The Internet’s demands to hear deaf Dalmatian barks are not disappointed

A deaf Dalmatian named Blu has left the internet in tears after a video of him barking at his owner went viral on social media a few months ago.

In the video, shared on TikTok by the dog’s owner in January under the username Blus_clues8, the Dalmatian can be seen lying on his owner’s bed while barking and wagging his tail.

The post was shared to answer a user comment from a previous post that read: “I’ve never heard a deaf dog bark and it’s now my new favorite thing.”

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, as dogs age, they can suffer hearing loss just like humans, and it’s usually a gradual process that can be difficult to notice.

“The eardrums become less flexible and sounds are not transmitted as efficiently. Some dogs lose their hearing as a result of chronic ear infections. Still others can have a traumatic injury to the ear, resulting in hearing loss. Finally, some dogs are born deaf due to a genetic defect; this is called congenital deafness,” their website states.

Furthermore, they say that in most cases of congenital deafness, the deafness is pigment related, and most of the affected dogs have a completely white or mostly white hair coat, although they are not to be confused with albino dogs.

Breeds most commonly experiencing pigment-related deafness include Australian Shepherds, Dalmatians, Great Danes and Welsh Corgis, among others.

Central Texas Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital says symptoms of significant hearing loss in dogs include showing a change in obedience or attention; does not seem to respond to everyday sounds, such as the doorbell or the vacuum cleaner; does not seem to respond to his/her name; fails to respond to familiar verbal commands; being difficult to wake from sleep; be less active, bark excessively and shake or tilt the head.

The post quickly gained popularity across social media and attracted animal lovers from across the platform, garnering over 190,000 views and 32,500 likes so far.

One user, Kashkarinaaaa, commented: “What if he can hear fr fr but just ignore you.” And usernotavailable said: “Y’all, I’ve never seen a Dalmatian before in real life.” VaehDaPlaya joked: “Minecraft dog barks a little.”

User2871238592936 wrote: “If he is deaf and barking… my thoughts are that he is feeling the vibrations from his growling and barking. So beautiful you have a beautiful dog.” And Teecup said, “He has such an animated bark, sounds exactly the same every time.”

Another user, Julia, commented: “Mine is also deaf and super vocal.” And Nicool added: “My eldest also makes that little noise before he barks! We call them his roo roos! Oh and those jaws, so beautiful!” And BBHEALTHFITNESS said, “I love talking dogs.” Kristanna added: “heart boop snoop.”

Newsweek reached out to Blus_clues8 for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.