Deaf Dog Myth # 5

Deaf Dog Myth # 5

If I adopt a deaf dog I won't be able to do ___

(agility, therapy, obedience, rally, etc)

Deaf dogs are most certainly out there and participating in dog sports and activities!  Many are competing and winning titles and awards.  Deaf dogs learn very quickly to watch our body language cues.  Training my deaf dogs has made me a better handler for all my dogs, even my hearing dogs.  They have made me aware of how just a slight change in my posture or body language can communicate so much to my dogs! 

Deaf Dog Myth # 4

Deaf Dog Myth # 4

Deaf dogs have other health problems or won't live as long

or be as healthy as other dogs.

As far as I know, deafness has not been linked to any other health problems.  My deaf dogs are all healthy with no issues.  Many hearing dogs have health problems, and I’m sure there are many deaf dogs with health issues as well.  But these health issues are in addition to the deafness, not because of it.  Some deafness is caused by genetics.  Breeders should educate themselves about how to remove these genetic lines from their breeding dogs.  When adopting a dog, it’s important to find out as much as you can about the dog’s health and genetic history so you can make informed decisions.

Deaf Dog Myth # 3

Deaf Dog Myth # 3

Deaf dogs are more likely to bite when they wake up or if

they are startled.

Do deaf dogs have teeth?  Yes, most of them do – but so do most hearing dogs.  Any dog with teeth is capable of biting!  Any dog!  Hearing or deaf.  I hear several times each month about people that were bitten by dogs – and interestingly, all of these dogs can hear just fine.  It’s important to teach any dog to allow itself to be touched by people and to be woken up gently.  Every time you wake up your deaf dog, you should have a special treat to give her as soon as her eyes open.  Will she jump a bit and startle?  Probably.  But hearing dogs startle too – as do people.  Startling is a natural reflexive behavior.  The dog doesn’t have any control over it.  It just happens.  A dog that is used to getting good things when she’s woken up will startle and very quickly look to you for something good to happen.  After a while, this will become a habit and you won’t need the treat every time.  But it’s a good idea to use a treat every now and then.   It’s also important to be polite and gentle when waking up your dog.  It’s not fair to sneak up on her and then wake her up suddenly. 

Deaf Dog Myth # 2

Deaf Dog Myth # 2
Deaf dogs are harder to train than hearing dogs.

 

On the contrary!  Deaf dogs pay such close attention to our cues and the cues from the environment around them, that they learn at an astonishing rate.  However, they can just as easily learn behaviors that we don’t want them to do, as they can learn to do what we do want.  So it’s important to establish a signal right away that lets your dog know that you liked what she is doing.  This way you can reinforce behaviors quickly that you like.  The more you reinforce those behaviors you like, the more often those behaviors will happen.  And set up the environment and always supervise so you can interrupt and redirect behaviors you don’t want right away so they don’t become habits.  No dog is born understanding human words or body language, so it is up to us to teach them – both hearing and deaf dogs. 

 

Deaf dog Myth # 1

Deaf Dog Myth # 1

If I adopt a deaf dog, I need to have a hearing dog as well.

 

 

 

Many people think that a deaf dog needs to have a hearing dog to follow around.  This is not necessary.  Although, if you do have a hearing dog, your deaf dog will watch him closely for cues to things that are important to him – mealtimes, going for a walk, etc.  A deaf dog will also watch you closely to see what cues you give.  Sometimes your deaf dog will notice cues that you aren’t even aware you are giving!  They are very good observers!  Deaf dogs are individuals, just like people and hearing dogs are.  Some enjoy the company of other dogs, while some may not.  There is nothing wrong with having hearing dogs if you adopt a deaf dog.  There is nothing wrong with having only deaf dogs either!  Don’t get a hearing dog with the expectation that he will take on the role to “help” your deaf dog.  This is a neat thing to watch when it happens, but the truth is that the majority of times it does not happen.  The dogs will develop a relationship, but it’s usually the deaf dog that learns to just observe and learn cues. 

Deaf Dog Awareness Week!

Happy Deaf Dog Awareness Week! 

We're going to do some deaf dog myth-busting this week!  Stay tuned!

