Tips For A Deaf Puppy

[midweek]

Hi everyone...i'm new to this forum

We adopted a deaf dalmation puppy last week and was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to train her? She is 12 weeks old, and overall pretty good, she does chew the kids toys lol, but that's not a huge problem. At the moment we use a squirty bottle to get her attention when she's doing something wrong.

We are considering taking her to obedience classes, but have to wait to switch some other things around, as the classes are on the same day as my son's swimming, and i can't get him into another day just yet!

Anyway, any tips anyone had would be really good!

[Belijae]

Hi midweek, Welcome to DOL

Congratulations on your new pup! ... It's very generous of you to offer a deaf pup a loving him - boy you've got some work ahead of you! Here are a couple of websites for training deaf dogs:

http://www.deafdogs.org/training/

http://www.wagntrain.com/deaf_dog.htm - this one has lots of great links

oh, and this is all about a deaf dally called Humphrey http://www.deafdal.co.uk/Training.htm - really good tips!

- and if you google 'deaf dog' or 'train deaf dog', you'll get enough info to fill your boots :D

Good luck, don't give up and let us know how you go!

ETA - don't forget to give us some piccies too

Edited March 7, 2007 by belijae

[joho]

We have had our deaf pup now for 5 weeks he is now 14 weeks old and a little darling :rolleyes: . We have taught him to sit, give his paw and to wait (a little), he knows to pee outside and only has the odd accident inside only at night time. He is very vocal because he cant hear and recall is just a nightmare . We went to the beach today with some friends picture this, 2 x bichon x maltese, 1 grey hound x, 1 kelpie, 1 deaf greyhound pup and a mini poodle, oh plus a hanger on who we didnt know. They had a ball it was funny to see, looked like a puppy school excursion he is at this moment in his cage with his legs in the air fast asleep cause he's pooped.

It just takes a little longer and a bit more effort cause you cant just say NO you have to get up. We wag our finger at him to say no which he understands when the mood takes him. He knows when I point in a certain direction to get off or go there. Big cuddles when he does his business and still speak to him as if he isnt deaf.

Keep it up.

Jo

[kendall]

HI midweek

I have a deaf ACD who is now 5.5 years old. He came from rescue to us at 11 weeks. I can offer my experiences.

Diesel learnt to sit the first day home and knows a few other signs - sit, ball, shake, wait, come (From close and from far away) cant think what else :rolleyes: Obviously a deaf dog can't be off leash at all - you just can't get their attention esp from a great distance and if another dog or other distraction is around there can be problems. I remember taking Diesel to a dog beach once when there were no other dogs there and letting him off to run. He chased a seagull but thankfully he kept looking back to me and I called him back with his 'come' sign (wide open arms so they can be seen from further away). I was worried though so have not done it since - too scary. I looked up the sites (during my own research) that have been suggested and I also got Angus and Robertson to order a book for me (came from the US so was expensive , but I did find it helpful). Will have to find it and come back here.

Hopefully you will be able to find a training school that will help you. When he was a pup I took him to obedience classes but the instructors were quite rude and wouldn't work with me and the signs I already had for him - eg my 'sit' sign is a hand flat in front, palm down. The instructor wouldn't let me use that (as in obedience 'sit' is hand being raised up towards chest, palm up - never understood that by the way ) and he HAD to sit by my side. I told them he needed to be able to look at me to see his signs but they wouldn't budge I didn't go back after that.

Having a deaf dog is hard work but it is also rewarding when they learn new signs/tricks (I told everyone whenever he learnt a new one ) One definite good point is that they don't hear thunder or other dogs barking, bad point is no off leash. Treats worked really well for me but lots of pats and smiley faces worked for the 'paw shake' and that is probably his favourite trick!

Will find the name of that book and add the signs that I use. Sorry for the long post.

Kendall

[kendall]

Ok I found the book - It is called "Living with a Deaf Dog" by Susan Cope Becker (self published). My edition is 2000 but there may be a later edition. We are also on the deaf dog atlas (we are in WA). Diesel's photo wasn't at 17 months - it was taken not long after we got him on one of his visits to the resue centre where I volunteered and where he came from (maybe 17 weeks??? can't remember!) My email is also wrong there - PM if you want to contact me.

My signs for Diesel are:

Sit - palm down

Ball - fist

Where? - same as you would ask a child (you know hands outs sort of shrug)

Wait - hand up like stop sign

Come (close) - beckon with hand

Come (far away) - arms out wide

Shake - hand out in front of him to shake it

No - Point my finger with a growly face.

Walk - "let your fingers do the walking"

I'm sure there are others but they are the main ones. Treats worked really well but pats worked too. I still talk to him like he can hear me.

I find that he has different barks for different situations- play bark, where are you - can't see you bark, there is something new in the yard bark, cat bark, intruder bark etc. Barking was an issue but that seems to have settled now - we sometimes leave the outside light on so he can see whats happening (I know dogs have great sight but it works) and I make sure that there are no new things in the backyard that he hasn't had time to investigate before dark.

