Living With A Deaf Dog

[Tesa]

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This week we rescued a deaf whippet from our local animal welfare centre. The whole experience was nothing like we expected it to be.

We only had her for 5 of the most delightful days that I think I have ever spent with any dog. We had expected her to be with us for months while we struggled to find someone willing to take her on. Not the case, we were overwhelmed at the quality of the people who offered to give her a home. She went home with her new family yesterday. Two very nice parents, a well mannered older child, and a lonely male whippet (the same age). Somehow we don't think she will miss us.

I thought I would start this thread just to give other k9 readers a point of reference regarding living with a deaf dog. We have been told in the past the best thing to do for a deaf dog is to put it to sleep.

Our animal welfare centre, (who rang us to see if we wanted to help find a home for her), even told us that she had major problems. We didn't see the problem, only the solutions. She was an absolute sweetheart. House trained, well behaved, and very affectionate, loved a cuddle. She walked well on the lead, got on well with other dogs. Loads of personality and quite simply a joy to have around.

Has anyone else out there had any experiences with deaf dogs? Were they postive or negative? How did the dog cope? How did the owner cope? So many questions.

 

[Tesa]

Oh and by the way, yes she was white.

 

[BlueNoise]

Haven't any real imput here,but would just like to say my dad had a deaf CS and he got on really well. Dad always made sure the dog was facing him and the CS learnt from hand signals.He enjoyed life to the full until he went to the bridge when he was 10.(Oh before dad got him the breeder wanted to put him down)

 

[FeeFee]

I've known several people with deaf dogs, with a bit of patience and imagination they are much easier to train than most people would think, and seem to cope very well. Dogs are much more attuned to body-language than verbal signals anyway so deafness is much less of a problem to a dog than it is to a human.

There was a previous topic here, including a very interesting post by a lady who has loads of experience with deaf collies: http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....34entry476034

 

[Janimal]

I met a couple Karen, at a dogs trust session with a white dalmation..they had two out of the same litter and one was deaf. The breeder was thinking of having her put to sleep,

Between the two of them you could hardly tell which one was deaf and they both responded to you in the same way...one making slightly more eye contact.

The owner said they were taking them to classes and they were both doing equally well and she was using a lot of hand signals.

Its lovely to hear people giving these dogs a chance....after all lots of people are deaf and they get on equally as well as us. :thumbsup:

 

[Tesa]

Between the two of them you could hardly tell which one was deaf and they both responded to you in the same way...one making slightly more eye contact.

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That's interesting Janis, Millie had the strongest eye contact I have ever seen on any dog.

 

[Janimal]

Aww is that her Karen....she is gorgeous.. :huggles: :wub: :wub: Ill bet Alfyn would love her too... :huggles:

 

[FifeJillandIan]

I have a friend who is profoundly Deaf herself and has two dogs - one hearing and the other deaf. She uses signs with both and can attract their attention if they aren't looking by stamping on the floor to create a vibration. They're both well trained, lovable dogs.

 

[Tesa]

I met a couple Karen, at a dogs trust session with a white dalmation..they had two out of the same litter and one was deaf.  The breeder was thinking of having her put to sleep,

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Just out of curiosity Janis, how old was the dali when the breeder was considering putting her to sleep?

 

[pollyanna]

Bea, my friend next door, had Rosie, a deaf (from birth we think) rescued Cavalier and she was brilliant! By copying my Polly, she got up to her silver good citizens award with no problem.

Since then, she has had 2 deaf dogs (whippets) including Lily, who is still with her, aged 14, and she copies the others and is no problem at all. We use a torch to attract her attention when she goes outside at night and arm waving or stamping on the floor gets her attention during the day. Her deafness is due to age, we think.

Willow was blind and deaf, but he still responded very well and soon learned when we touched him in certain ways it meant certain things!!

I think the idea of putting a deaf dog to sleep is wicked. they can live as full a life as any hearing dog and mostly you forget they have a problem very quickly.

I know whoever took on this poppet (wish it was us) will have a lifetime of joy with her. :huggles:

 

[Tesa]

I have a friend who is profoundly Deaf herself and has two dogs - one hearing and the other deaf.  She uses signs with both and can attract their attention if they aren't looking by stamping on the floor to create a vibration.  They're both well trained, lovable dogs.

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A friend of mine also has a deaf whippet. It was a rocky start, and she wasn't going to keep the dog after she realised that it was deaf. Since then she has worked really hard and has an amazing bond with her dog. She can now take her down the dog beach and let her have an off lead run. She is using flags to get her back.

I had to think outside the square to get Millie's attention. Stamping and waving were good. Not that we needed it, but I had got out the water pistols just in case she was naughty :lol:

 

[FifeJillandIan]

I had to think outside the square to get Millie's attention.  Stamping and waving were good.  Not that we needed it, but I had got out the water pistols just in case she was naughty :lol:

:lol: I think you're absolutely right - all it needs it a bit of creative thinking. The loss of one, or even two, of the senses can be compensated for with clever solutions using the other senses.

:thumbsup:

 

[Tesa]

I think the idea of putting a deaf dog to sleep is wicked.  We were fortunate enough to have Millie's full history.  Her first owner was going to put her to sleep. A work college stepped in an offered to find Millie a new home. Someone left a gate open at Millies new home, and she was picked up by the ranger.  After Millie ended up in the shelter, her distressed foster mum contacted us, as she was unable to afford to get Millie out..  Millies first owner cannot believe all the trouble people have gone to "just for a bloody dog"

they can live as full a life as any hearing dog and mostly you forget they have a problem very quickly. 

Millie didn't know she was deaf, she just thought she was a dog :- "

 

And a happy one at that, the tail never stopped wagging

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[Janimal]

I met a couple Karen, at a dogs trust session with a white dalmation..they had two out of the same litter and one was deaf.  The breeder was thinking of having her put to sleep,

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Just out of curiosity Janis, how old was the dali when the breeder was considering putting her to sleep?

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Well when I talked to the couple who had taken both puppies, I think the puppies were then about 15 weeks old. But she did say as soon as the Breeder had found out the pup was deaf she had considered putting it too sleep...

so they had then taken the decision to take it on too.....but had already picked the one they were taking from the litter.

Both puppies were gorgeous :wub: and I thought to myself how lovely this couple had been to have given that pup the chance. :huggles:

 

[Flowerpot]

I had a Dachshund who went deaf and I had no problems with her, she was adorable. I always use hand signals with my dogs anyway, so if any of them do become deaf in later life, there isn`t a problem. :wub:

 

[FeeFee]

This site has good ideas and information about training deaf dogs, including use of a vibrating collar to get the dog's attention:

http://www.deafdogs.org/