Pips, a blue heeler born deaf in West Virginia, has found a loving home with Michael and Carlee Squires, a married couple who are both audiologists. The couple adopted Pips and her sister without initially knowing about her hearing loss.

After noticing that Pips did not respond to sounds like her sister, the couple realized she was deaf and began researching ways to support her. Drawing on their professional experience, they trained Pips using visual commands and adapted their communication to meet her needs.

The Squires say Pips has thrived with patience, care and specialized training. Michael hopes her story will encourage more people to consider adopting dogs with disabilities and show that hearing loss does not prevent them from living happy, fulfilling lives.

people.com