Further Things to Take Into Consideration with Deaf and Disabled Pets

At the end of January I got an email from Izzy Forman with 360i on behalf of a company called Petside.com in regards to some deaf dog articles I’d written earlier that month. She wanted to let me know about their recently launched “Pets with Disabilities” series that had a section devoted to deaf pets. Initially, my main focus for researching deaf dogs was how to train them. That’s what my friend needed help with for her puppy. But the Petside.com articles took a few other things into consideration aside from training. Things to make living with a deaf or … Continue reading

Would You Make a Good Parent for a Deaf Pet?

I really took my quest to heart in regards to finding information about training deaf dogs for my friend who found out she’d adopted a deaf puppy. In addition to finding information on the Internet, I also posted a request for help in the Pets forum. Interestingly, several Families.com family members responded that either they’ve had deaf pets or knew of people who did. Not just dogs, but also cats and even a ferret was mentioned. The one thing that wasn’t mentioned was getting rid of any kind of deaf pet. Everyone who shared stories of deaf pets mentioned how … Continue reading

How Do You Get a Deaf Dog’s Attention When He’s Not Looking at You?

Who knew my friend asking me an innocent question the other night about the little deaf puppy she’d adopted would spark so many questions on my end? But it did, because I’ve never had a dog with a disability and I couldn’t help but wonder, “What would you do in X, Y, and Z circumstances?” For instance, I wondered how you’d train a deaf dog? Turns out, it’s not all that much different from training a hearing-able pooch. Sure, you do have to rely more on hand signals, but you can be creative! Either with inventing your own hand signals … Continue reading

How Do You Train a Deaf Dog?

Yesterday I wrote about my friend who found out her dog is deaf. She had asked me if I knew anything about training a deaf dog, so I looked into it. I searched online for resources on the topic, and I also posted a request for help in the forums. The result? A wealth of information! Training Techniques TOUCH Both the replies in the forum and the Deaf Dog Education Action Fund emphasized how important physical contact, like pats and petting, is to training deaf dogs. Which makes sense. When one sense is out of commission the others have to … Continue reading

Finding Out Your Dog is Deaf

Last night Wayne and I played volleyball with a group of folks who regularly meet on Tuesday nights at this one school gym. We’d had a little hiatus due to the holidays so everyone was excited to see each other and there was a lot of catching up going on. One of my friends, Lyn, who I also play volleyball with in another league, had gotten a dog shortly after Thanksgiving. Princess Sophia. I want to say she’s a Jack Russell but I’m not one hundred percent on that. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her in person. I’ve … Continue reading