Owner who taught deaf and wheelchair-bound dog sign language writes children’s book to inspire kids with special needs

The owner of a deaf dog called Archie who she taught to respond to sign language and “scoots” around in a mini wheelchair is set to publish an illustrated children’s book about the naughty but unique canine to inspire kids with special needs.

Sally Robinson, 48, from Hatfield, Doncaster, started writing witty rhymes and scribbling illustrations depicting Archie’s hell-raising antics during the Covid lockdowns after losing her job as a chiropractor practice manager.

Her husband Aidan suggested she turn her sketches into a book about their “dumpy” pet pooch, who Sally commands using hand signals – such as tapping her head to say it’s time for bed or making the “Italian” pinched finger hand signal to offer a treat.

Archie, a nine-year-old pure bred Staffordshire Bull Terrier who also lost the use of his hind legs last year, was abandoned after “obliterating” the home of his previous owners – who Sally says did not realise that he was deaf.

Sally’s new book, titled “Where is that naughty dog?”, draws on Archie’s ability to defy the odds and mischievous antics to create a connection with children, particularly those with special needs.

Based on Archie’s story, Sally has created the hashtag #BMA which encourages kids to “Be More Archie” when faced with challenges.

“We’ve taught Archie basic deaf signals – like sign language for a dog basically,” she told PA Real Life.

“You just tap the side of your head for sleep and he’s like, ‘Ok then’.

“He can be like a hurricane of bricks, but for me, he is inspiring because he does not let anything phase him – he never shows pain – even when his legs went, he just wanted to be curled up, loved and warm.

“I was drawing little illustrations of him doing naughty things and my husband said I should turn it into a book.

“It had never crossed my mind but I thought if it can help people, then that’s what I should do.”

Sally and her husband had said they were “never getting another dog” after their three dogs Harvey, Dougie and Lucy, sadly passed away in the space of a few months in 2015.

But when Sally spotted another dog on a local kennel’s Facebook page that was the “spitting image” of Harvey, the couple could not help themselves.

They went to see Smiler in July 2016, a rescue dog from Cyprus, who had been in kennels for around two years.

“We took her out into the paddock, started throwing a ball with her and my husband fell in love with her,” she said.

In the kennel next door, Sally noticed a “little white fat dumpy” Staffordshire Bull Terrier that was making strange squealing sounds.

“My husband said: ‘What’s the matter with him?’,” said Sally.

“They told us that he was a pure bred Staffie that was put into kennels because he had completely obliterated his previous owner’s home.

“But they had not realised he was deaf and had not been able to cope with him.”

Fortunately this did not dissuade Aidan, who offered to take him home after poking his finger through the cage.

The couple were initially told this was not possible as the dogs had been fighting in the paddock, but after three months of taking them for walks together on separate leads they were given the green light.

“Of course he was still there because nobody wanted to take on a deaf dog,” she said.

But it didn’t take long for Archie to cause chaos.

Sally said: “Literally the day we took him home, he jumped straight on the kitchen table and sent everything flying.

“He went outside and rolled all over the garden.

“He chewed everything you can imagine and even swallowed a £20 note.

“He was just so naughty… so naughty.”

Over time, Sally has found a way to communicate with her deaf four-legged friend – sign language.

“You’ve got to be face-to-face with him,” she said.

“We’ve got signals for food, sleep and his favourite one, treat, which is basically like what the Italians do with their fingers.

“Obviously he also picks up on your mannerisms so he can tell when he’s naughty and your angry.”

In February 2023, on Sally’s birthday, the couple woke to find that Archie’s back legs had stopped working.

“I went to put him on the floor and he was just dragging his legs and he tried to get to my husband but couldn’t pick himself up,” she said.

They took Archie to the vet in Wakefield and discovered that one of his disks was pressing against his spinal chord.

When Archie’s condition did not improve after having an operation, Sally was told they were going to have to put Archie down.

Luckily, when they arrived to see Archie and gave him the hand signal for treat, he suddenly came to life – much to the vet’s surprise.

“When he came to the door, he was walking really slowly,” said Sally.

“I crouched down on my knees and did the treat signal and that little sod walked so fast to me that the vet was like: ‘Oh my god, what have you just done?'”

“He’s now in a little wheelchair so he scoots around, runs over your foot and knocks things over.”

Archie’s naughty antics inspired Sally to start writing short poems and drawing illustrations.

“Because I’m quite creatively minded, I used to make up these little rhymes about him and over time my husband suggested I start writing these down.

“As I was writing, I would make little illustrations of him and his sister [Smiler].”

When Sally lost her job during the Covid lockdown Aidan suggested she take the opportunity to use her creativity and do what she had always loved.

He started posting Sally’s illustrated poems on social media and she was shocked when people started liking them.

This gave Sally the confidence boost she needed to write her first book titled “Come with me” in the summer of 2020, which she self-published on Amazon.

Sally said: “I got such a good response from family and friends that I decided to write the book about Archie, ‘Where is that naughty dog’?”

Her new book, which costs £8.99, tells the story of Archie who runs away from home in search of food.

Readers are taken on a journey to find the missing pup who has in fact made his own way home, opened the fridge and found some sausages to munch on.

Sally sent her manuscript to many publishers but was told “it was not for them” until one, called Troubador Publishing, agreed to take it on.

Sally wanted Archie’s story to appeal to deaf children and has been visiting primary schools where she reads the book to children with special needs.

“The first reading I did, all of the deaf children went ‘Oh my god’ because they did not realise that animals can be deaf as well,” she said.

“They straight away got a connection with Archie and they just seem to love it.

“It gives me a buzz as well, because it’s my book and the kids are really enjoying it.”

Sally is already planning her next book about Archie’s time at the rescue centre in the hope that it encourages more people to adopt abandoned dogs.

Copies of Where is that naughty dog? are available on Etsy.

To keep up with Archie’s adventures follow him on Instagram @bemorearchie or Facebook.