Nellie is an adorable little Cocker Spaniel puppy that was dumped by a breeder because she has a genetic condition causing her to be deaf and blind.

She was born with this condition because of the type of markings the breeder was trying to accomplish. If Nellie had been considered healthy, she would’ve been very expensive.

But, because she was born blind and deaf, the breeder didn’t consider her worthy.

She ended up at Secondhand Hounds… a foster-based animal rescue located in Minnetonka, MN, which guarantees that every dog is placed with a foster family.

Source: @dashboard_doggos

Nellie is considered a Fighter Fund Foster, which means that she requires extra special care and vetting, and that she has to stay with a foster family longer than most other dogs. Thankfully, the rescue chose the best family to foster this precious little baby.

A beautiful family full of fosters and rescues immediately fell in love with this sweet 5 lb baby.

They wrote on their Instagram profile:

“She’s the sweetest 5 lb Cocker Spaniel who LOVES to snuggle & smother you in kisses. She has the cutest markings down half of her body, with two different-colored eyes, & thinks her furry siblings are pretty fun!”

Source: @dashboard_doggos

They were a bit concerned at the beginning because they never had a blind and deaf puppy, and they didn’t know how she was going to behave around other dogs.

But, Nellie acclimated extremely well.

They have puppy-proofed their house to fit her needs, and they try not to move anything around the house as much as possible.
“She gets around almost like a normal dog. She has learned every inch of the house, and she’ll chase the dogs full speed through the house, out of the door, and down the deck,” says Nellie’s foster mom.
She navigates around remarkably well and is not scared at all.

Source: @dashboard_doggos

Nellie is also a huge snuggle baby. “She does this thing when you see her for the first time, where she has to put her mouth right to yours. She doesn’t move, and she just kind of stays there. That is her greeting,” says Nellie’s foster dad.

Both the kids and the other dogs love Nellie. They’re usually so ecstatic when a new foster pup comes to their home, but with Nellie, it was different… it was like they knew.

The first time they took Nellie to the vet, she told them, “Nellie doesn’t know any different, and she has never known any different. So, she thinks she’s normal.” 

No, she is not “normal”… she’s simply remarkable.

Source: @dashboard_doggos

They learned that Nellie also loves digging, just like other dogs.

When they moved to their home not too long ago, they learned that the previous owners also had dogs, and that they had hidden some stuff in the yard. So, Nellie is doing her best to find the hidden treasure.

Nellie may be deaf and blind, but she’s very sneaky and confident. Most of the time, she thinks no one knows what she is doing, so she continues to bring all kinds of outside things in the house.

Both Nellie and her foster mom have the same kind of markings on their nose in the exact same spot. “I think it’s more than a coincidence,” says the mom.

The family is looking for a forever home for Nellie, but it’s not a simple decision.

Because of her condition, she will not be adopted outside of Minnesota. The adoption process is very thorough and requires a lot of meets and greets and visits with the family. Nellie requires a very specific home, and they will make sure she gets it.

However, I have a feeling that she might not leave this family after all. They seem to be the perfect match… like they were meant to be together.

Besides Nellie, the family has five other dogs, including a hospice foster, Lily. Lily is a giant love Pittie lovebug who unfortunately doesn’t have much time left since she suffers from an aggressive form of cancer. But, she is the most caring foster sister to Nellie… ever.

Nellie loves to sleep on her mom’s chest, and it is all because she likes to be able to feel the heartbeat… and this might be the most precious thing I have ever heard of.

She might not be able to see or hear, but she is still a beautiful little girl that loves with all her heart. No amount of money can give you this kind of love.