Living With Dogs That Are Hearing Impaired
We’ve all heard the stories about how keen our pets’ hearing is. After all, they can hear a car in the driveway long before we usually do, pick up thunderstorms and other weather, and rush to the kitchen at the rustle of the food bag. However, just like us, not every dog has the best hearing. Some are born with impairments, while others become partially or fully deaf over the course of many years. All dogs with hearing loss, however, need special care.
If your dog has reduced hearing, it’s important to catch it early. If your dog becomes less responsive to your voice, this might not be because he or she is becoming disobedient, but because you simply can’t be heard! If you think this is going on with your pet, you need to ask your vet to test your dog’s hearing. The earlier you find out what’s going on, the more easily your pet’s hearing loss can be accommodated and dealt with.
Many dogs will eventually lose their hearing completely, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to make their lives easier. Start using hand signals along with voice commands while your dog can still hear you. Use plenty of praise when these signals are obeyed. Eventually you can go to just the hand signal. Realize that your dog may be confused when this first happens, but with the right reinforcement, he or she will catch on quickly. Choose clear and obvious hand signals that your dog can see from a long distance.
Praise your dog as soon as he or she starts doing the desired response to your hand signal. You’ll need to think about how you’re administering praise, since verbal methods are the most common. You may need to change to physical forms of praise, or your dog may not know he or she is doing a good job! Remember to focus on just a few commands at one time, since too many can be confusing. Not even the smartest dog can learn a lifetime of new tricks right away.
These pieces of advice are best for gradual hearing loss. Sometimes, however, dogs will lose their hearing very quickly. That can make retraining very difficult. If a little residual hearing remains, pair a loud, clear voice signal with the right physical signal, but don’t shout. Smell signals can be used, as well – particularly in dogs that are completely deaf. Use food to get your pet’s interest, and then work in a short session – ten minutes or so – twice a day or more. Don’t push things, and remember that hearing loss is often related to other health conditions. The goal is an enjoyable session for both of you. Frustration won’t help either of you learn to communicate!
Remember that there are safety concerns with dogs that cannot hear, as well. Hearing impaired animals must never be allowed out without you, and should be on a leash at all times. They can’t hear other animals, approaching cars, or other signs of danger, and if they aren’t looking at you, they can’t see you signaling. It’s hard to get the attention of a dog that cannot hear you, so keep your hearing impaired dog on a leash at all times.
This article was written by Kelly Marshall of ohmydogsupplies.com – the top online store for organic dog food and dog food storage containers.