Make sure your fences are really secure -Diesel got out from my mum's once and I freaked - drove around for hours while ringing all the vets in the area. He ended up at the pound and I went to pick him up the next day - I could hear his 'can't see you bark' before I saw him - what a relief! He was equally as excited to see me :rolleyes:

If I think of anything else I will add to this. Most of all though, enjoy your pup, don't get annoyed with them (too much) and find the good points to having a deaf dog They are there You have done a great thing adopting this pup!

Kendall

Edited March 9, 2007 by kendall

[Trisven13]

I have owned a deaf dog before and fostered Joho's deaf puppy for two weeks before he was old enough to move on.

I have to be honest Joho's pup is VERY vocal due to his deafness and I suspect that, by comparison to my deaf dog, he is completely deaf, and she was mainly deaf. I talked to both of them, called them, told myself I was stupid etc many times but loved them both. He was, however, very clever, and I think will compensate in many amazing ways for his deafness.

Sheila was owned by us back when training wasn't such a big thing and I don't know if we ever really bothered training her but I can say she was VERY frightened of thunder storms and is the reason why I think dogs "feel" them as much as hear them but maybe she could hear a level??? In Sydney the thunder storms are pretty full on though and they have a real "smell" about them that I miss in an Albury storm so maybe that was what she was picking up. Sheila was a wonderful family companion who lived to 14 years and in all honesty we never really noticed her deafness.

Enjoy your puppy and good on you for seeing the joy that can be had in a deaf dog.

[kendall]

I have been very lucky, I suspect, with Diesel during thunderstorms- he just sleeps right through them He is completely deaf but his sense of smell is amazing. I think they can sense changes in air pressure etc too.

It is great when we go for walks - all the other dogs will be going mental at their fences and he just walks calmly by Diesel is VERY touch sensitive though- my mum's dog found out the hard way not to jump on him from behind- wasn't hurt but got a warning.

Kendall

[joho]

I have to be honest Joho's pup is VERY vocal due to his deafness and I suspect that, by comparison to my deaf dog, he is completely deaf, and she was mainly deaf. I talked to both of them, called them, told myself I was stupid etc many times but loved them both. He was, however, very clever, and I think will compensate in many amazing ways for his deafness.

He's not quite as bad now trish and only screams occasionally. Still haven't managed to cage train him so have given up on that and he is most happy in the lounge at night with Kerry, he hates being in the bedroom with us . He is VERY fond of curling into the cats basket which is quite commical as its miles to small. He still goes in his cage and sleeps and hides all those naughty things like my thongs and anyone elses he get hold of. He was however terrified of the storms the other day, mainly because of the vibrations through the house as we are on pillars and also because of the lightening flashes. My hearing dog however couldn't give a damn and still lounges on her lounge outside whatching the storm pass by :rolleyes: . She is very protective of snoops and they love a good play, she always checks up on him and sniffs him when asleep, but she does draw the line at sharing HER bed .

Jo

[Gretel]

I've just started reading Clicker Training for Obedience and he says to use a torch with a flicker switch instead of a clicker for a deaf dog. A friend has recommended the book. She has been training dogs for many years but only just gotten into clicker training and what she has achieved with her new Cavalier pup in weeks is amazing!

[Trisven13]

Yeah he improved over the two weeks I had him but I've never had a pup soooo loud! And it was all because he couldn't hear himself. Glad he has improved - I gave up on crate training Bart too as he hated it. He also sleeps on his puppy bed still even though it is miles too small for him. Must be a greyhound thing and Snoops always reminded me of Bart!

Glad that Diesel is better in storms that Sheila - she was a nightmare.

I'd also read that about torches with flicker switches but as my trainer said - we don't always have a torch at hand. Maybe investing in one of those little "pointer" torches that you can carry in your pocket would be a good idea?

[midweek]

Wow, thanks so much for all of your help guys! Our pup, Skye is generally a really good dog...we also have 3 young children (nearly 3, nearly 2 and 6 months ...yeah, i know...we've been busy LOL) her biggest issie is stealing food off the kids lol, but that's more the kids fault for walking around instead of sitting at the table!

Anyway, she's pretty vocal too...doesn't bark much, but she whines a lot when there's no one around. We have another dog (a 14 month old rotty x bullmastiff) which is great as she follows him around most of the time. We started last night teaching her to sit, and it worked pretty well (with a few treats lol). I also have a squirty bottle to remind her of the litte things (like chewing the kids toys lol). She's not too bothered by it, it's just a reminder that she shouldn't be doing something iykwim.

Anyway, here's a piccie of her....I reckon she looks like Marilyn Manson with her freaky blue eyes and black 'eyeliner' LOL

and another one of Skye asleep with our other dog, Hamish

[Belijae]

Aww, Shes beaut!

... Don't forget to visit the dally photo thread