A senior Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Rocco is being taught to help him adjust to deafness and find a new home.
Rocco arrived at the RSPCA’s Llys Nini Animal Centre in Penllergaer in February 2020, brought in by an inspector following concerns for his welfare. Underweight and only partially deaf at the time, Rocco quickly recoveredd and was rehomed three months later. Unfortunately, he would find himself back in rescue in July 2021, as one of his owners died and the other had serious health issues.
“ROCCO IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF JUST HOW RESILIENT ANIMALS CAN BE AND PROOF THAT YOU CAN DEFINITELY TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS”
Sally Humphries, kennel team leader at Llys Nini, said, “We were incredibly sad when we found out what had happened and poor Rocco then came back into our care. As a result of an ear infection, he’s now completely deaf, so we’ve spent the last few months teaching him special sign language which he’s really taken to.
“He reads our hand signals and body language as a way of telling what we’re asking for. For example, thumbs up means ‘good boy’.”
She added, “Rocco is a wonderful example of just how resilient animals can be and proof that you can definitely teach an old dog new tricks.”
Rocco is up for adoption, and described as an “extremely friendly, lovable dog who will make an excellent companion”, who loves his walks and enjoys adventures.
“He would ideally suit someone who is either retired or works from home as he may initially show signs of separation anxiety. He could possibly live with children aged seven and above, and a secure garden is a must.”
Find out more about Rocco on the