A vibration-only collar can be a useful tool with some deaf dogs, especially when your dog is far away, has his back turned, or is otherwise distracted. ![]() (With hearing dogs, we often use a verbal marker (such as the word “Yes!” or “Good!”) or the click of a clicker to indicate the dog has done what we want, just before we deliver the treat.) Teach a visual marker, such as a quick thumbs-up gesture or a flash from a small flashlight, to let your dog know when he’s been successful or is on the right track and a reward is on its way. For example, if you first teach a dog to lie down by having her follow a treat in your hand from her nose to the ground, pointing from nose-level to the ground can become your “down” signal. When teaching behaviors using a lure (often done using a treat in front of the dog’s nose), it’s easy to fade the treat and use the same physical gesture as a cue for the behavior. We like the American Sign Language sign for “finished,” but any gesture can work if it’s consistently followed by the absence of interaction. When out walking your dog, remember to be present and don’t get lost in looking at your phone! At the same time, when you want your dog to settle and understand there won’t be any interaction for a while, teach an “all done” signal. With attention and eye contact being so important, be sure to notice and reward moments when your dog offers attention to help him understand keeping his eye on you is a good thing. Reward well for offered check-ins and teach an “all done” cue.A bonus of teaching a tactile cue is that it also helps desensitize your dog to unexpected touch, which reduces the natural startle reflex in other circumstances. Your dog will learn that feeling the tap, seeing the wave, or feeling the distinct floor vibration of your attention-getting stomp means you’re about provide something he wants, which is a good reason to pay attention. Start when your dog is already paying attention and repeat often without distractions to keep the sequence super easy then try it when your dog is mildly distracted and not looking at you. Gently tap your dog, wave your hand when he can see you, or stomp your foot and immediately feed a treat or present the toy. (If your dog is indifferent about food and toys, we recommend working with a skilled positive reinforcement trainer who can help you think outside the box when developing your training plan.) Admittedly, using food is often the easiest but toys can work, especially with highly toy-motivated dogs. To teach each of these cues, pair them with treats or the presentation of a favorite toy. If someone in your family uses American Sign Language, they will likely excel at training a deaf dog, as they are accustomed to giving and looking to receive eye contact before signaling their communication. A tactile cue, such as gently tapping your dog on her side, a gestural cue like waving your hand in a distinct pattern or stomping your feet to create a vibration can all work well when your dog is within arm’s reach or otherwise close enough to perceive the cue. Teach your deaf dog to orient toward you using a variety of non-verbal cues. Here are five things to keep in mind when working with a deaf dog: ![]() When it comes to training a deaf dog, hand signals are the name of the game. Photo by Nancy Kernsĭogs are masters at noticing body language, which makes them great at learning hand signals. Training your dog to understand hand signals, particularly a marker that means “Yes!” such as a “thumbs up” signal, can immeasurably help a senior dog who has hearing loss understand that he’s still a very good dog. Many dogs lose their hearing, partially or completely, when they get old.
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