A deaf Boxer has gone viral on social media after her dog mom posted a video of them waking her up to TikTok.
Big on Social Media
In the clip, Boo’s parent pats her gently on the shoulder to wake her up before waving at her. In response, the deaf Boxer looks excited and wags her tail. Boo’s dog parent posted the caption “how i wake my deaf dog up when I get home. she gets so excited”.
The video, shared on Boo’s parent’s boothedeafboxer TikTok account, has received almost 90,000 likes and 900,000 views. Hundreds of other TikTok users have commented too. It’s fair to say that people have fallen in love with Boo.
Boo’s parent has posted a number of other videos of Boo on the account. While none have gone quite as viral as this clip, they’re all increasing in terms of views, likes, and comments.
Boo is a white Boxer, and there are links between white Boxers and deafness. According to NorCal Boxer Rescue, congenital deafness in Boxers is usually caused by a lack of pigmented skin in the dog’s inner ear. As a result, nerve endings can be damaged during the first few weeks of life.
Deafness in Dogs
White Boxers are more likely to be born deaf than other Boxers, but the majority of other Boxers can still hear. It’s thought that the rate of deafness in white Boxers might be around the same as the rate of deafness in Dalmatians – around 8%.
Like humans, deaf dogs can learn sign language too. They’re great at reading body language, so it’s perhaps not surprising that pups can learn sign language. There’s a special form of sign language called K9Sign. It’s designed to let dogs ask for food and water, as well as communicate things like feelings of pain.
