Deaf Dog Training
There are special challenges posed when working with or training dogs with disabilities. Perhaps the most common physical disability that we’ve run into with our clients dogs is deaf dogs.
The problems with training deaf dogs are obvious, even to an amateur dog trainer. How can a dog ‘listen’ when they can’t hear. Most people can answer this question easily —with hand signals. Hand signals are a part of dog training that many people may consider to be beyond the reach of the average pet and perhaps are even reserved for only the best trained dogs. This is in fact a misconception. Dogs by nature are heavily reliant on their sight for communication skills as they lack the intricate verbal communication that humans have developed. Even with our highly developed verbal communication skills much of our communication is physical.
The concept of body language is well known, even within dog training circles, but many people tend to rely on body language in potentially threating situations, for instance at many of our bite prevention demonstrations we do for our local Las Vegas Postal Workers, many people talk of eye contact, wagging tails and piloerections (hair standing on end) to describe situations they’ve been in or heard of involving aggressive dogs. Dog’s showing aggression are obviously dangerous, however dogs utilize3 body language to a much greater level than typically perceived. Canine body language will convey virtually every emotion that humans can communicate verbally and then some.
The challenge with deaf dogs is human dependence on verbal communication. It’s not primary nature for humans to communicate with animals visually, however this is of paramount importance to dogs. Deaf dogs inparticular are VERY dependant on this visual communication. Because this visual communication is so key with all dogs, not just deaf ones, visual attention is the key to immediate and effective success in dog training in general. By teaching a dog to pay attention to your visual cues (signals), they become less prone to distraction, and ultimately it allows the handler to tap into the dogs understanding and desire to please.
The dog’s natural pack orientation is very strong, and though some dogs are independent minded (not disputing that), there still lies an inherent desire to ‘belong’ in all dogs. Through visual communication and a training approach that teaches the dogs greater awareness for pack member’s visual communication the end result is that of a dog that is willing to listen but a handler that is able to cue the dog in an instant to be receptive to their communication.
Deaf dogs are in my opinion easier to train for the average dog owner and handler because they realize the vital importance of visual attention in their training. Without the visual attention, there would be NO communication occurring. It’s not that the dog is unwilling to listen (far from it), it is simply that they are unaware of the fact that you are trying to communicate with them. If all dog owners trained their dogs as though they were deaf, there would be many more well trained dogs our there. Our approach, because it is based on attention, is what allows our trainers and our clients to achieve unprecedented results and of course a super happy, animated attitude. The animation is something I will address shortly.
Below is a video we shot of a foster dog named ‘Otis’. Otis had been in the rescue system for a while and it was through our relationship with Bullie Buddies of Las Vegas that allowed me to meet Otis and start his road to a new life. Otis is an American Bulldog X Pit Bull. He had several strikes against him, firstly being a bully breed, he was discounted severely (unfair). Secondly, he is deaf. Thirdly, he was an adult who had formed some minor misbehaviours due to being left to his own devices during his formative months. The video below was shot the day I met Otis at the kennel he was being fostered at, and did an evaluation training session for Bullie Buddies of Las Vegas. This video was shot that day, and with the exception of a tape change is un-edited footage. You get to see the transformation from start to finish. The entire clip is on the long side at about 13 minutes, but is a good example of what our system allows us to accomplish everyday.
The animation and prancing you begin to see in Otis is only the start of things. Our training system allows us to encourage animation and attitude in the dogs and also to build speed and enthusiasm. By teaching a dog to move with his head up and to maintain this position build animation. Many dogs have a tremendous level of natural animation when taught and encouraged to bring it out in training. I will feature animation more in future dog training blogs…
