Woman Plays with Neighbor's Deaf Puppy—Can't Cope with Bark: 'Doesn't Know'

Newsweek

19-06-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A deaf puppy's attempt to bark has left thousands of viewers swooning after a video of her went viral on TikTok.
Hannah Holmes (@holmessweethomie) shared footage of her neighbor's deaf dog trying to bark for a frisbee. In the clip, the puppy opens her mouth and gestures as if barking, but no sound comes out. The video has garnered 177,000 likes and 707,800 views on TikTok.
"My neighbor's puppy can't hear, and at first I didn't know what she was doing. Then, I realized she's silent barking because she doesn't KNOW she isn't making any sound. This silent puppy bark has got to be the cutest puppy-thing EVER!" Holmes captioned the post.
The gray puppy repeatedly makes silent barking motions until a high-pitched squeak finally escapes her mouth.
"There it is. You made sound! You made sound!" Holmes cheers in the background.
While the moment is undeniably heart-melting, caring for a deaf dog requires special training methods and attention. According to guidance from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, deaf dogs are just as capable of living full and happy lives as hearing dogs. They can be trained effectively using visual signals like hand gestures, along with touch cues. Owners are encouraged to create routines that rely on consistency and positive reinforcement to help build trust and communication.
Many people wonder whether deaf dogs can actually bark. The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors explains that they absolutely can. In fact, some deaf dogs may bark more than hearing dogs because they can't hear themselves and may not realize how loud they are. Barking is still a natural behavior for deaf dogs, and while the tone or volume may differ, their need to vocalize remains.
TikTok viewers were quick to share their own stories and reactions.
"My mom is deaf. Two of her dogs (which were hearing) would not audibly bark when she gave the speak command. they would just pretend. it was hilarious," said one user.
"I expected it to be cute and it was cuter," said another.
"She's like 'I've seen other dogs doing this,'" added Whitney.
A stock image showing a gray dog barking.
A stock image showing a gray dog barking.
Madelein_Wolf/iStock / Getty Images Plus
"We have a blue heeler just like that who's deaf too and she barks AT TOP VOLUME. Scares my soul right outta my body when she does it randomly for some imagined invader," said Jules.
"My dog does this too but can hear. We call them her hap-haps," wrote Joanna.
"Our blue heeler does the silent barks, but it's cos she knows she not supposed to bark inside, so it's her loophole," shared another dog owner.
"My dog is deaf (old age) and he doesn't know he's the loudest sound in the entire neighborhood when he barks," another TikToker added.
"My blind heeler has the opposite problem. She thinks no one else can see either so she must bork loudly, she used to never bark when she could see LOL," one user chimed in.
Newsweek reached out to @holmessweethomie for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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