Parent Keri Banak says “Piglet doesn’t know what he can’t do. He has no idea he’s any different than other dogs. He’s not focusing on the fact that he can’t see and hear. He uses what he does have to get all his daily tasks done.”Advertisement
“He was a 1-½ pound screaming anxious baby dog. It took months, but Piglet eventually settled into a comfortable, predictable daily routine,” she says.
Piglet, a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, was born with a genetic condition called double dapple that causes eyesight and hearing difficulties. (Courtesy Melissa Shapiro)
Piglet, a pink, blind and deaf pup who lives with six other dogs in a house in Westport, is oblivious to the fact that he’s a social media star and a novice teacher. His owner, veterinarian Melissa Shapiro, was inspired by her puppy’s plight to create an educational program with Piglet, aka Piggy.
“How much can we achieve if he can achieve all that? It’s quite the lesson for people of any age or capability.”
When Melissa adopted Piglet, she wanted to make sure he “had some bigger meaning,” which is why they came up with the Piglet Mindset and the Piglet Mindset Outreach program. Melissa and Piglet visit young children at schools to teach them about overcoming challenges and how to maintain a positive mindset. Check out some adorable photos of Piglet ahead, and find out more about the program here. Related:
Just to clear things up, on Instagram, the owners explained why the tiny cutie has a pink appearance. “Piggys hair coat is white, not pink. His white hair coat is due to the unfortunate fact that he is a double dapple. And due to his breed mix of doxie and chi, he has such thin short fur on his face and ears that his pretty pink skin shines through. His under carriage is completely hairless so again, his skin is smooth and pink. He truly is a pretty pink puppy,” they wrote in a post.
Piglet and his owner Melissa are animal welfare advocates and make it their mission to spread the message of the “severe consequences of double dapple breeding,” which happens when two dapple Dachshunds mate. They can be born with congenital eye and ear defects. In an interview with People, Melissa, a veterinarian from Connecticut, said that taking care of Piglet is “like a full-time job.” She added, “But hes so cute, and we couldnt give him away at that point.” She said she initially planned on just fostering Piglet, but after two months in the family with their six other dogs, they knew they had to keep him longer.
By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. Healthy Living Lifestyle Love and Sex Pop Culture Thanks! Youre subscribed. ×
Dear reader, Id like you to take your phone, click Instagram, hit the search button, and type in pinkpigletpuppy. Then, youre going to slam that “Follow” button harder than youve ever slammed before, and you can thank me later. Id like to introduce you to my new favorite Instagram follow and soon to be your favorite follow: Piglet the pink puppy. Piglet is blind and deaf, and hes on a mission to inspire kids to embrace what makes them unique. Hes a double dapple Dachshund Chihuahua mix and was born blind and deaf with 37 other puppies in a hoarding situation.
Piglet, the deaf blind pink puppy was rescued from a hoarding situation in Georgia along with his mother and 3 litter mates. He is a Dachshund Chihuahua mix, and the product of two dapple colored parents. Dapple to dapple breeding results in a 25% chance of each puppy being “double dapple”. This double dapple color pattern is linked to congenital ear and eye defects that may result in partially or completely deaf/blind puppies. Piglet is deaf and blind.
Through his social media pages Piglet has become an educator, fundraiser, and an inspiration to children and adults. His Piglet Mindset Educational Outreach Program is making its way into classrooms all around the world. Visit pinkpigletpuppy.org to learn more about Piglet.
Melissa Shapiro is a small animal house call veterinarian in Fairfield County CT. Her Visiting Vet Service has provided custom individualized care to dogs and cats, and their people, for over 28 years. Dr. Shapiro graduated from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. She went on to complete an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City followed by a residency in small animal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. Dr. Shapiro is a life long animal welfare advocate. Through her veterinary practice she works with dog, cat, and wild animal rescue groups. In March of 2017 Melissa and her husband Warren agreed to foster a tiny 1 pound deaf blind dachshund chihuahua mix puppy who had been rescued from a hoarding situation in Georgia. They weren’t planning on keeping Piglet because they already had their own pack of 6 rescued dogs. Piglet had different plans and after 2 months of searching, Piglet made it clear that he was already home. Despite his profound disabilities, Piglet has a beautiful quality of life. He faces his challenges with a positive attitude, now known as A Piglet Mindset.
Tiny Rescue Piglet Thinks The Dog Is Her Sibling | The Dodo Little But Fierce
Sadly, when breeding dogs, some breeders don’t consider the possible health issues that could arise. Piglet is a mix between a Chihuahua and Dachshund, and both of his parents were a dapple coloring. When two dogs of this coloring are bred together, there is a 25% chance that the puppies will become a “double dapple,” which is typically linked to the puppy being partially or completely blind and deaf. Unfortunately, Piglet was one of those puppies, and he is completely blind and deaf, but he doesn’t let that hold him back.
Piglet got his name because of his light pink color as a young puppy. He is such a sweet, adorable dog, but because of his special needs, he needed a home that was willing to give him extra attention and love.
