Words in Hand

Have you heard the story of the gun dog that become deaf? No?

The gamekeeper had a brilliant dog. Every time he shot a bird, the dog would fetch the bird and bring it back. No problem. No matter how far away the bird was, the dog would bring it back.

After some time passed, the gamekeeper shoots a bird and orders the dog to fetch it like usual.

But the dog didn't move.

"Fetch!"

The dog still doesn't move.

"What's wrong?"cries gamekeeper, hugging the dog. "Are you sick?"

He picks up the dog, carrying it to the vet in a rush. "What's wrong with my dog? I shot a bird but he didn't fetch. He just sat still. What's wrong with him?"

The vet examines the dog with a stethoscope and declares him healthy: his heart, bones and the like were all fine. "There's nothing wrong with your dog. He's healthy – top notch."

The gamekeeper disagreed. "The dog always fetches after I shoot a bird, but this time he wouldn't."

The vet clapped his hands. The dog didn't react. "He's deaf."

"My dog is deaf? Oh! All those loud shooting noises has made my dog deaf. Poor thing."He wants an injection for the dog to be put down, because he can't work anymore.

The vet tells him to wait, walking over to open a drawer and pull out an ABC fingerspelling card. "Teach the dog fingerspelling."

"You want me to teach the dog fingerspelling?!"

"Yes. Dogs can fingerspell."

The gamekeeper was excited as this meant he didn't need to put the dog down.

He went home and saw his landlord. He explained that his dog is now deaf and asked for one week off work to teach the dog fingerspelling.

The landlord was flabbergasted. "The dog will actually learn fingerspelling?"

"The vet said he can."

"OK, give it a try,"said the landlord. "He's a good dog, so I'll give you one week off to teach him."

The gamekeeper excitedly started to teach his dog fingerspelling. He shows the dog a picture of a bird and then fingerspells B-I-R-D. The dog watched and understood. He knew what a bird was.

After one week had passed, the gamekeeper was satisfied his dog had learnt fingerspelling and so they went back to work.

He shot a bird, turned to the dog and fingerspelt B-I-R-D. The dog took off. The gamekeeper was so proud as he watched him disappear from sight.

He waited ... and waited ... and waited ... but the dog never came back.

"I told him B-I-R-D,"said the gamekeeper to himself. "That part was right. But perhaps I should have also fingerspelt B-A-C-K so the dog knew to come back. It's my fault. Oh dear."

He walked off to find his dog. Over the hill, he saw the dead bird – but no dog. So he decided to follow the dog's footprints. Winding and weaving his way through the trees, he finally found his dog ... at the Deaf Club.

The dog was signing away at the Deaf Club.