Deaf Rescue Dog Gets Birthday Celebration He Deserves for the First Time

A heart warming video of a deaf rescue dog enjoying his birthday has gone viral on TikTok with over 490,000 views.

In the video, which was posted late last month, the small white dog called Poundcake can be seen celebrating his birthday for the first time, opening his presents, and enjoying a birthday treat complete with candles. The caption on the video reads, "Do something special for your dog, they give us so much, it's the least we can do".

In previous videos, Poundcake's owner, James, explains that the canine was born deaf and struggled to get adopted, ending up in a rescue center.

Deafness in dogs can be inherited, congenital, age related or caused by adult-onset and can occur in any breed. Research has shown that certain breeds like Dalmatians and certain color patterns like piebald and merle tend to have higher incidences of deafness.

As Poundcake proves in this adorable video, a deaf dog can be just as rewarding as a hearing dog.

"The coolest thing about our furry friends is their ability to adapt and compensate," Alejandro Caos told Newsweek, a veterinarian with pet care organization The Pets. "Just like with other dogs, exercise that nose and body. Sniffing around is like us humans working on puzzles; it's fantastic mental stimulation. But as noted above, ensure that your deaf dog is always on a leash. Just remember, there's not a whole lot holding our deaf dogs back. It's all about how we are able to provide the right environment for them to succeed in."

Caos also offered his top tips for caring for a deaf pet.

Learn to communicate

With a hearing dog, many commands will be vocal whereas with a deaf dog, you're going to need to adapt. "Learn to use hand signals," said Caos. "Essential signals are sit, stay, come, down, good, no and watch. Also establish a hand signal for your dog's name."

Make them obvious

Deaf dogs obviously have no recall ability if they can't see you so if you do feel confident letting them off the leash, it's a good idea to make them as visible or audible as possible. "Place a bell on your dog's collar," suggested Caos. "Or add lights to their harness or collar so you can see them better." It's also a good idea to add a note on their collar explaining that they are deaf, with your address and phone number in case they get lost.

Do not 'disappear'

"Let your dog know when you're going out without them. Don't just disappear when they're in another room or asleep," advised Caos. If a deaf dog is not aware that you have left the house, it might search for you unsuccessfully. This not only causes stress to the dog, but might also result in destructive behavior around the house.

"Deaf dogs make excellent companions once you've established your mode of communication," said Caos, "It's also really great if your deaf dog has another dog friend, preferably one that can hear so that the deaf dog can take cues from the hearing dog."

TikTokers React

Viewers on TikTok loved the cute video of Poundcake.

"Aw he's grateful for whatever he got. Happy birthday Poundcake," one user wrote.

Meanwhile, another user wrote, "I always spoil my furkids. We don't have them forever so make every day count."

Newsweek has reached out to @make.life.happen via Instagram for comment.

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