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Recommendations

Products

Below are some products that I love and use with Aston. The items on Amazon are linked through our Amazon storefront so we will receive a small commission from your purchase, but all recommendations are 100% authentic based on our personal experience.

Dog Gear:

  • Auroth Tactical Dog Harness - This Y-front harness has Velcro on each side for Aston's "blind & deaf" patches.

  • Fi GPS Collar/Tracker - I haven't tried the Series 3, but Aston's Series 2 gives me peace of mind that if Aston somehow got loose, I would have a way to find him.

  • Hightail Hikes Sport Long Line - Aston loves going on sniffaris and walks with his biothane long line. The locking carabiner clip gives me extra peace of mind that the leash won't come unclipped. The biothane is comfortable to hold and easy to clean.

  • Hightail Hikes Safety Strap - I clip one end of the safety strap to Aston's leash and the other end to his collar. In case the leash somehow unclipped from Aston's harness, the safety strap would provide a backup connection from the leash to Aston's collar.

  • Mimi Green Fi Compatible Biothane Collar with Engraved Buckle - Aston's Fi tracker attaches to this biothane collar. It is easy to clean and his identification information is engraved on the buckle so he doesn't need an ID tag dangling from his collar.

Enrichment and Training:

  • Blue-9 Klimb - Aston loves to perch on his Klimb platform. It is also a great multipurpose training tool.

  • Busy Noses Snuffle Snakes - This is Aston's current favorite food enrichment toy. He loves to use his nose and search for the food hidden in the snuffle snake.

  • Nina Ottoson by Outward Hound Dog Puzzles - Aston loves to solve these puzzles to find food. They are more durable than other puzzles we have tried and you can easily adjust the difficulty. His favorites are Dog Worker (with pieces from Dog Smart instead of the center spinner), Puppy Hide N' Slide, Dog Brick (his first puzzle), Dog Tornado, and Lickin' Layers.

  • ​Snuffle Mat - Aston loves to eat from this snuffle mat. He's had it since he was a few months old and requests to use it every day.

  • Soda Pup ID Gear Chew Holder - Aston loves Yak cheese chews but has a hard time holding them on his own. We put his Yak chews in this holder and it enables him to chew independently.

  • Pupford Freeze Dried Training Treats - I always carry treats around with me so I can reward Aston. I like these treats because they are small, single (or minimal) ingredient, and low calorie. (Use code ASTONTRICKS for 10% off your order.)

  • Visit our Amazon Storefront for additional recommendations.

Dog Guardian Gear:

  • Doggone Good Rapid Rewards Treat Pouch - I use this treat pouch with Aston every single day. I love the magnetic closure, the ability to separate high and medium/low value treats within the main compartment, and the option to clip it onto my pants or wear it around my waist with a belt.

  • Woof Cultr - This small business creates the cutest R+ (positive reinforcement) t-shirts and gear. Wearing these t-shirts, especially when I am training or exploring the world with Aston, brings me a lot of joy. (Use code ASTON for 15% off your order. Limit to one use per customer. The discount should automatically be applied at checkout if you use the link above.)

Deaf/Blind Dog Training Resources

  • Down to Earth Doglady - Erin is a certified professional dog trainer who specializes in deaf and/or blind dogs. She has a deafblind dog named Darla and a blind dog named Clark. She is extremely passionate about helping special needs pets and their guardians connect by using force-free training methods. Miriam and Aston have worked with Erin and highly recommend working with her if you need help with your deaf and/or blind dog. We also love participating in Erin's Deaf and/or Blind Dog Club through the Noble Woof network.

  • Your Inner Dog - Deb Bauer is an expert in blind and/or deaf dogs and wrote a book called "Through A Dark Silence: Loving and Living with your Blind and Deaf Dog." Visit Deb's website for many excellent resources. I read Deb's blog before fostering Aston and his brother to learn more about deafblind dogs.​

Dog Rescues

  • Lil Rascals Dog Rescue is the rescue that I adopted Aston from and currently foster for! It is an all-volunteer, foster-based 501(c)3 rescue in Central Florida that focuses on saving at-risk, abused, abandoned, or neglected dogs that have no voice. They frequently rescue deaf and/or blind dogs like Aston and never shy away from complex and expensive medical cases.

  • Australian Shepherd Advocates (ASA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit nationwide, foster-based dog rescue organization comprised of trainers and advocates of the herding breeds. They have decades of experience specializing in herding dogs with behavior problems and disabilities, including deaf and blind dogs.

  • Keller's Cause is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded in the name of double merles. Their mission is to change the world for double merle dogs by educating, advocating, and promoting the adoption of special needs dogs.

  • Pink Heart Rescue is a rescue for blind and deaf dogs with a specific focus on the double merle gene. It is a 501(c)3 non profit based in Mooresville, Indiana, but they have fosters in other states and adopt to out of state adopters.

  • Speak! Rescue and Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 foster-based Australian Shepherd rescue specializing in double merle awareness. They are passionate about helping all Aussies and Border Collies, including those born with hearing and vision impairments as a result of merle to merle breeding.

  • Special Needs Animal Rescue League (SNARL) rescues and advocates for animals with disabilities in high-risk situations, including deaf/blind dogs. They are based in both Canada and the United States.

    • IMPORTANT NOTE!!! This is NOT the same as Special Needs Animal Welfare League (SNAWL), which is a fraudulent "rescue" run by animal abuser and hoarder April McLaughlin (who goes by several aliases including April Addison, Sydney Sierra, and Taylor McKinley). We do NOT support SNAWL. Do NOT send any dogs to SNAWL or April.

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