Toby’s story: A connection that goes beyond sound

Leah and her fiancé Trystan brought Toby, a deaf rescue puppy, into their home earlier this year after seeing him on our website. Despite having no experience raising and training a deaf dog, they decided to take a chance on him, feeling in their hearts that he was the one for them.

The last week of September marks Deaf Dog Awareness Week, a time to celebrate the amazing things deaf dogs bring to their adoptive families – and shine a spotlight on those who are looking for homes. To celebrate the occasion, Leah wrote her whānau’s success story in her own words. Read on to meet Leah, Trystan, and Toby!

When my fiancé Trystan and I moved into our first home together, one thing felt certain — it was finally time to take the first step toward building our family by welcoming a puppy into our lives. We had dreamt about it for so long, and now, there was nothing stopping us.

I started browsing the SPCA website to “get an idea” of what was out there, but the moment I saw Toby’s photo, everything shifted. He had these big gentle eyes that looked straight through to your heart. I clicked on his profile and read that he was deaf.

I hesitated… and all these thoughts raced through my head:

“I’ve never cared for a deaf dog before.”

“What if I can’t communicate with him?”

“What if it’s too hard?”

“It would be a huge commitment.”

But Trystan and I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Something about Toby just stuck with us — like he was meant to be part of our lives, even though we’d never met. I spent hours researching how to raise a deaf puppy. The more I learnt, the more certain I felt: we could do this.

We applied to meet him, and when we finally saw him in person, all the uncertainty melted away. He was perfect. There was no more hesitation — we signed the papers right then and there and bought him home that same day.

Since then, Toby has filled our home and hearts in ways we never imagined. He’s picked up on our body language beautifully, and he responds to hand signals like a pro. We don’t even think about the fact that he can’t hear now — because the connection we share goes far beyond sound. In fact, we’ve become so used to his deafness that we sometimes forget not all dogs are deaf!

Raising him has had its challenges, of course. But more than anything, it’s taught us patience, presence, and an entirely new kind of communication. And every time he looks at us with those eyes, full of trust, love and excitement, we know we did the right thing.

Toby doesn’t know he’s any different. He’s a puppy like any other — playful, cheeky, affectionate, and stubborn in the funniest ways. We’ve learnt so much from him, and we honestly can’t imagine life without him.

This year, we entered Toby into the SPCA’s Pets of the Year fundraiser, and we were absolutely blown away by the support he received. Toby finished fifth, raising over $1,000 to help other animals in need — especially those with extra needs like him. He’ll be featured in the 2026 SPCA calendar!

To anyone wondering if adopting a special needs pet is worth it — it is. These animals may need a little extra patience, but what they give back once you adjust is immeasurable.

This is our normal now. And we love it.