More Tips
Ten Tips
Our deaf animals can be wonderful and loving members of our families if we remember they have some special needs.
Adopting them, like any pet, is a real responsibility and commitment.
To help us and our special friends, we need to:
1. Learn to communicate with them their way.
2. Always let them know when you are nearby.
3. Approach them slowly from the front where they can see you.
4. Always be gentle with touch and gesture.
5. Use only praise, encouraging touch, and positive reinforcement. And lots of it !!
6. Allow them to approach a newcomer first by smelling the person's fist. Never allow a stranger or anyone to rush in.
7. Keep them on leashes and close to you when out on walks.
8. Tether them to you in the house in order to help with initial adjustment, housebreaking, bonding, and helping them feel safe. Massage is also a great way to establish closeness and trust.
9. Provide outdoor fencing that is secure and essential for their safety. They can't hear dangers.
10. Work with them in an established and continual training program. Our pets are our adopted members of our families, and daily attention is "a non-negotiable" just as it is for any child or loved one.
** Love and accept them with their special needs. **
Collar Tips & Safety
Collars for our deaf dogs
Buy durable and appropriate collar, harness, and leash. Different sized deaf dogs need different collars and/or harnesses. For instance, a very small deaf dog is better outfitted with a harness for attaching a leash than a collar. A collar can also be used but functions more as decorative attire and for ID tags. Harnesses with a back clip used on larger deaf dogs tend to promote pulling, but no-pull harnesses are now available that are working wonderfully. If you use a collar, I highly recommend a Martingale collar. It tightens enough so your deaf pup can’t back out of the collar which is a great and extremely important safety feature. Yet, it doesn’t choke. Please remember that over time, choke collars damage the esophagus!
[Note: Proper training techniques eliminate the need for a choke or prong collar.]
Make certain that the clip is strong and sturdy and won’t break or open. I also recommend that you get a strong clip rather than the lobster claw.
Order your deaf dog a collar embroidered with name, DEAF, and telephone number. The embroidered collar eliminates the possibility of tags getting ripped off and keeps your vital information on your pup. [Note: Talk to your veterinarian about having your pup chipped for permanent identification.]
Tags are too easily ripped off the collar, especially if your pup gets tangled in bushes or woods.
Getting Attention
The key to success is a positive attitude, unconditional love, understanding that your pup really wants to please you, and tons of praise & reward.
How do I get my deaf dog’s attention?
In the house or on a deck, I stomp on the floor. The vibration alerts my pups whether or not they hear. When my pup looks around, I motion for one or all to come towards me; and as soon as I get a positive response, I offer tons of praises, rewards, and 20-second rubdowns.
I often use the hallway light when my pups are upstairs, and I want them to come down. I flick the hall light on and off, and they come running. Again, I offer tons of praises, rewards, and 20-second rubdowns.
I use a variety of tricks, inside or outside:
Send my other dogs to go and fetch.
Wave my arms to catch their peripheral vision.
Throw a toy in their direction.
Use a flashlight or laser light (careful to never point a laser light towards the eyes!!) This doesn't work very well on sunny days, but it’s great on cloudy days, in the morning or evening, and on the snow! My Hogan loved to chase the light! (Take care that your deaf dog does NOT become obsessed with chasing lights and shadows.)
Purchase a vibration collar that ONLY vibrates. Note that it has a limited range. We were the very first to test a collar that had the choice of vibrate or shock (NEVER would we use the shock setting.) It has a much larger range, but we didn't like the price or the shock option. Hogan trained well to it, but our Georgia was scared to death of the vibration. We didn't force it with her because she was so fearful. We have also used scent to attract them - a whiff of their favorite treat gets them coming in a flash.
Use a school bell—ring it hard and loud. (This does not work with all deaf dogs.) I inadvertently discovered that some deaf dogs hear sound at a particular pitch, usually extremely high. My Georgia, and now my Judea, responded/respond to VERY high pitches. The pitch is similar to the “after pitch or tone” of a bell that feels as if it will pierce my ears.