How to educate a deaf dog?

Train and educate a deaf dog It may seem like a real challenge, because we are used to using verbal communication to interact with our dogs, but our dogs mostly use body and non-verbal language to express themselves, communicate and interact, both with us and with other animals and with their animals.own environment.Therefore, all dogs, even deaf dogs, are able to interpret various signs, gestures and facial expressions, and not just sound records.

If we want to teach a non-hearing dog we must learn to communicate through non-verbal language, using our body to express what we want to convey to our best friends.Instead of using words to communicate the obedience orders, tricks and tasks we intend to teach them, we can use gestures, signs and tools .

To learn more about how to educate a deaf dog , we invite you to continue reading this article of Animals and Pets Online, where you will find tips very valuable for the education of your non-hearing dog.

Do deaf dogs have learning difficulties?

Hearing is a very important sense for dogs, since it allows them to get to know their surroundings and all the sound stimuli that the world offers.However, deafness in dogs does not reduce their cognitive ability , emotionally or socially.In other terms, a deaf dog of birth or a dog that has totally or partially lost his hearing is no less intelligent , less able to learn, nor will he have greater difficulty creating a bond Healthy affective with your tutor.

As dogs maintain a complex and varied body language, which includes numerous body postures, actions and facial expressions, their communication and intelligence are not limited to the emission and sound stimulation uptake , but also depend on their potent smell, good vision and other skills.Also, when properly stimulated, deaf dogs can develop their vision and smell better, achieving some m It is necessary to "compensate" for the total or partial loss of your hearing.

A deaf dog has the same cognitive, emotional and social abilities as a dog with intact hearing, so can be trained directly , learn a wide variety of tricks, tasks and sports, in addition to enjoying your family just like any other dog, however, you will need to be specially educated and receive some specific care for deaf dogs, since it will not count with hearing to understand and interact with their environment.

This does not mean that a deaf dog may not have a learning problem, but this problem will probably be related to the use of inappropriate methods that can impair the training of any dog, and not specifically with your deafness.Therefore, we will never use counterproductive or dangerous techniques to educate a deaf dog, such as hanging collars, punishments or reganas, s But we will use positive reinforcement to stimulate their learning and reward their achievements and efforts.

How to educate a dog that does not listen?

Although it may seem very complex, educating a deaf dog correctly is based on the same techniques and the same pillars that govern the education of any dog.However, as our best friend has lost all or partially your hearing, we must use signals instead of words when teaching them basic dog obedience orders.

That is, we will not use our voice to give our dog a verbal order , but we will use our body to give a nonverbal order, making the signal or the gesture we have chosen to express each command we want to teach a deaf dog.

Then, instead of teaching our dog to associate the word " still " with the act of stopping and waiting in the same place, for example, we will work so that he assimilates a signal or a gesture to it act.A simple and obvious signal for the order to stay could be, for example, to position our hand in front of your face and at your level with the open palm.

To get the attention of a deaf dog, you won't be able to call him by his name either, since he won't be able to listen to you.However, since deaf dogs can feel the vibrations, you can gently tap the floor with your foot to get his attention , ask for something or start a training session.

Use of vibration collar for deaf dogs

Another effective option to facilitate education and communication with deaf dogs, but also more expensive, is to acquire a vibration collar .On the market we will find several options: collars that emit only vibration and collars that, in addition to vibration, perform electric shocks.They are also known as "educational collars", as they are generally used to prevent a dog from barking.

However, it should be taken into account that the The use of electric shocks is not adequate or effective to educate a deaf or hearing dog, since it is based on punishing the animal every time it barks or carries out a behavior considered inappropriate.In addition to causing an uncomfortable and even painful sensation to the dog , these tools are counterproductive, since the dog associates learning negatively.

Collars that emit exclusively vibration or educational collars in the proper way do not emit electrical currents, but if or Vibrating waves , which arouse the attention of the dog without causing pain, fear or any other negative emotion.In addition, it is a safe and effective way to capture the attention of a deaf dog in the outside the home (during their walks, for example), where the blows on the ground will not be very effective, especially at medium or large distances.

We should only use the vibrations when we really need to communicate with our dog. Issuing them without communicating anything and even using them excessively can cause us to stop paying attention.It could also generate a picture of stress on the dog.

