The prospects of Ghost, a deaf pit bull puppy in a Florida animal shelter, did not look promising at first. Aside from his hearing, he is also hyperactive and was indifferent to humans.
Fortunately, the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, a Washington-based based organization, came to Ghost’s rescue. According to Dr. Suzy Zustiak, they chose to rescue Ghost precisely because he would be hard to place.
Despite the challenge, the good news is that dogs with Ghost's energy and personality make excellent detection dogs. Barbara Davenport, a narcotics detection K-9 trainer for the Washington Department of Corrections, was contacted by Zustiak. In Davenport's opinion, Ghost's quirks were not a concern. Because of his ball drive, she thought he would make an excellent detection dog.
Davenport started training Ghost by associating a ball with a specific odor. It only took a few tries for the pup to search for the scent on his own. Ghost then began a 240-hour training program, which exceeds Washington's regular 200-hour threshold for detection dogs.
Ghost's handler, Joe Henderson, had never worked with a deaf dog before. Henderson and Davenport collaborated to teach Ghost commands. They trained him to understand hand signals. The dog also learned to look for parcels and conduct searches in buildings, vehicles, and open spaces.
Henderson and Ghost passed the mandatory certification test required by the state to deploy as a team. They also got top marks in the Washington State Police Canine Association (WSPCA) accreditation test.
Ghost now lives with Henderson. His new owner believes his career as a detection dog can last up to a decade. Henderson thinks the dog's deafness provides him an advantage. Ghost is not easily distracted, and he has a heightened sense of smell. The formerly unadoptable dog is now doing well. He is happy, energetic as ever, and dedicated to his work.
Credit: Olympic Peninsula Humane Society