Being a shelter dog must be a scary experience. There are so many unfamiliar sights, smells, and noises. The kennels are cramped and depressing. Your neighbors leave their kennels and are never seen again. Sometimes shelter dogs get lucky and are rescued by other animal charities and organizations that take them in and foster them until they’re able to find a forever home. And while this is better than a scary shelter, it’s still not the same as knowing that you’ve got a loving family that will never let you go.
As humans, we can’t imagine what must be going through the minds of dogs who start off life without a loving home. But it must be even scarier for the dogs or puppies living with a disability who are also facing an uncertain future. That was the case for a Great Dane named Echo.
She was only a 12-week-old puppy, but because she’d been born blind and deaf, she was facing imminent euthanasia. Thankfully the overlooked pup was adopted by Marion Dwyer. She brought Echo home to live with her in Niagara Falls, New York.
Her life certainly took a turn for the better, but fate wasn’t finished giving the Great Dane good things. While living with Dwyer, Echo got to experience the joys of being a big sister after Dwyer became pregnant. And while Echo might have been blind and deaf, the canine somehow knew that there was a baby on its way. Echo showered Dwyer’s bump with so much affection throughout the pregnancy.
And once Jennie came along, she did not stop. Echo immediately bonded with the little girl and became her constant companion. The two of them were always together. They enjoy meals with one another, share the same naptime, and play together whenever they can. But what the two of them love to do is take walks together – and as anyone could expect, the little girl refuses to let anyone else take the leash.
The two were filmed on one of their strolls. While the footage itself was quite adorable, it also highlighted the incredible bond that Echo and Jenni share. Because Echo is both deaf and blind, the fact that they’re able to communicate through touch alone is something so beautiful to witness.
Watch these two interact on their walk in the video below:
It has to be noted that they make quite a cool pair sporting matching shades.
