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Koko the gorilla may have made history when she learned to communicate using ASL, but we're even more impressed by a deaf puppy who has triumphed over adversity by learning to understand sign language in the three weeks after being abandoned due to her disability.

Snowy, a Jack Russell terrier, was born into a litter of six and then sold to new owners who gave her back when they realized she couldn't hear. Passed from home to home and snubbed by her littermates, she became shy and withdrawn.

But when Snowy was handed over to staff at the Dogs Trust Salisbury Shelter in the U.K., they found that she was actually very intelligent and susceptible to training, and soon was responding to a series of hand gestures meaning sit, stay and walk.

Find out more about Snowy's sign language and hopes for adoption after the jump.



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"Snowy is very bright and learned remarkably quickly, so she's picked up half a dozen commands already," said trainer Leslie Carley. "When she first came in she didn't have a clue what was going on and would chase around causing trouble."

Some of the signals Snowy now knows include "Down" (point to the floor then flatten hand and move downward parallel to the ground), "Walk" (rotate fists), and "Relax and be quiet" (put index finger to lips). She is expected to add new signs to her doggie vocabulary in the coming weeks, and staff are hopeful that they will be able to find Snowy a home due to her newfound obedience.

We're pretty sure the only way this story could get more adorable is if Snowy actually learns to sign back using her tiny paws and stubby little tail.

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