In March 2020, when the world was beginning to shut down because of COVID-19, Carolyn Christ came across a newspaper ad that immediately caught her attention. A nearby animal shelter was urgently asking for foster families because their planned adoption events had been canceled.
Carolyn and her husband, John, decided to visit the shelter the very next day.
One of the first dogs they met was Zephyr, a striking red heeler with bright blue eyes. At first, Carolyn wasn’t completely sure there was a connection. Zephyr seemed distant, so the couple continued meeting a few other dogs.
John kept thinking about Zephyr, but Carolyn still needed something to help her feel certain.
Then Zephyr gave her the sign she was waiting for.
He climbed right into her lap, flopped his head backward and looked up at her upside down with a playful expression. In that moment, Carolyn felt something shift. It was as if Zephyr had chosen them.
Zephyr’s journey had not been easy. The shelter on Long Island, New York, had rescued him from Texas just two days before he was scheduled to be euthanized. Before his rescue, the young dog had been living on the streets.
As the Christs filled out the paperwork to foster him, Carolyn noticed a note she was not meant to see. It said that Zephyr had been returned, with the word circled and marked in a way that made it stand out. The reason given was that he was a “bad listener.”
But within two days of bringing him home, Carolyn and John understood the truth.
Zephyr wasn’t ignoring them. He wasn’t being stubborn. He simply couldn’t hear.
The couple quickly suspected that Zephyr had hearing loss, though they did not yet know how severe it was. They took him to the vet for testing, where they learned that he could not hear any sounds at all. Zephyr was completely deaf.
For Carolyn, everything suddenly made sense. All the confusion about why Zephyr had not responded to his name or commands disappeared in an instant.
She was heartbroken that his previous adopters had given up on him without realizing what he was struggling with. Instead of making her hesitate, the discovery made her even more determined to protect him.
That same day, Carolyn contacted the shelter again. She told them she no longer wanted to foster Zephyr.
She and John wanted to adopt him.
As special education teachers, Carolyn and John were ready to find the best way to communicate with their new dog. They created a list of important words and everyday commands Zephyr would need to understand. Then they began learning how to express those words using American Sign Language.
Little by little, they taught Zephyr new signs. About every 10 days, they introduced another word. Zephyr learned quickly, and before long, he understood around 30 signs. Some of his favorite words include “dad,” “walk” and “drive.”
The couple also found creative ways to use lights around the house. When they flick the backyard lights twice, Zephyr knows it is time to come inside. If he is downstairs and they need him upstairs, they flicker the stairway light, and he comes running.
Although others once labeled him a bad listener, Carolyn now says Zephyr is the best listening dog she has ever had — and he happens to be the only deaf dog she has ever owned.
She believes many people misunderstand deaf dogs and assume they are harder to train. Zephyr has shown her the opposite. Because he relies so much on visual cues, he is always watching his family carefully. He checks in often, studies their hands, reads their facial expressions and looks for guidance.
That constant attention has created a special bond between them.
Zephyr has become incredibly tuned in to Carolyn and John. He notices body language, expressions and even the smallest routines. When it is time for a walk, he brings Carolyn her shoes and his harness. When she is getting ready to leave for work, he sometimes hides her shoes because he does not want her to go.
During quiet moments, Zephyr loves sitting by the window on his cushioned perch, watching the world outside.
For Carolyn, giving Zephyr the safety and love he missed during the first year of his life has been deeply rewarding. His deafness has never stopped him from giving love back. In fact, she feels that his disability has made their relationship even stronger and more meaningful.
Some people may feel nervous about adopting a deaf dog, but Carolyn hopes Zephyr’s story changes that.
Dogs like Zephyr are often overlooked because people are afraid they will be too difficult. But Carolyn knows the truth: deaf dogs are just as loving, smart and capable as any other dog. They simply communicate in a different way.
And for the right family, that different way can open the door to an extraordinary kind of love.