Meet Popcorn 🍿
Almost 3 months old, 7#s growing!
 
Adventurous, chill, clever, curious, enthusiastic, goofy, playful, quiet, and just a little quirky. 💛 Popcorn and his brother Coke came to us from a North Texas shelter, and this little guy is ready to bring some puppy chaos to his forever home.
 
Popcorn’s daily schedule is pretty straightforward: get up, investigate the house for potential trouble, find some toys, wrestle his brother, take a nap, and repeat. He likes to keep an eye on what’s happening around him (literally, because he can see a little!), but he’s completely deaf. Toys are great, exploring is fun, and his brother? Well, somebody has to keep him humble. 😂
 
Popcorn is a double merle Australian Shepherd, meaning he inherited a merle gene from each parent. When two merle dogs are bred together, their puppies have an increased risk of developing vision and hearing impairments because the genetics involved can affect the development of pigment cells important to the eyes and inner ears.
 
Not every double merle puppy has impairments, but Popcorn is completely deaf and has limited vision. These are congenital conditions, not something he developed because of anything his foster family did. The good news is that responsible breeding practices, including avoiding merle-to-merle pairings, can help prevent these outcomes.
 
Popcorn will need a family ready to help him navigate the world safely. Consistent routines, a secure environment, and touch-based communication will help him learn and feel comfortable. An experienced adopter who understands the needs of a deaf dog with limited vision would be a great fit for this quirky little dude.
 
He may experience the world a little differently, but Popcorn still has toys to destroy, a brother to pester, adventures to investigate, and approximately a million puppy naps to squeeze into his day.
 
If you’re ready for a clever, goofy little sidekick who believes life is one big game of explore, wrestle, snooze, repeat, Popcorn might just be your guy. 🍿🐾