Blue (2004-2019)
Age at Passing
15
Breed
Australian Shepherd/Border Collie
Est. Birth Date
January 10, 2004
Date of Passing
January 11, 2019
Adoption Date
March 16, 2004
With her stocky build, half tail, and broad face, it was easy to see the Aussie in Blue. I adopted her from one of my younger brother who had gotten her from one of those idiot backyard breeders who'd bred two merles together to get pretty, sellable dogs while dumping the resulting "problems." Like Blue, who was born deaf. The woman gave her to my brother and his then-girlfriend as a "gift", without revealing her deafness. When they found out a week later, they didn't want her anymore and since I knew she'd just "get lost", I adopted her instead.
The name I gave her, that she likely never knew, referred of course to her blue merle coloring and her gorgeous blue eyes. During our first year together, we got to battle both demodectic and sarcoptic mange and a skin infection. As she matured into an adult, we finally got everything cleaned up. While she was deaf, it certainly never kept her from enjoying life or being an extremely friendly, happy dog.
With her loving nature, she would leave any warm, comfortble spot just to follow me around the house so she knew where I was, and often came to lay at or on my feet. If you weren't careful, she will happily lick you to insanity. It's one of her weird ways of showing she's happy. Many people fear deaf dogs because they think they must be reactionary biters, but not Blue. As a puppy I regularly startled her and treated her, so that she came to view it as a good thing and never reacted in fear.
Blue was highly intelligent. She figured out how to signal to go out if she needs to hurl! She was also trained with basic commands using hand signals, most of which she learned within a day or two. She picked up on facial and body expressions very well and can read my moods better than many hearing animals.
Shortly before the 2018 winter holiday season, Blue started having diarrhea and vomitting, and began rapidly losing her appetite. When her condition didn't improve with the initial medication, blood work was done which showed she was in rapid onset and progressing kidney failure. Attempts to bring her around failed, and as she continued deteriorating I made the choice to let her go.
She has been cremated and her ashes interred in a cedar urn.
