Deaf Man Adopts Deaf Rescue Puppy — and Teaches Him Sign Language ❤️🐾
A man who was born deaf has found the perfect companion — a puppy who can’t hear either.
Nick Abbott, 31, from Maine, adopted his dog Emerson through the foster-based rescue group NFR Maine.
Courtesy Richelle and Nick Abbott
At just six weeks old, Emerson was rescued from a Florida shelter. The little black lab mix had endured seizures and battled a dangerous infection called canine parvovirus. After intensive care and recovery, he was transferred to Maine and put up for adoption.
“Once we brought him home from the vet, we realized he had hearing difficulties,” said Lindsay Powers of NFR Maine. “He doesn’t let it slow him down at all — he’s just your typical happy puppy. He had such a rough start to life, and he ended up with an absolute fairy-tale ending.”
Courtesy Richelle and Nick Abbott
Powers wasn’t sure whether Emerson was born deaf or lost his hearing later, but she knew he needed someone special. In March, she posted about him on Facebook, hoping to find his forever family.
A few weeks later, she received an application from Nick Abbott.
“Right off the bat, he said, ‘I’m deaf too, and I think we’d have a good connection,’” Powers recalled. “I processed the application within a day.”
Courtesy Richelle and Nick Abbott
When Nick met Emerson, the bond was instant.
“They were meant for each other,” said Nick’s mother, Richelle Abbott. “Whenever they’re together, Emerson is always leaning against Nick — they just have this unspoken understanding.”
Courtesy Richelle and Nick Abbott
Nick has since taught Emerson several signs in American Sign Language, including “sit,” “lay down,” and “come.”
And the sweetest part?
“If Nick reaches up and touches his earlobe, Emerson barks,” Richelle said with a smile. “It’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.”
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A dog who couldn’t hear — and a man who speaks through his hands — proving love truly needs no sound.
