How to train a deaf dog

Sometimes you can adopt a puppy that you think is 100% functional, only to find out a few weeks later that he has a mild hearing problem. So how do you achieve train a dog when most training exercises require the use of vocal cues such as "Sit" and "lie down"?

In recent years, the education of deaf dogs it has been widely sought and simple and effective methods are regularly developed. Opportunities for adoption of a deaf dog they are growing and there is no reason to send these animals back to the shelter.

Deafness in dogs

As with humans, some baby dogs are born deaf, This is called congenital deafness. For other dogs, deafness can come from many sources, such as chronic ear infections or injuries related to toxic drugs or old age.

There are about a hundred dog breeds that are more prone congenital deafness than others. Dalmatians, for example, have a very high degree of risk, with a 30% of puppies born deaf in one or two ears.

Other breeds affected by this disease are: the English Setter, the Australian Mountain Dog, the Catahoula Leopard Dog, the Whippet Hound and the Parson Russell Terrier.

Scientists don't yet know exactly why these dogs are likely to be born deaf, but it seems obvious that deafness mainly affects white-headed dogs or mostly white heads. According to an American study, the lack of pigment in the head means that the pigmented cells in the ear have difficulty developing or may even be non-existent.

La lack of pigmented cells it causes the death of nerve cells, which are essential for the proper development of hearing. Interestingly, white dogs like the  Samoyed you do not know about these deafness problems, therefore the mystery is not completely solved.

How do I know if my dog ​​is deaf?

Si do you think your dog is deaf, do a simple test. Wait until your dog is asleep or not looking and make a loud sound behind him.

You must be sure that the animal cannot see your movement or feel any vibration (which excludes hitting its feet on the ground). Next, try different types of sounds. Blow a whistle, clap loudly, and hit a drums.

These sounds are different enough to understand the complex hearing levels and they will help you check if your dog is deaf, totally or partially.

If you notice that your dog suddenly begins to ignore you or that he does not come running when you put his kibble in the bowl, it would be interesting to do this test to make sure it is not their hearing that is damaged. If your dog does not react to these sounds and you want perform a more comprehensive test, call your vet, who can suggest different tests.

Train a deaf dog

If a few years ago train a deaf dog It seemed impossible, many dog ​​lovers have investigated the matter and the education of such an animal is now as simple as any other.

The main difference is that auditory stimuli they should be ignored for obvious reasons. Instead, as with humans, you will use hand signals, you are going to associate each action with a clear and distinct hand signal.

No matter what sign you use, you will soon be constant and always use the same sign for the same action.

There is a myth that hearing loss makes the dog more aggressive and is that in reality, any dog ​​if it is stimulated in the wrong way, will bite you. It is the awakening that can be most difficult for a deaf dog, so it is important exercise with him from an early age.

Wake your dog with a treat in hand, several times during his first few months and soon will associate this awakening with something positive. If you don't want to surprise your dog, you can wake him up by tapping his foot on the floor or on the bed where he sleeps, vibrations will gently wake you up. Other than that, there is absolutely nothing you can do to adapt your accommodation to your dog.