If you knew Peggisu, then you'd know why the Butler Dog Training Association thinks she's amazing.

Peggisu is a 5½-year-old Boston terrier owned by Cherry and Mike Sauers of Mars. She's one of the dancing dogs belonging to the Prancing Paws Canine Freestyle group. She loves to dance, and she's really good at it. But that's not what makes her so special.

Peggisu is deaf.

How does one dance with a dog that can't hear the music?

"She dances with me," Cherry Sauers said. "She has fantastic attention. You need to be flexible because (she) might change the routine in the middle of it!"

As far as having a mind of her own, Peggisu is no different from the other dogs. And as far as dancing goes, no one would even know she can't hear. She acts like the other dogs, well behaved and attentive.

In a doggie dance, the trainer leads the dog through the moves. In Peggisu's case, Sauers is the leader. The only thing is, instead of speaking a command, Sauers uses sign language to indicate a dance step.

And Peggisu understands. "She knows 27 hand signs," Sauers said.

How did the couple go about teaching sign language to their dog?

"The first thing you teach a deaf dog is the sign for attention," Mike Sauers said as he put his forefinger to his eye, demonstrating the sign.

Then Cherry Sauers enrolled Peggisu in obedience classes. They had to take the class twice before passing it, but once Peggisu caught on, it was like Helen Keller realizing that water was that wet stuff coming out of the pump. She was ready for more.

So the Sauers made up signs to communicate the basics with Peggisu. Mike demonstrated the one they use to ask her if she needs to go potty. It is done with two fingers of one hand and looks like a cat scratching in a litter box. "We pretty much use the dog's natural movements and what the dog has taught us," he said.

Peggisu learned quickly and has even proven to be as much of a teacher as she is a smart dog. "She taught us some signs," Mike said. "She makes eyes at you (to say I love you)," he said as he squeezed his eyes almost into slits and blinked them quickly to demonstrate that.

Smiling he said, "A dog will teach you what to do. It's amazing what they're capable of doing."

The person just has to figure out what the dog is trying to communicate, Mike said. "Put a command to it, and it makes you look like a genius!"