Deaf dog - Animal House - Animal House - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 1/19/2014 6:00:31 PM

I have a red merle Aussie puppy who was born deaf. I have never trained a deaf dog. Any suggestions from anyone who has? He is such a happy boy and doesn't have a clue that he is not "normal".

molly

Posted : 1/20/2014 2:31:03 AM

Hello. I have never trained a deaf dog either. But to me , you would think that there is going to have to be a awful lot of eye to eye contact, head movement hand motion and (this may sound weird) but lip movement?? maybe not. i don't know if a dog would understand that... I don't know, but thats how i would do it. Or at least start out and see how things go. You will have to be very patience however, but its like you said, he was born this way, so to him, its natural, its to you that it isn't. Good Luck, this should really bond you and the dog spending this time together[ ':)'

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littlebit

Posted : 1/20/2014 4:47:27 AM

Thanks for the input Molly. I use hand signals with my other Aussies and Charmer just follows them. Maybe he will connect the hand movement with the motion...but I have to get his attention first. Someone suggested that I use a laser pointer. I will just muddle along until I get a response..in the meantime I will enjoy this happy fellow who just wants to be loved.

DaneHaven

Posted : 1/20/2014 4:24:09 PM

Never use a laser at eyes.
Lots of Harlequin Danes are born deaf. I have had a blind but not deaf Dane. There should be lots of info on the internet.

littlebit

Posted : 1/20/2014 10:26:39 PM

I am open to any suggestions for training Charmer. My shoer just told me that he has a deaf cattle dog and uses some type of collar on him that gets his attention. Then he looks at the person for the hand signal. I didn't get to question him further about what type of collar it was...don't think it was a shock collar as my shoer is the gentlest of people.

danastark

Posted : 1/25/2014 12:09:29 AM

Maybe it has a remote and vibrates a little rather than a shock? My heeler sometimes acts like he is deaf! He isn't though ':)'

Just gets so into heeling and doesn't want to stop.... Let us know what you find out.

DaneHaven

Posted : 1/25/2014 1:38:34 PM

I did a quick search and found vibrating collars and books for deaf dog training.

Durangogramma

Posted : 1/27/2014 5:38:15 PM

The only deaf dog I've ever dealt with was a Boxer cross (Dave's and my first dog that we found as a puppy, locked in a phone booth). We had her 16 years. I'm not even sure when she went deaf. Evidently, I made different gestures for different commands and she had picked up on those over the years. I didn't realize she was deaf until she didn't come when I called. She wasn't looking at me. I did figure out that she had a tiny bit of hearing in her right ear. I would whistle and she would make a quarter turn to the right. I would just whistle until she saw me and then give the body language command to her.

I searched, and there is lots of deaf dog training info out there. There is even a deaf Dane rescue up here. Let me know if you want their contact info.

littlebit

Posted : 1/27/2014 10:49:31 PM

Thanks for researching everybody. I too, have found things on the internet. Then...I remembered my friend Sharon! She lives about 20 minutes from me and used to be the dog trainer for Little House On The Praire's dog. She has done lots of animal work for the studios. I am going to ask her advice also.

littlebit

Posted : 1/28/2014 2:28:02 PM

My "friend" Sharon, wants $250 for five dog training lessons of an hour each if I bring the dog to her. Seems rather expensive..$50 an hour when I only charge $35 an hour for riding lessons. What do you all think?

Durangogramma

Posted : 1/29/2014 5:04:10 AM

There is a place close by here. I take my dog there to board when I have to go out of town. I just looked at their website and they charge $50 for 1 hour lessons "with the owner".

littlebit

Posted : 1/29/2014 2:28:49 PM

So maybe she is not out of line on her prices. Just seems like us riding instructors need to up our prices a little.

Durangogramma

Posted : 1/31/2014 2:47:25 AM

Probably. I don't know what you charge but I was paying $55 (if I remember correctly) for dressage lessons - just about the going rate for most riding lessons up here. They also get you coming and going. You pay extra to rent their lesson horse, OR you pay a "haul in" rate to bring your own. [8|] For me it's still cheaper to ride the lesson horse because of the gas to haul over there (80 mile round trip).

CalGordon

Posted : 2/5/2021 6:02:22 AM

Teach him some gestures without saying anything! Make him feel like he is normal because he is trying to be one. I think smaller taps and rubs will help teach him a few things. Just keep guiding hi along the way and I'm sure he'll get it.