Does anyone have a deaf dog?
Posted By: Dazey on 2008-07-12
In Reply to:
I got a little doxie mix from the pound. Took about a week to realize he was completely deaf. Took him to the vet to confirm. He's really cute, he's white with some brown around his face with little blue eyes. He does stand out when I take him for walks...people either laugh or are very interested. He has a long body like a doxie but his legs are kinda long for a doxie, so pretty sure he has something mixed in there.
Anyway, the vet said he'd never be able to be trained, that he wouldn't be safe around kids, and that he'd be a handful. I'm not sure, but I think he was actually suggesting that I put him to sleep!! Needless to say, I changed vets!
Well, that was about 2 years ago. He is box trained (I live in an apartment), he absolutely loves kids, is gentle with him, and he knows several signals that I have taught him. If I point anywhere, he goes there. If I stomp my foot, that means come. If I touch my nose and smile, that means good dog. He always wags his tail when I do that. I wouldn't trade him for anything!!
Bonus - he rarely barks, which is a plus living in an apartment! He'll never be a watchdog but he is the sweetest, funniest little dog I've ever had!!!
Just wondering if anyone else had a deaf dog and what their experience was/is.
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Deaf dogs........
We have a cocker who was deaf and blind and he did just fine for over 14 years. He went blind at age 4 and then deaf within a few years after that. We moved several times during that period and he learned his way around the house faster than the kids. Knew exactly where the back door when he wanted to go outside. Most dogs that are deaf tend to be very quiet because they don't hear things to motivate the barking like hearing dogs. He did some strange things because of that too.....would just jump up from resting and start some crazy sounding barking. The kids and their friends thought it was hilarious. He's been gone for a few years now.
We have a poodle who is 14. She has been deaf for a few years and cataracts affect her eyesight. BUT, don't let anyone tell you you can't work with a deaf dog. She may not can hear but she knows our sign language. She's really smart and she konws when I'm motioning for her to come and go outside to tinkle and even when I'm playing with her, even though she cannot hear my voice anymore. I play with her blanket and she knows I'm playing with her and she starts acting silly. I point to her bed when it's time to go to sleep and she goes in and waits for me to cover her with her blanket.
I understand the sign language you have developed between you and your dog in order to relate. Sounds like he is doing great. As you can see with him, hearing isn't everything and doesn't make the dog.....his soul makes the dog.
We had a dog go deaf and blind - sm
I would get her attention by pounding on the floor, but being blind did not help matters. She would walk off the deck sometimes, about a 2 foot drop, funny to see, though not really, luckily she never hurt herself. I would always try to carry her up and down the steps into the house so she would not get hurt. Dog was dumb as a stick as it was so it got comical sometimes. Sweetest dog in the world though, but a yapper (Schipperke). We eventually put her to sleep at about 15/16 years old when she was really losing it. Good dog though.
Falling on deaf ears........and
I also urge them to contact their senators and congressman, but I am sad to say too often these things fall on deaf ears. I am forever amazed at how people in this country think if something is imposed by their government, it must be okay! They don't really question why MORE laws, what do we need it for, who is it really benefitting. They just say, "Oh well, what's it hurting. If you're not doing anything wrong you shouldn't care that you are being stripped of your freedoms". Putting more restrictions on US citizens does what for us? Does anyone ever ask what the purpose is for? If they actually think this has anything to do with locating illegals, they are really gullable. The government knows where illegals are....they're in sanctuary cities, heck, they're in my city. Do you see them rounding them up and deporting them? They're marching down our streets holding the Mexican flag.....get a clue...it has NOTHING to do with protecting us. The borders are wide open to illegals, north and south. Instead of taking our freedoms from us, crack down on businesses hiring illegals, quit giving them welfare assistance, free education, free healthcare, free, free, free for ILLEGALS, and guess what?.....no jobs, no healthcare, no freebies, they will go back home. Their home. Does anyone actually ask why we are creating this new law? It's as if they don't really want to know, don't want to be bothered with reading and studying the bill, don't want to question why this is even necessary. If our government says to, then of course it must be good for us because, after all, we are too dumb a people to think for ourselves, at least that's what the federal government hopes, that you'll all sit on your complacent behinds and do nothing......until the deed is done.
Sounds like a great dog! Wow, deaf and
blind....that must have been a challenge...but worth it!
Thanks for sharing!
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