Her senior dog was going deaf but she still found a way to say 'good boy' — and his response was priceless

Just like humans, dogs also experience various health issues as they get older. From arthritis and loss of vision to chronic heart and kidney diseases, seniors are more vulnerable to problems that require extra care and attention. Similarly, Alley Dolan, who goes by @alley.toks on TikTok, has a 13-year-old pitbull who, unfortunately, suffers from partial hearing loss. However, when the devoted pet parent noticed that her dog, Rhino, had stopped responding, even to his favorite words, Alley knew that it was time to make a change.

Interestingly, Alley's brother is also deaf in one ear and has been using the "bone conduction headphones." The wireless earpiece, specially designed for people with conductive hearing loss, worked wonderfully for Alley's brother, and she thought she could use the same for Rhino, her beloved senior dog. Without a second thought, Alley decided to put the device to the test and made Rhino wear them. What happened later will definitely break and heal your heart at once. The woman first recorded her voice and then played it after putting on the headphones. The minute the dog heard the recording, he immediately recognized it, as Rhino moved, showing his uncontrollable excitement. "The moment he paused and looked at me, I just knew he could hear my voice again. I got choked up. It was like going back to his puppy days," Alley shared with Newsweek.

Notably, as per a report in Psychology Today, age-related hearing loss is linked to a higher risk of dementia or other mental health issues in elderly dogs. So, if your senior dog also struggles with hearing issues, you can consider a pair of bone conduction headphones for them. Meanwhile, Alley's video received an overwhelming response on social media. Echoing the sentiments, a user who goes by @kritical940 on TikTok said, "As a senior dog owner who lost their hearing years ago, I can say dogs really learn to adjust to being deaf. It takes some getting used to communicating with them, but I ultimately plan to adopt a deaf rescue once my boy's time comes. Just let him smell everything on walks; it can be good for mental stimulation, especially in senior dogs." Likewise, another user, @kristina, said, "If the bone conduction worked, your dog MIGHT have a curable hearing loss! Bone conduction doesn't work for sensory losses, but it does for conductive losses (I'm an AuD). Talk to your vet."

On the other hand, @veediddythemini, a pet owner, revealed, "I taught my dog sign language. I thought it might be weird, but as she got older, she knew I would never stop communicating with her." A person, @dfazegan, wrote, "I'm so grateful that he's able to hear what a good boy he is because he's absolutely precious! Thank you for sharing this most wonderful moment with us!" Someone else who goes by @agnesl3w on the platform revealed, "2 months ago I adopted a dog; she is tiny and deaf. We learn how to communicate with each other. I don’t know whether she was born deaf or not, but I realized she will never hear my voice, and that’s breaking me a little." @devondouglas509 commented, "Oh my God, that’s the sweetest thing ever. You can see the joy in his face upon hearing your voice. Such a good baby!"

You can follow Alley (@alley.toks) on Instagram for more pet-related content.