| Tessa, our 12 year old toy poodle, started going deaf | | | | it a preferred method of communication. |
| when she was about 9. We did quite a bit of trial and | | | | There are several other options to get your deaf or |
| error to find a way to communicate with her. | | | | hard-of-hearing dogs' attention include the tickle |
| Sign Language | | | | method. Purchase a cat toy with a feather the end of |
| Our family begins teaching hand signals to all our dogs | | | | about a yard long stick. It doesn't look that hard to |
| as soon as they arrive. One dog, Friday, was quite | | | | make, if you are a Do-It-Yourself sort of person. |
| adept at signals and started training us by looking at | | | | Personally, I used a wooden dowel, cut a notch into it |
| the object he wanted, then to our eyes, then back to | | | | in, put a string into the notch, then added a pheasant |
| the object, and then to our eyes until we looked at the | | | | feather I found on the road during a walk to the |
| item and gave it to him. With Tessa, these lessons | | | | dangling part of the string. After you have this tool, use |
| proved invaluable for both her humans and her, as | | | | it to touch the feather to the back of your dog's ear. |
| they allowed us to "speak" to each other, even though | | | | He or she will turn around to try and catch the thing |
| she couldn't hear us. | | | | tickling them, see you, giving you the opportunity to |
| To get her to follow us, we used a hand held open to | | | | hand signal communicate again. This is a simple option, |
| the ceiling, and folded our fingers over our palms | | | | but I found it difficult to keep the cat toy around close |
| repetitively. Telling her it was time for bed simply meant | | | | enough to use every time I needed my dogs attention. |
| we point to her, then to her bed. To communicate that | | | | Another method to get their attention, one I don't |
| it was time to go lay down (and quit begging), we used | | | | condone, that I call the spray method. This method |
| an arm, with hand held palm down to the ground, then | | | | involves a spray bottle of water, set to stream, but |
| showed her a "shooing" motion where the forearm | | | | you carry around on your belt. When you need your |
| and hand were moved as one from the person's side | | | | pet to look at you for communication, spray the water |
| until it was perpendicular to the floor. For asking her to | | | | so it hits your dog. Where this method works very well |
| follow us, we crooked our index finger at her (a | | | | to get them looking around, it puts them directly in flight |
| common "come here" motion used between parents | | | | or fight mode, much as stomping does, floor vibration is |
| and kids). Of course, there were others, but the hard | | | | part of normal life. Getting water sprayed at them is |
| part was getting her attention. | | | | not normal and I worry about the impact this startling |
| Getting Their Attention | | | | option has on their heart. |
| Getting your pets' attention can be difficult if your dog | | | | The best way to get your deaf or hard-of-hearing dog |
| is deaf. There are a few tricks you can use to get him | | | | to look your direction is still with a loving stroke along |
| or her to look your direction to see your hand signals. | | | | their ear, back, tail, foot, or anything else in reach, which |
| The first thing most people try is using vibration, | | | | we refer to as the soft touch. Normally, this action |
| through stomping. A good stomp from the direction | | | | doesn't produce the fight or flight reaction in your dog |
| you want your dog to look in will have them looking | | | | that the other methods cause. It's always up to you |
| about to see what the potential danger is. After they | | | | and your dog to choose the right solution for your |
| understand that the stomp means you want to | | | | pack. We chose the soft touch method to use as our |
| communicate with them, he or she will be more likely | | | | primary method of getting Tessa's attention and it |
| to respond by looking for you sooner the next time. | | | | worked beautifully, clear up to the point where we had |
| Stomping around, however, isn't always possible nor is | | | | to help her cross over. |