Deaf Therapy Dog Gets Treated Like A King At Birthday Party Thrown By Students
It's not every day that a dog turns 9 years old and gets enveloped with love by an entire school, but that's exactly what happened to Cole, a certified therapy dog in New Jersey. In a heartwarming TikTok video that's been viewed over 5.2 million times, the more than 600 students and staff members of Dr. William Mennies Elementary School treat the deaf pit bull like the royalty he is on his special day.
@deafcole School Throws Deaf Therapy Dog a Birthday Party #birthday #dogsoftiktok #dogtok
Cole wears a crown and cape as he's wheeled into the school gymnasium in a red wagon bedecked with colorful balloons, while the students and staff all wear party hats to mark the occasion. Then, in a moment that's guaranteed to melt even the hardest of hearts, everyone in the room sings and signs "Happy Birthday" to the dapper doggo. "They did sign language for the deaf dog," one viewer wrote.
Cole's owner, Chris Hannah, is the school's music teacher, and he communicates with the pit bull using sign language. Hannah created the Cole the Deaf Dog and Friends Foundation and started the Team Cole Project, which helps school children learn about compassion, acceptance, and how to embrace their own differences. One viewer commented, "I say it every time I see Cole, but his reach will go for generations. These kids will teach their kids to be more accepting and so on, so forth. Cole is a living legend."
Teaching sign language to a dog
After centuries spent coexisting with humans, dogs have become adept at reading our body language and facial expressions. As a result, dogs can often learn sign language easily. They're already attuned to our nonverbal cues, they enjoy the mental stimulation of learning new skills, and they like spending one-on-one time with their owners. Sign language can be useful for any dog to learn, not just those with hearing problems, since it allows an owner to communicate with their pet even from far away or while in a loud environment. Teaching sign language to a puppy can pay off dividends years later, if the dog experiences hearing loss as a senior.
If you're ready to start teaching sign language to your pet, know that patience is the key to success, along with an endless supply of high-value treats. Keep each training session short and fun, so that it's enjoyable for both you and your dog. Don't be surprised if your pooch starts understanding hand signals faster than you ever thought possible.
Pit bulls are widely misunderstood
What makes Cole's story even more remarkable is that he's a pit bull, a breed that has been maligned and misunderstood for decades as one of the "bully breeds." With his deafness, Cole had an extra strike against him while he was housed in the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter, hoping to find his forever home. Fortunately, Chris Hannah was able to look past the dog's breed and disability and see the sweet, lovable animal underneath. Now, after the outpouring of love from elementary school students on Cole's birthday, it's difficult to fathom how anyone could view pit bulls as inherently vicious or bad with children — two common misconceptions.
In the TikTok video, Cole certainly seems comfortable accepting endless adulation. "Dog's like 'another day, another worshipping'," one viewer joked. Another observed, "He is the king of all these little people," and one commenter added, "This is probably how those cats in Egypt felt."
Looking for more cute stories about pit bulls to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? This pit bull is wary about some new rescue kittens but quickly turns into their personal heater, and this 4-pound pit bull foster puppy is wearing pajamas for the first time.