Dog Going Deaf

[Tara and Sam]

Started me thinking after reading another thread

My cocker who is 12 years old next month

I am sure she is starting to go deaf

Little things I have noticed

she hates thunder storms and fireworks

I have noticed in the last 6 months or so it takes her a minute or so to react to the noise

also when she lays outside near the back door , normally as soon as you touch the handle to go out she gets up

three or four times I have gone out and stood right behind her , until she sees me then gets up

sometimes I can call her , and she is either ignoring me or not hearing me , yet I can whistle and she will come running

What do others do when they start to see this happen

[Cockerlover]

I can identify with you ,my 13 yr old cocker is not only going deaf ,but only has one eye & well on the way to being senial!!!1;I find she reacts to vibrations ,such as stamping my foot ,to get her attention ,then i use hand signals which she appears to understand .

it is so sad to watch them as they age ,

[Tara and Sam]

Yes , it is sad when they start to get older

Sam picked up hand signals better than what Tara has

I have noticed with Sam he hears me comeing via my walking more than what Tara does , but will concentrate more of feet and hand actions

she just loves to ignore me I think :p

[corvus]

Penny is going deaf and blind. She seems to have the most trouble trying to pinpoint where you are calling from. Sometimes I see her looking around for me when I call her but she can't see me and she can't work out where my voice is coming from. I have found that I just have to keep her close. Fortunately, she has come to the same conclusion and doesn't wander far. She gets scared when she can't find us. We just have to be aware of where she is and be ready to go after her if she can't hear or isn't watching us.

ETA often a sharp noise helps Penny work out where we are. Clicking my fingers seems to help. Also she's better with higher pitched noises than normal speaking pitch, so raising the pitch of my voice helps, too.

Edited January 11, 2009 by corvus

[Tara and Sam]

Penny is going deaf and blind. She seems to have the most trouble trying to pinpoint where you are calling from. Sometimes I see her looking around for me when I call her but she can't see me and she can't work out where my voice is coming from. I have found that I just have to keep her close. Fortunately, she has come to the same conclusion and doesn't wander far. She gets scared when she can't find us. We just have to be aware of where she is and be ready to go after her if she can't hear or isn't watching us.

ETA often a sharp noise helps Penny work out where we are. Clicking my fingers seems to help. Also she's better with higher pitched noises than normal speaking pitch, so raising the pitch of my voice helps, too.

I have also noticed that she wants to be inside more , she will sit at the door and whinge and scratch the back door , even if Sam is their with her outside

( Tara has never been by herself in all the years apart from one or two short stays alone)

even OH said today she seems a bit more clingy wanting to be around us all the time ( normally she is my shadow ) but more so lately

and also just remember , lately she doesnt always want to walk down the back yard with me , she seems to want to stay by the back door , I "thought" maybe it was just a food thing , but maybe she feels more comfortable being near the door

her eyes so far appear to be fine , but all will be checked at her next vet visit

mum's older dog died at 17 1/2 yrs old , she was deaf and blind , but somehow could sence where mum was most of the time

Thanks for the replies