Man shares the gentle way he wakes up his blind and deaf dog to avoid startling her
Adopting a pet is a big step.
Whether it’s your first one or adding more to your home, it takes a lot of adjustment once you bring that pet home.
It is more challenging if your pet has special needs. For others, it can be frustrating. But a few have a golden heart to never turn their back on animals, even if they have a particular disability.
Love at First Sight
It only took a second during his first meeting with Plum when veterinary assistant Aiden Mann fell in love with her.
“I definitely didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I did know that I loved her and wanted to give her a good life,” he told Insider.
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His profession would give us the idea that he loved dogs, and his home in Nashville, Tennessee, would prove that. He first adopted Lola, a Staffordshire bull terrier, and Great Dane mix. Five years later, he adopted Plum.
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Plum is a miniature Australian shepherd and a gorgeous pup. However, what made it difficult to get adopted was the fact that she was born deaf and partially blind. That posed a great challenge for Aiden, but he knew in his heart he could make it work.
The Sense of Smell and Touch
Living with Plum meant a lot of trial and error, especially regarding training. Training needed a lot of communication, but those were the senses that Plum lacked. However, Aiden understood all was not lost.
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He trained her mainly through touch, while Plum used her sense of smell to get around the house. Watch the video below to see how well she moved around their home.
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For simple commands, he had to improvise. He would touch under Plum’s chin to signal ‘sit’ and guide her nose to the direction where he wanted her to follow him. But there was one thing that Aiden did to Plum that went viral on the internet.
Waking Up Ms. Sunshine
A TikTok follower asked Aiden in one of his posts how he wakes Plum without startling her. He answered this through another TikTok video which warmed the hearts of many.
He said he woke Plum by lightly blowing on her nose. She still gets a little startled, but once she starts feeling Aiden’s presence, she calms down and gets all the love from her favorite hooman.
The video has already reached 98.8 million views and 17.3 million likes. That’s how sensational this video got!
While other viewers reacted negatively and suggested just waving a treat in front of Plum’s nose, Aiden replied with a video and showed how she never budged even with her favorite treat. Welp! A sleepy girl must get her beauty sleep, right?
Living the Best Life
Others might think of putting down a deaf and blind dog, but that never crossed Aiden’s mind. Plum’s disability made their bond stronger, making him more patient with his pets.
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You can also check out Plum and Lola’s Instagram page to see how she is living the best life with her fur sibling and that no impairment could ever stop Plum from having lots of fun.
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@aiden_m365 Yes I know I have a hole in my shirt lol #plum #deaf #blind #doublemerle #fyp #fypage #cute #dog ♬ Surrender – Natalie Taylor
Source: Insider, Aiden Mann TikTok Profile, Lola and Plum Instagram Page