Gina and Rico, Blind and Deaf Puppy Siblings, New at ARF — and Waiting

Update, Aug. 28: These dogs have been adopted.

The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons recently received the dynamic duo of the dog world. Gina, who is blind, and Rico, her brother, who is deaf, were born to a family pet in Georgia. The family got in touch with an ARF rescue partner in South Carolina, who took in the dogs, along with their sister, Tina. They made their way to Wainscott a month ago.

While deaf dogs are not unusual, blind dogs usually do not have impaired sight from birth, as Gina does. This is the first time ARF has housed blind and deaf siblings.

Tina has been adopted, but Gina and Rico are waiting for a happy home. They are hound mixes who will grow to be 45 to 50 pounds. It would be ideal if they could be adopted together.

Gina can currently see shadows, but she will eventually lose all of her sight. Because both Gina and Rico have had sensory impairments for their entire lives, they know no different, and their impairments take nothing away from their being normal, happy puppies.

The two are friendly and energetic, running around, chasing each other, and sleeping in the sun. They would acclimate to a home particularly well if there is already a dog there to help guide them, but because of their special needs they will need individualized and patient training.

Training dogs with special needs is not that different from training any other dog. According to Dr. Barbara Pezzanite, ARF’s certified applied animal behaviorist, deaf dogs are often trained with American Sign Language, using visual cues instead of spoken ones. Owners of deaf dogs also use vibration collars to signal good behavior.

For blind dogs, spoken cues and clicker training are the way to go. Blind dogs also need to learn specific commands to safely get around a house or a neighborhood. Positive reinforcement is beneficial to training any dog, and luring with treats for obeyed commands is a good technique.

Gina and Rico have already started their training, and they would do especially well continuing with a family that has previous knowledge of special needs dogs, though that it not a requirement. For any owner, patience and an understanding of the obstacles to navigate are essential.

This is a lively pair, with speckled white fur and joyful puppy grins. Prospective adopters can email [email protected], call 631-537-0400, extension 203, or stop by the ARF Adoption Center any day of the week from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Gina and Rico are always ready to play with a visitor.