Life and Times of Jon Snow

Hi, my name is Snow, Jon Snow actually. You may recognise that I am named after a character in the ‘Game of Thrones’ series, after a famous line, ‘You know nothing Jon Snow’. Why they thought that I will never know, as I think I know heaps and am learning more each day!

I was one of 3 puppies surrendered to a rescue group.  Whilst my sisters got homes really quickly I was still left waiting for the right family.  By 20 weeks I was beginning to think no one wanted me, even with my handsome good looks and outgoing personality.  My foster mum said it was because I was deaf.

Congenital deafness (being born deaf), is commonly seen in white coated dogs.  We carry a gene (the piebald gene) which is responsible for the absence of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that create pigment or colour.  Lack of pigment results in white coat and sometimes blue eyes (blue eyes are not a true colour, but rather a lack of colour producing pigment, within the iris of the eye.  I think I look rather dashing with my one blue eye!).  So how does this affect my hearing I hear you say (that’s a joke, as obviously, I can’t hear you at all!), well the inner ear has a special layer of cells that help you hear.  This layer of cells come from the same cells that determine colour, so if I don’t have those cells then I don’t develop the ability to hear (see, who said I know nothing!).  White English bull terriers, white staffies, white boxers, white Great Danes and Dalmatians are commonly affected breeds.

I personally don’t believe this stops me at all.  Being a dog I read body language far better than humans do, so if people use the correct sign language I can do anything that an ordinary dog can do, and I think I can learn faster as I am not distracted by noise.

Lucky for me, or I think, lucky for my new family, I have gone through my probation period and have been officially adopted as a member of the Davidge clan, so hopefully you will get updates on me over the next few newsletters.  In the meantime, you can admire my wonderful good looks in the photos here.

Until next time, woof woof, (yes, I can still bark, and it apparently can be very ear piercing!).

Love Snow