New Dogs Learn as well as Hearing Dogs do - Deaf Dogs Rock
When it comes to training deaf dogs, they can learn just like hearing dogs with just a slight tweak in the training program. With a hearing dog a person training a hearing dog would use verbal commands and a person training a deaf dog would use hand signs for visual cues. Many trainers of hearing and deaf dogs combine the verbal with facial expressions along with the visual hand signals so that both hearing and deaf dogs will perform with hand signs.
Below are a series of tips I’ve picked up during my last two years of training my two deaf boxers Nitro and Bud. I hope these tips help our readers discover how easy and enjoyable training deaf dogs can be.
Happy training! ~ Christina Lee – Deaf Dogs Rock
Avoid surprising a deaf dog until you have the chance to work on desensitizing the dog with your touch. Deaf dogs can’t hear a person approaching from behind so it is very important to touch them gently and often. To wake a deaf dog lightly blow on their face or touch the dog on the back leg or shoulder. I always wake up Nitro and Bud every morning and we have our morning ritual of me touching and rubbing them all over while they wake up and stretch. A gentle stroke to the dog’s head will not be taken as threatening, your hands will be safe, and your dog will come to recognize your touch as a welcome ritual. I touch both of my deaf dogs all the time when they are sleeping to try to desensitize them to being woken up so they don’t usually startle. I also spend time massaging each of them and gently rubbing the insides of their ears, rubbing their paws, and legs so they get used to being touched all over. In our AKC Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog Training programs we work on touching our deaf dogs but we also invite the instructors and other people to practice touching our dogs as well.
Training has to be a priority if you are going to adopt a deaf dog. Training any dog takes time and patience but I think you will find with a deaf dog they learn very fast because they have no sound distractions. Also when a deaf dog finally figures out what you are asking the dog to do, you can actually see the excitement in their eyes and facial expression. The first step in training a deaf dog is to get on a dedicated training schedule hopefully at a dog training center so you’re deaf dog gets the socialization he/she needs for building a strong foundation.
The second step in training a deaf dog is getting them to look at you often. When they get a command they watch for your facial expressions to see if you have a happy look on your face. You will find when you train a deaf dog the best course of action is positive reinforcement dog training using a high value treat. The second course of action is lots of praise like smiling, a thumbs up signal and I even clap and act happy when my deaf dog Nitro gets a new command. I always make sure he is hungry so never feed your deaf dog before a training session. What I mean by a high value treat is a treat that is viewed as currency by your dog. I usually cut up turkey meatballs, hot dogs or sliced light bologna.
Hand signals based on American Sign Language (ASL) work very well, or you can make up the basic signals like sit, come and stay. I use a little of both so many of us deaf dog owners call our signs Deaf Dog Sign Language or DDSL. If you have more then just your deaf dog at home (I have five), you will be surprised how fast your hearing dogs will pick up on the DDSL hand signals when there is a high value treat involved. Nitro knows about 40 to 50 signs now (he took tricks and agility classes also) and he is only two years old. If you want to use ASL for signing be sure to check out aslpro.com or signsavvy.com to learn the different hand signs for commands. An advantage to using ASL sign is if the dog you are teaching is in a shelter and up for adoption it helps the new family to be able to have a consistent easy sign language they can look up on-line. Also I can’t count the times a deaf person has come up to Nitro and asked him for a “sit” in ASL and he immediately sits down. He is such a good boy!
When I give either of my deaf dogs Nitro or Bud a sign command and they follow through and do the command I then give them an open flash of my hand (just like in clicker training but instead of a the sound of a clicker, the dogs see a visual sign). What I am trying to do when I do and open flash of my hand is to mark the correct behavior the very second the dog does the correct command and then immediately treat the dog. What this does is let the deaf dog know after just a couple of times that he/she is doing the correct action to the sign request. I used to do a five finger flash but now I do a three finger flash so I can still hold a treat in between my thumb and index finger. To signal “Good dog,” after the flash I use a “thumbs up” sign when he is going in the right direction. I make sure I smile with a big smile and sometimes I will give him the “good job” sign which is bringing my hand out from my chin.
The “thumbs up” sign can be done immediately with any free hand and even across the room as long as your dog is looking directly at you. So to summarize what I just went over. I ask my dog for the command, he gives me the right command, I then flash to mark the correct behavior, treat the dog.
Teach your dog focus. Always make sure to teach your dog to focus on you as the dog’s owner and constantly “check in” with you every few seconds. You can teach your dog the “watch me” sign by holding the treat up by your eyes or nose and say “watch me” by pointing to your eyes. Deaf dogs are visually oriented, so use visual cues and body language. My deaf dogs Nitro and Bud had huge advantages in their levels obedience classes because while the other dogs were barking and being disruptive, my two deaf dogs were totally focused on me in most of my classes. Nitro for example went through puppy class all the way to level 4 in six weeks and he is 100% deaf!
