Look for the Rainbow - Pets of the Pandemic
Painting by Heather Harrington | Titled: Look for the Rainbow | Acrylic on Stretched Canvas 12” x 12” x .875”
Haiku
Meet Haiku, a sweet and joyful deaf and blind double merle border colli, owned by Theresa Tenpas Herron and her husband in Michigan.
Below is my conversation with Theresa on what it’s like to have a deaf and blind pup as a pet!
What is a double merle dog?
A double merle is created when two merle dogs are bred together. It doesn’t matter what breed they are. If two merle dogs are bred together, each puppy in the litter has a 25% chance of being born a double merle. A double merle inherits the merle gene twice. In a double merle, the marbling/lightening effect is doubled and the coat becomes predominantly white. Double merles also have a very high chance of being deaf, blind, or both because they lack pigment where it would normally be.
How many dogs in Haiku’s litter were blind and / or deaf?
Three out of the eight pups were born like Haiku.
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What made you want to adopt a blind and deaf puppy? That seems like it would be enormously challenging.
My husband likes to joke that each time a child moves out of the house we get another puppy. After our last child moved out of the house my husband started looking on the pet adoption sites and stumbled across Haiku at an shelter in Toledo, Ohio. We were taken with her sweet pictures. I am a speech therapist for a school system so I am also used to working with challenges. Once we met her we knew we had to have her. Often double merles have to be put down since people are reluctant to adopt a deaf and blind dog.
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How is caring for a bling and deaf dog different than a normal pup?
At first we had to use a double lease to walk Haiku with our other dog but after a while she caught on and now walks on a regular leash. She is brave and even thought she can’t see much besides shadows she walks ahead. She is afraid of water and baths though! And also of stairs.
Haiku is also either rambunctious or snuggling nothing in between! Wearing one of her many sweaters helps to give her comfort.
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I love the name Haiku? How did you come up with that?
That is the name her shelter had given her. I don’t know the others but there was another puppy named Lyric, from her litter. We loved the name.
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What are somethings the Haiku loves?
She loves snuggles, bacon, cozy sweaters, heat vents, her big brother Móði, long walks and being outside. And even though she can’t see she loves to sit looking towards the sun - she loves the warmth of the sunshine : )
What has been the bright spot out that has come out of adopting Haiku?
Haiku loves to be outside. During the pandemic spending time with her outside has been a real blessing and made us slow down and enjoy the outdoor time with her. And despite the additional time and effort it takes to raise a deaf and blind dog she brings so much happiness she is beyond worth it!
A special thank you to Theresa for sharing Haiku with us!
Also, Haiku has an instagram page if you’d like to follow along on her story you can find her at https://www.instagram.com/haiku.the.border.collie/
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The painting above “Look for the Rainbow”of Haiku was inspired by Theresa Tenpas Herron’s story of finding happiness in unexpected places.
Painting Haiku reminded me of the importance of looking for the good despite the difficult. Today I’m going out for another walk and maybe I’ll spot a rainbow.
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Painting above by Heather Harrington
Titled: Look for the Rainbow | Acrylic on Stretched Canvas
This painting is available and can be purchased by clicking the title.
