My puppy is deaf.....help
- Thread starter AllyPup
- Start date
If it's just one ear it's not going to be as hard as with bilateral (both) deafness.
As far as not knowing her name...you just got her. It takes at least 2 weeks for the initial settling in period, during which time she will learn her name and begin responding to it. I wouldn't worry about that part just yet.
As far as not knowing her name...you just got her. It takes at least 2 weeks for the initial settling in period, during which time she will learn her name and begin responding to it. I wouldn't worry about that part just yet.
Most puppies do 
First, go to the vet if you haven't already to make sure she is really deaf.
Second....She is only deaf in 1 ear. She can hear with the other. This will not impede her training much at all so its not much of a big deal. Just train her as you would train another dog with totally normal hearing.
First, go to the vet if you haven't already to make sure she is really deaf.
Second....She is only deaf in 1 ear. She can hear with the other. This will not impede her training much at all so its not much of a big deal. Just train her as you would train another dog with totally normal hearing.
If she does turn out to be deaf, there are wonderful ways to train a deaf dog. First of all, dogs learn visually better than they do by verbal means. People are often amazed at how their dogs understand their hand signals better than their verbal ones. What is actually amazing is that they do understand our verbal cues at all. LOL. Hands signals and body language is right up their alley. So, all you need to do with a deaf dog is get his attention by a special vibrating color or a light or other vibration source. Once your puppy learns to look at you when he feels the vibration or sees the special light (because looking at you will be extremely rewarding)....then all he has to do is watch your hand siganl. Of course, these things need to be taught just the same as any dog needs to be taught. Classical conditioning training, using a marker, (which in the case of a deaf dog will not be a sound, but will be a light or virbration) which marks the correct behavior, and then a reward follows immediately will be most effective. You'll need to find a book or website which will instruct you.
But don't jump to conclusions. Your puppy may not be deaf at all, but seriously under motivated. If he is lying down, resting and doesn't know you're behind him, and you whistle or speak,(different pitches and volume) does he not flinch an ear? (excluding the possibility of blowing air on him when you whistle) Have you tried different sounds which do not cause vibrations, such as stomping your feet would? But your best bet, if you suspect deafness, is to take your dog for a vet exam. Let us know.
But don't jump to conclusions. Your puppy may not be deaf at all, but seriously under motivated. If he is lying down, resting and doesn't know you're behind him, and you whistle or speak,(different pitches and volume) does he not flinch an ear? (excluding the possibility of blowing air on him when you whistle) Have you tried different sounds which do not cause vibrations, such as stomping your feet would? But your best bet, if you suspect deafness, is to take your dog for a vet exam. Let us know.
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Hi -
Ally needs to first learn some focused attention and you can do that regardless of whether or not she can hear you. It seems that your problem is mostly that she doesn't have any training.
There are steps to explain how to teach focused training at www.kippsdogs.com/tips.html. You can choose not to use the verbal word and just do the training by reinforcing her when she looks at you. If you truly think that she can't hear you, try using a visual marker to mark the correct behavior. I have had really good luck in using a penlight flashlight in place of the marker word. Instead of saying "yes!" you give a brief flash of light to mark the behavior.
For example .. take the penlight (which is one of those little skinny flashlights) and hold it one hand. Use the treats in the other hand instead of both hands (as described in the attention training steps). When she chooses to look up at your face instead of concentrating on the treats or anything else, smile and say "YES" (in case she CAN hear you) but also flash the light briefly with it directed toward her face. Your timing is important - as soon as she glances at your face, do the smile/YES/flash all at once. These mark exactly when she's done what you want. At first she won't understand it, but when she does she will start to associate the flash of light as her praise/reward marker.
I used the penlight on a deaf Aussie once and it was obvious when he "got it". It was like a light bulb went on! *L* Suddenly his ears came forward and he zeroed in on that flashlight - and from that point on, he eagerly watched for his reward marker. In fact, in many ways he developed a better focus than the dogs that only have to listen instead of watch us for cues.
I second that you do need to get your dog tested for hearing if you have thoughts that she can't hear (if you haven't already). But it certainly doesn't mean that she can't learn and respond well even if she IS deaf. It will just take patience and consistency on your part - as all training does.
Good luck!
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
Ally needs to first learn some focused attention and you can do that regardless of whether or not she can hear you. It seems that your problem is mostly that she doesn't have any training.
There are steps to explain how to teach focused training at www.kippsdogs.com/tips.html. You can choose not to use the verbal word and just do the training by reinforcing her when she looks at you. If you truly think that she can't hear you, try using a visual marker to mark the correct behavior. I have had really good luck in using a penlight flashlight in place of the marker word. Instead of saying "yes!" you give a brief flash of light to mark the behavior.
For example .. take the penlight (which is one of those little skinny flashlights) and hold it one hand. Use the treats in the other hand instead of both hands (as described in the attention training steps). When she chooses to look up at your face instead of concentrating on the treats or anything else, smile and say "YES" (in case she CAN hear you) but also flash the light briefly with it directed toward her face. Your timing is important - as soon as she glances at your face, do the smile/YES/flash all at once. These mark exactly when she's done what you want. At first she won't understand it, but when she does she will start to associate the flash of light as her praise/reward marker.
I used the penlight on a deaf Aussie once and it was obvious when he "got it". It was like a light bulb went on! *L* Suddenly his ears came forward and he zeroed in on that flashlight - and from that point on, he eagerly watched for his reward marker. In fact, in many ways he developed a better focus than the dogs that only have to listen instead of watch us for cues.
I second that you do need to get your dog tested for hearing if you have thoughts that she can't hear (if you haven't already). But it certainly doesn't mean that she can't learn and respond well even if she IS deaf. It will just take patience and consistency on your part - as all training does.
Good luck!
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
