Adopting a deaf dog can be one of the most compassionate things a pet owner can do. These dogs, often left to live their lives at animal shelters, can make wonderful pets just like any other dog. It may take a little extra training, but well-trained deaf dogs do exist and are often very happy pets.
Deafness, with all its hardship, can be sometimes seen as a blessing for a dog owner, as unfortunate as that sounds. A deaf dog will not hear all the other neighborhood dogs barking and so will not join in. The same goes for the sound of your neighbors coming home late, a raging thunderstorm or other sounds that might set off an excited dog.
Without a doubt, owning a deaf dog has its own set of challenges. Your deaf dog might not be able to sense danger such as an approaching car. Naturally, a deaf dog is not likely to be a good guard dog either. Easily the greatest difficulty accompanying canine deafness is training. So much dog training is done by speaking. How then does a dog owner train a deaf dog?
Before we go any further, it is important to realize that not all deafness is permanent. It is advisable to consult your veterinarian first. Certain scenarios such as a ear infection, foreign objects lodged in the ear, sometimes medication can cause temporally deafness in dogs.
If your dog is indeed permanently deaf, don't give up hope quite yet. If you have ever watched a professional dog trainer, you will notice that each vocal command is usually also accompanied by a hand signal. Some trainers will not use vocal commands at all, instead using only hand and body signals. The reason why this works is because dogs are sensitive to movements, be it hand signal or body language. They also communicate with other dogs using body language. The position of a dog's tail, head, body, and tail can reveal a lot about how a dog is feeling or thinking.
Your first step is to decide what hand signals you would like to use for each command. Consistency is the most important factor. Nothing could set back training more than to confuse your dog by either using the same signal for two commands, or using different signals for the same command.
Hand signals should be very clear and obvious. Signals such as a raised hand (in the "stop" position) or a fist are of the best kind, whereas signals with only slight variations (two fingers up and three fingers up) can be very confusing.
You can start to train as soon as you decide on the signals to be used. This is done exactly as you would train a hearing dog. Carry treats with you to give as rewards each time your dog performs the correct action. Remember that using negative reinforcement (punishing a dog for doing the wrong thing) often confuses a dog and doesn't aid in training. If you are training a young deaf puppy, you can make use of the feeding time to train him, feeding him when he gets the command right.
Remember to be patient. Your dog will understand your hand signals sooner or later if you are consistent. Don't be surprise if they respond better than normal dogs. You may find it difficult to praise your dog when he does the right thing. The easiest way to praise a deaf dog would be to use treats as reward.
If you run out of treats, giving your dog a huge smile follow up with a good rub is also effective. You may also consider choosing another hand signal such as clapping to sign that you are pleased with your dog.
