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If you ask Dr. Elizabeth 鈥淟izzy鈥� Martino to describe her 5-year-old Catahoula Leopard Dog 鈥淐allie,鈥� she鈥檇 say fiery and snuggly at the same time. Seeing this rare breed in an AKC Rally ring isn鈥檛 the only thing that surprises people when they see this team: Callie (EM Smilin Embrace Callie Grace RN BCAT CGCA TKA) is also deaf, and Dr. Martino uses hand signals to relay cues to her.

After just a few trials, they competed at the 2024 AKC Rally National Championship, achieving qualifying scores on all three runs, one of which was 98 out of 100.

A Third Dog, and Surprise AKC Rally Teammate

In 2019, Dr. Martino was in Oklahoma doing an internship for her undergraduate degree where she worked at four different vet clinics. One day, someone brought in a puppy with a broken leg. 鈥淚 brought her home, and she healed from her fracture,鈥� Dr. Martino says, but the dog, 鈥淲illow,鈥� was never able to use her leg fully again. Willow and her senior dog, 鈥淏ailey,鈥� quickly formed a close bond.

Bailey is 16 years old, and Dr. Martino worried that Bailey鈥檚 passing would be devastating for Willow. She began to look for another dog, and got Callie as a puppy. Dr. Martino鈥檚 trainer at the Phoenix Training Center, Cathy Cline, was shocked at her choice of breed. Cline noted that Catahoulas are known for being high-energy and independent, but that didn鈥檛 phase Dr. Martino.

What did shock the owner was something she discovered upon bringing her home. After just three days, Dr. Martino came to a stunning realization: Callie was deaf.

Melanie Haid

Dr. Martino had a lot to learn to train a deaf dog. It was nearly by accident that they got started as an AKC Rally team. 鈥淲e鈥檝e actually never been to a formal class for any of the events that we compete in,鈥� Dr. Martino explains.

While she was in vet school, she鈥檇 bring Callie to Cline鈥檚 on weekends, and that鈥檚 when Cline got them interested in doing AKC Rally together. And Callie was a natural. 鈥淲e entered our first AKC Rally trial, and at that trial is when Callie [qualified for] Nationals. She鈥檇 only done six AKC Rally runs before that,鈥� Dr. Martino says.

Using Modified American Sign Language to Excel in AKC Rally

This AKC Rally team doesn鈥檛 let anything hold them back. But Dr. Martino remembers the uncertainty surrounding Callie鈥檚 future after learning she was deaf. 鈥淢ultiple people told me to give her back, get a different dog. 鈥榊ou can鈥檛 trial with deaf dogs鈥� was one thing that we heard,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still here today, and make a great team.鈥�

In AKC Rally competitions, Dr. Martino relies on what she calls 鈥渕odified sign language,鈥� which is a combination of American Sign Language (ASL) and hand signals she鈥檚 created herself. But it isn鈥檛 something Dr. Martino or Cline advertise at competitions. They prefer to let Callie鈥檚 love of dog sports speak for itself.

Typically, Dr. Martino finds that competitors will ask about Callie鈥檚 breed and her handling style, before mentioning her hand signals. She鈥檚 happy to explain when people do ask, and finds that most people don鈥檛 expect it after seeing them in the ring.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely something that as a team, we don鈥檛 put that in front of us,鈥� Dr. Martino says. 鈥淲e let people see us for what we are and what we鈥檙e trying to accomplish.鈥�

Wins in and Out of the AKC Rally Ring

Dr. Martino and Callie competed in the Novice class at the AKC Rally National Championships, and she hopes they鈥檒l only continue going up from there. As she鈥檚 able to learn more about working with deaf dogs and their bond gets stronger, it鈥檚 easier for her to understand how to train Callie.

Callie qualified three times and got a near-perfect run score at the 2024 AKC Rally National Championship. Dr. Martino notes that just getting to Nationals was an achievement in and of itself, considering that she didn鈥檛 get Callie to be her AKC Rally partner. Through learning the breed and adjusting to owning a deaf dog, she and Callie have achieved a lot together.

Melanie Haid

But Dr. Martino felt that their greatest achievement wasn鈥檛 their score, or even qualifying in the first place. She was most proud of how Callie handled being in such a busy environment with so many other dogs. It鈥檚 something they鈥檝e been working on, both because of the breed鈥檚 hunting instincts, and Callie鈥檚 attention to her handler since she can鈥檛 hear verbal cues. Dr. Martino says there was no sign of that during the competition: Callie was locked in.

鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of how Callie took everything in stride at AKC Rally Nationals, trying her best to stay engaged with me in such a stimulating environment,鈥� Dr. Martino says. 鈥淭hat was really our biggest achievement, and I鈥檓 beyond proud of her.鈥�

Doing Dog Sports With a Deaf Dog

Alongside AKC Rally, Dr. Martino has tried multiple dog sports with high-energy Callie. While she loves AKC Rally, she鈥檚 not a fan of every dog sport.

鈥淲e found out that agility isn鈥檛 her favorite,鈥� Dr. Martino says. 鈥淚 think that she would be a dog that could excel in dock diving if she liked her face getting wet, but she absolutely hates getting wet, so I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 in her future.鈥�

AKC Rally is a perfect sport for Callie, since it鈥檚 very mentally stimulating. Her excitement can be seen by onlookers everywhere as she watches Dr. Martino for the next cue in the ring. Dr. Martino calls her a 鈥渃rispy marshmallow,鈥� since she can come across fiery and laser-focused while out and in a dog sports ring. But on the inside, especially when she鈥檚 at home with Dr. Martino, she鈥檚 soft and snuggly.

鈥淪he鈥檚 got that tough exterior with her protective side as well as her strong hunting and herding instincts,鈥� Dr. Martino says. 鈥淏ut she is also a lovable, cuddly goofball.鈥