At first, Pips seemed like any other puppy.

Small. Energetic. Adorable.

And because she was the runt of her litter, Michael and Carlee Squires’ daughters were immediately drawn to her.

The family brought Pips home along with her sister, Ruth.

Everything seemed normal.

Until they noticed something strange.

Pips didn’t react to sounds the way her sister did.

Her bark sounded different. She rarely barked unless something startled her.

Then came the moment that made everything click.

One warm evening, Michael stepped outside and called the dogs in for the night.

One by one, they came running.

Everyone except Pips.

She was asleep in the driveway.

Michael called again.

Then he yelled.

He clapped his hands.

He whistled.

Nothing.

Pips didn’t flinch.

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That’s when Michael and Carlee realized their little puppy wasn’t ignoring them.

She simply couldn’t hear them.

And there was something almost remarkable about the people who discovered it.

Both Michael and Carlee are audiologists who operate a hearing and balance center in West Virginia.

They understood that discovering Pips was deaf didn’t mean her life had to become smaller.

It simply meant they needed to communicate differently.

So they adapted.

Instead of relying on spoken commands, the family began using hand signals and visual cues.

They learned how to get Pips’ attention without startling her.

Lights could be switched on and off from across the room.

A gentle touch could wake her when she was sleeping.

A vibration could signal that it was time to look at her family.

Once Pips made eye contact, the real communication could begin.

And she learned quickly.

With help from a professional dog trainer, Pips began learning visual commands for things like “come,” “sit” and “place.”

The family discovered something else, too.

Pips wasn’t sitting around feeling sorry for herself.

She was busy being a dog.

A very energetic one.

She loves playing fetch.

She can chase a ball for hours.

She explores the family’s nearly 80-acre property alongside the other dogs.

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She hikes.

She plays.

She follows her family through life.

She just experiences the world a little differently.

And perhaps that’s the part of Pips’ story worth remembering.

Her deafness didn’t erase her personality.

It didn’t take away her curiosity.

It didn’t stop her from becoming part of a family.

It simply required the people around her to learn a new way of speaking.

Michael and Carlee had already experienced life with a dog who had a disability, so they understood that patience and adaptation would be part of the journey.

But Pips gave them something in return.

She reminded them that communication isn’t always about sound.

Sometimes it’s a look.

A hand signal.

A gentle touch.

A vibration.

Or simply knowing someone well enough to understand what they’re trying to say.

Today, Pips is still that lively little blue heeler who loves her family, her sister and a good game of fetch.

She may never hear the words “good girl.”

But she doesn’t need to.

She knows she’s loved.

And sometimes, that’s the only message that really matters.