 



National Holistic Pet Day!

Holistic.  That's a term that we hear a lot these days.  It's a term used to help us remember to look at a being as a whole, and not as its separate individual parts.  We all have separate parts of our lives, but in order to be truly healthy and vibrant, we need to consider all of those parts together and how they affect each other. It is no different with our animal friends.

 

It's important to think of everything that affects our dogs when we approach their wellness.  It's obvious when we think about health and wellness to consider our dog's physical well-being.  Feeding the best choices in food and water, avoiding over-vaccination and exposure to unnecessary chemicals, making sure she gets enough exercise and regular veterinary care, helping her maintain a proper weight, getting her regular dental care, etc.  Keeping our dog's body healthy will help her to live longer and more comfortably.  Taking care of her body will also have an effect on her behavior and her ability to handle stress.  None of us are at our best when we don't feel good physically.  A physically healthy animal is better able to handle day to day stressors and is in a better mood than one that is not feeling up to par.

 

Did you know that your dog also needs to have wellness in other areas of her life?  She needs to have mental stimulation as well as physical exercise daily.  Mental stimulation will help to prevent boredom and the behavioral issues that develop because of it.  Giving your dog new experiences and puzzles to solve daily will help her to be more content.  Sometimes giving your dog mental stimulation can be just as tiring (or maybe even more tiring) than physical exercise!  Read some of my previous posts for ideas about how to give your dog mental stimulation.

Learning how to reduce stress in your dog's life will go a long way toward helping her maintain emotional  and physical wellness.  Stress can cause us all to be cranky.  When we are stressed, we have a shorter fuse and things tend to bother us more than if we aren't stressed.  The same is true for our dogs.  Stressed dogs are much less tolerant.  Many dogs act out their stress in ways that we don't appreciate - chewing, barking, tearing things up, pacing, jumping, pulling, etc.  Long term stress has been shown to have poor effects on physical, mental and emotional health.  And, remember that your stress levels and emotional state can have an effect on your dog and her behavior as well!

 

This is what holistic means - that every part needs to be considered because every part has an effect on all the other parts.  The ideal goal is to find balance in all areas of your dog's lifestyle and wellness.  I want my dogs to experience balance and wellness in their physical bodies, mental abilities, behavior and emotions.  When they are balanced in all areas, they can be at their best and in optimum health.

 

When you notice your dog having any type of issue - a behavioral change, a physical change, anything that you are concerned about - the first thing to do is to check with her veterinarian to make sure it is not stemming from a physical issue that is causing discomfort.  Our dogs can't speak up and tell us exactly what is not feeling good or how.  Many behavioral issues can be caused from a physical discomfort.  It is important to rule out any issues that may be causing your dog discomfort first.  I find that often once the physical issue is being treated, that the behavioral or other issues will remedy themselves. 

 

Check your dog all over for anything out of the ordinary. You should check your dog all over frequently so that you know what is normal for your dog.  Keeping your dog well-groomed is also important.  For example, a dog with long nails may begin to move or hold herself differently and this can cause pain and structural changes.  You may notice that your dog's behavior is changing and perhaps she is not wanting to do things that she used to do.  Is this because her nails are getting too long?  If you have a dog with long hair, you need to keep it well groomed and tangle free. If you have long hair and you have ever felt your hair pulled as a tangle catches on something, you will realize how much this hurts!  Ears that are infected hurt a lot and can cause dogs to snap or act in other ways that they normally would not. 

 

The effects of stress on our dogs can have enormous impact on their behavior, their emotions and their physical health.  If you follow this blog, you know I write often about stress and how it effects our dogs, as well as ways to help reduce stress for our dogs.  Dogs don't know that there is this thing called stress or how to make it go away.  They only know that they don't feel comfortable.  It is our responsibility to help them with reducing stress and its effects on them.  After you have ruled out a physical issue, look at ways you can reduce stress in your dog's life.

The next step is to look at all areas of your dog's life and see where things may be out of balance.  Is she getting the right nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental stimulation, attention, grooming, etc.  Try as much as you can to help your dog have a balanced and well-rounded lifestyle and you may be surprised at  how her  mood, health and behavior begin to change toward being more balanced!