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Deaf child and deaf dog bond through ASL

Posted at 7:05 PM, Jul 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-06 22:05:25-04

Walter is a dog that cannot hear when someone tells him to sit, stay and roll over, but that's alright. Walter's companion, 10-year-old Julia, is teaching him American Sign Language. 

Julia, like Walter, is deaf. Now, she has a new best friend in a terrier/Chihuahua mix.

The Pasadena, Calif. Humane Society posted a video of Julia and Walter's friendship. The video has been viewed more than 275,000 times.

A number of people commented on the video, saying how inspired they are. One of those who commented was Julia's mom Chrissy Vasquez.

"I'm the lucky mama to both of these sweeties," she said. "Love sharing their amazing story and reading all your wonderful comments. Walter has brought so much joy to our lives and Julia loves being a big sister to him."

One of those who commented was Sara Miller. 

"The oldest two are hearing and the puppy is deaf," Miller said. "She is the sweetest thing and knows several sign language commands. Super smart. Deaf dogs are just like any other. I would adopt another in a heartbeat."