Brodie

Meet Brodie 💙

At just 15 weeks old, Brodie is already showing us that experiencing the world differently doesn’t mean experiencing it any less.

Brodie is a gorgeous double merle Border Collie puppy who is deafblind. He may not see or hear the world around him, but he is busy learning how to navigate it in his own unique way — and he continues to show us just how capable he is.

In his foster home, Brodie has already mapped out his surroundings very well and confidently makes his way around. He lives in a regular family home with a child and other foster siblings, enjoys exploring, and absolutely loves getting outside in the backyard for his sniffaris, to play and interact with his people.

Every day is a learning opportunity for Brodie. He is beginning to learn touch communication, and his foster family is working with him on scent exercises to help him build confidence, communication and independence.

Like any young puppy, Brodie can sometimes become overwhelmed. Because he processes the world differently, this can lead to periods of dysregulation. Prioritising sleep is especially important for Brodie. Like all puppies, he needs plenty of sleep to support his development, but for Brodie, getting enough sleep also plays an important role in helping him stay regulated and cope with everything he is processing throughout the day. His future family will need to recognise when he is becoming tired or overstimulated and make sure he is given the opportunity to sleep before he reaches the point of overwhelm.

His crate has become his safe place — somewhere familiar where he can redirect, settle and regulate when everything becomes a little too much. A LickiMat or long-lasting treat can also be used to help redirect him, giving him something positive and calming to focus on while he regulates. He also happily sleeps in his crate overnight.

Brodie will need a family who understands that his journey might look a little different. Someone patient and willing to continue learning alongside him, celebrate the small wins and give him the time and consistency he needs to understand his world.

Most importantly, we don’t want Brodie to be defined by what he cannot see or hear.

He is curious.
He is playful.
He is learning.
He is adaptable.
And he has a whole lot of life ahead of him.

Special needs doesn’t mean limited. Sometimes, it simply means doing things a little differently. 💙

Could you be the family who learns Brodie’s language and shows him just how big his world can be?