Applesauce

Applesauce is a friendly, cuddly deaf stumpy tail cattle dog who loves nothing more than being close to her people. While cattle dogs are often known for being extremely high-energy, Applesauce has a much calmer nature. Her favourite activity is snuggling on the sofa, happily lounging around the house while her humans are home. She is also comfortable being left alone for reasonable periods, and has done well when left for up to six hours with no issues.

Being fully deaf means training requires patience and consistency, but Applesauce is a clever girl who has already learned several basic hand signals, including “come here,” “sit,” “lie down,” and “good dog.” She has also learned to sit calmly in her bed while her foster parents eat dinner. Like many curious dogs, she is an enthusiastic counter-surfer and will happily investigate any food left within reach on tables or benches.

Applesauce is friendly with other dogs and is currently learning to play games like chase and tug-of-war. During play she can be a bit bossy and likes to take the lead, but she is never aggressive.

Ideal Home:
Applesauce loves being around people, children, and other dogs. She thrives on physical affection and would do best with someone who enjoys cuddles and is happy to give plenty of pats and attention. She enjoys wandering between indoors and outdoors, so access to a backyard or garden would be wonderful. However, apartment living could also work if her new family is committed to taking her out regularly for walks and enrichment.

She would be happy living as the only dog or with another canine companion. She hasn’t met any cats yet, so her compatibility with cats is unknown. Applesauce is comfortable with both big and small dogs.

Energy Level:
Although she is a cattle dog, Applesauce does not have the intense, “always-on” energy often associated with the breed. She enjoys morning and evening walks and loves working her brain with activities like lick mats, puzzles, and sniffing games. Mental enrichment and exploring new scents make her very happy.

Suitability with Children:
Applesauce would best suit a home with dog-savvy children aged 7 and over. She is generally very patient and happily accepts pats from children she meets on walks. Because she is deaf, however, she may startle if touched unexpectedly—especially if she doesn’t see someone approaching or if she is woken suddenly. For this reason, older children who understand how to approach gently and allow a resting dog to sleep would be the best match.

Suitability with Other Dogs:
Applesauce gets along well with other dogs. Sometimes she is very curious and eager to interact, while other times she is more interested in sniffing the environment or greeting people. She rarely barks, unlike a lot of deaf dogs, and she has never shown aggression toward other dogs.

Interestingly, her calm reactions often help diffuse situations when other dogs bark at her. Because she cannot hear the barking, she simply remains relaxed until the other dog settles.

Recently she spent a weekend with another foster dog and had a great time playing tug-of-war and wrestling together. Because Applesauce is deaf, she cannot safely be off-leash at dog parks, so having another dog to play with in a secure home environment was especially fun.

She particularly enjoys playing with medium and small dogs and is very tolerant of little ones. On walks, small dogs and puppies sometimes bark at her, but her calm response often leads to friendly interactions—much to the amusement of her foster parents, who have watched unlikely friendships form between this cattle dog and tiny pups like chihuahuas.

Personality:
Her foster parents describe Applesauce as a “nosey” dog, but really she is just wonderfully curious about the world. On walks she loves peering into gardens, houses, and parked cars to see what’s going on. Despite this curiosity, she walks beautifully on lead and is happy to move along when it’s time to continue the walk.

Overall, Applesauce is a sweet, affectionate dog who would make a loving companion for someone who appreciates a cuddly, gentle-natured dog with a curious spirit and a big heart. 🐾💛