Is there sign language for deaf dogs?

Even there is no a universally accepted sign language for the training of deaf dogs, just as there are no good or bad signs when it comes to educating a deaf dog.It is important to establish, before starting to train with a non-hearing dog, a clear and specific signal for each order that we intend to teach you.In this way, we do not confuse our dog with very similar or confusing gestures.Remember that the purpose of a communication is always that both parties understand each other and interact in a positive way.

A simple and effective solution is to use the basic signs and signs of ASL (American Sign Language) or of the Spanish sign language (LSE), which are designed for communication between non-listeners, and between listeners and non-listeners.Then, we will work with our dog so that he assimilates each signal with the order we are communicating.Of course, that requires that you learn the basic signals of ASL before you start training with your dog to be safe and firm when using them in training sessions.

Training sessions with a dog deaf follow the same guidelines as with a hearing dog, but we must be even more careful with the environment where we choose to teach to avoid any accident.Of course, we will apply positive reinforcement to stimulate the intelligence of our furry, rewarding him for every good attitude and achievement during your training.In Animals and Pets Online, we tell you how a training session of a dog should be.

Basic tips to train a deaf dog

If you want to train your dog at home, we invite you to learn about our training tricks that every tutor should know and that are effective both to educate a deaf dog and a listening dog.But then we also offer you some tips to educate a deaf dog correctly:

• Learn to interact with a deaf dog on a day-to-day basis, even if they do not have the ability to listen fully, deaf dogs are very sensitive, so we must be careful and deeply loving when interacting with a deaf dog on a daily basis.We must always approach a deaf dog slowly and head-on., so that the dog can see us and not be scared.It is also important to wake them up carefully, with caresses, and not abruptly or violently.
• Invest in an early education.This advice is valid for all dogs , deaf or listeners.If we begin to educate our hairy from his arrival at home, in his first months of life, we will get results more quickly and efficiently.The puppy dogs have a more flexible character, so they are especially predisposed to training In addition, during their first three or four months of life, dogs establish their notions of behavior and social coexistence, so the ideal is to start training and socializing them from puppies.
• Training a deaf dog requires perseverance and a lot of love: training any dog ​​requires perseverance and commitment, since canine training is a constant and gradual process, where each exercise must be properly absorbed, memorized and Executed to perfection.Education of a deaf dog also requires a lot of love and dedication, as tutors should also have the enthusiasm to expand their knowledge.That is why training your deaf dog at home is an extremely rewarding and enriching experience, since that your best friend will also teach you to improve your communication and learn to interact in another way, using mostly non-verbal language.
• Learn how and when to teach.Basic obedience exercises should be trained daily, in Short sessions lasting 10 to 15 minutes, so as not to overload the dog.In addition, each exercise must be presented and trained individually, until it reaches its perfection.That is, we will work only one signal at a time until our dog manages to fully assimilate this order and reproduce it in conjunction.Each dog will take its own time to learn a new order, and its learning time will also depend on the complexity of the proposed activity.
• Pay attention to the place where you teach.Although your dog cannot hear the noises of people, dogs, cars and other objects, the presence of these elements can distract him.It is best to choose a quiet place where there is not an excess of visual stimuli, aromas or vibrations.It is also highly recommended that a deaf dog go outside always with a vibration collar, which allows to easily capture their attention even at medium distances or big ones.
• Emphasize your facial expressions.While you will use the signs and gestures to communicate directly with a deaf dog, you should not forget that facial expressions s are very important when communicating something to any dog, especially a non-listener.If you want to reward your dog for good behavior in training or routine, learn to emphasize your facial expression, communicating your joy and pride with a wide and true smile, for example.
• Never lose patience or judge a deaf dog.A deaf dog will need to have the patience and dedication of his tutors throughout his entire life.If at any time you think that your deaf dog is limited because he can't hear, remember that this same dog is able to perceive unnoticed aromas and vibrations, so his senses are neither better nor worse than yours, They are simply different and very special.And if you feel you do not have the patience or time to educate a deaf dog, be honest with yourself and your dog, and simply look for a professional canine trainer or educator who can help you.

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