. It turns out she sleeps really well
because she doesn’t hear anything. She can feel vibrations. - JJ was featured in a
video on the Dodo. The response was overwhelming. Everybody fell in love with JJ. How could you not? - But because she has special needs, we had to make sure that the home
she was going to was prepared. As she’s aging, she
developed a skin infection because of all of her health issues. So we needed a
little bit more time. She’s always battling something, but she’s still the very
spunky dog that she is. - Oh my god, this is the happiest
dog I’ve ever seen. - She’s stubborn, but
she knows a lot, and she’s very, very smart. It’s an incredible feeling
to watch her progress. She’s not fearful of
new people or new dogs. She’s very much,
I want to be your friend. It’s a really proud thing
to be able to see her blossom into the dog that
I know she’s going to be. She’s eight or nine months now. Healthy and ready
to go out the door. The ideal home for JJ
would be one with adults who have older children. And she definitely would benefit best
with another dog in the house. - We are really excited because we
have recently received an application from a woman named Kristin. - I found JJ on the Dodo. There was something about her
story that just spoke to us. I need something to love. We have one eight year old American
Staffordshire terrier named Sawyer. Sawyer is lovable, snuggly. I know Sawyer would
be a good big brother. - Today is the day that
Kristin and her family are going to come meet JJ. And hopefully, if all goes the
way we think it’s going to go, they’re going to take her home. - I’m a little bit nervous. But I am super excited about it. - That’s your new dad. - JJ went right up to the family as though she’s already been
living with them this whole time and hasn’t told us. - JJ goes and gives Beckett a kiss, and I know that we have
made the right decision to drive from Virginia to
New Jersey to get this dog. She is the cutest little thing
I have seen in a long time. And I think we all knew
right then and there that this was going to work out. - I have to tell you, I haven’t seen her this
affectionate with strangers at all. - She actually followed the hand commands
of our ten year old son immediately. So that was nice. - I’m just excited to teach
her more sign language. - We really need to make sure that
these two dogs hit it off together, because if they don’t,
JJ can’t go home with them. - She’s incredibly social, and immediately wanted
Sawyer’s attention. He passed with flying colors. - Hi guys. Hi, hello. Listen, I’m making an
album cover right now. Hey guys! - It’s going to be
emotional to watch her go. Because I’ve been with
her since the beginning. Since she was a
little loaf of bread. But it’s very, very relieving to know
that she has her forever home. - You did amazing with her. - Thank you. - I am so excited. It’s just taken a really long time
to find her perfect family. And I think that
this is really it. - Go have the best life, okay? - When we first bring JJ home, a lot of that first day,
the first week, was getting to know each other,
and getting to know her behaviors. Getting to understand
the hand signals. She’s the biggest snuggle bug. Like, you’re on the couch
and she’s diving in, coming across your lap. And it’s really unbelievable just
how adaptable she really is. Sawyer and JJ have become very fast BFFs. They are constantly together. If he’s laying down on the bed, she is just squeezing
herself in with him. Whether he wants her
to be there or not, she’s like,
“I’m coming in.” - Hi. Hi sweet face. - It’s been a month since
JJ has been in our home, and things are
going really well. She is completely
comfortable with us. There’s nothing more fulfilling than rescuing a dog that you
know needs a loving home. And she just completes the house. It’s like she has
always been here.