Trust is everything to a deaf dog. Both of my deaf dogs know no matter what happens I always have theirs backs. For this reason, in my opinion, you must never ever strike your deaf dog for any reason but instead redirect him. For example if your deaf dog is chewing on your shoes (I have lost 3 pairs this month), you would give your dog the “no” sign and then give the dog a chew toy with a “thumbs up” sign. When your deaf dog is truly bonded with you, he will always come to you if he is worried or frightened. My deaf dog Bud is a free spirit at the local dog park but Nitro shadows me everywhere. He will play with another dog as long as I am there to protect him if there is trouble but the minute I walk away, he stops playing and follows me where ever I go.
Make dog training part of every activity you do throughout your day. My first few weeks with each one of my deaf dogs Nitro and Bud I had them attached to my belt by a leash. They both literally became my shadow. I use this time as an opportunity to sign to them, point and treat. By the end of the week they know about 20 signs right off the bat. Now they both move from room to room with me when I am in the house. Deaf dogs have a good chance of having separation anxiety issues so they tend to follow their owners from room to room. Both of my deaf boxers follow me from room to room which is good because with them both being young male boxers they tend to get into stuff so by them following me everywhere they are never left unsupervised. If your deaf dog is being good and just hanging out on the floor watching you then give him a treat with a thumbs up for being a “good dog”. By being consistent and doing these training tips often, you will be amazed at the transformation from an unruly young dog to a dog with good canine manners who actually pays attention to your commands.
Deaf dogs can be great with children. My dog Nitro absolutely loves children and he is trained to lay all the way down when he meets a child or another dog. Since children can be unpredictable, raising a deaf dog in a household with children can take extra training not just for the dog but also for the children. On the other hand my deaf dog Bud who just turned one is nervous around kids and so we have to go a little slower with introductions with him.
Children must be taught to respect the dog’s space and not to disrupt the deaf dog when he is sleeping. Also playing tag with a deaf dog is a big mistake. You never want a deaf dog running from you while playing because if the deaf dog gets loose he will run from you thinking it is play time. You don’t want a deaf dog chasing children and grabbing onto them in play so it is important to show the children how to take two toys (throw one and when the dog comes back to them throw the other toy which makes him drop the first and go after the second) and teach the dog to fetch so he is running after the toy and not the kids.
Deaf dogs can’t hear an adult or child cry out in pain when a puppy bites down to hard so it is important to work on bite inhibition. I have taught Nitro the “no bite” signal with a “no” sign and then my right hand makes a biting motion to my left hand. When a deaf dog bites, you should give the “no bite” sign, make a very sad facial expression and make sure all play abruptly stops by walking away. Repeat, repeat, repeat. This also includes playing with other dogs, children and adults. As soon as the dog learns when he/she bites down to hard, all play stops, then they learn very fast not to bite down hard. I have also taught my deaf dog the “gentle” sign by softly stroking the top of my hand with my other hand and mouthing the word “gentle”.
Give a deaf dog his own personal and safe space. Be sure to have an area where the deaf dog can have his very own space. For my deaf dogs Nitro and Bud they both have big crates half covered up with blankets so their safe haven is like a den inside. This is a safe place they each can go inside and get their time to relax and take a nap. We have crate trained both dogs and give them their “treat time” in their crates so their crates are a positive place to go. Also if you are getting a deaf puppy or a rambunctious older deaf dog, think about putting up doggy gates in your living-family room. By having dog gates up, you can monitor your dog from “counter or shoe surfing” and getting into things they are not supposed to get in to. Also never punish a deaf dog by putting him into his crate. The crate must always be a positive place to go. If you need a “time out” place then choose one and stick to it (some folks use a hallway or outside in the back yard).
Having a fenced yard is a must when owning a deaf dog unless you have a small lap dog who is happy just taking a walk a couple of times a day. You must always walk a deaf dog on a leash. If you decide you want a deaf dog who can be off leash, (many compete in agility, rally, flyball and disc competitions) then it would be a good idea to train your dog on recall with a vibration collar.
Hearing dogs can be your deaf dog’s “partner”. My three hearing dogs are great partners for my two deaf dogs. Deaf dogs often take “cues” from the hearing dogs around them. When my deaf dogs Nitro and Bud notice the other dogs in our family running to the fence to bark, they will always join in with them. Also my hearing dogs have been trained to come whenever I call them so when they come running to me, Nitro and Bud are always right behind them. You should be working on your recall with all your dogs but especially your deaf dogs. The commands of “come” and “stay” are very important and both of those commands could potentially save your deaf and hearing dog’s life one day. You can use a flashlight to call your deaf dog after dark or flash your porch lights on and off. I have taught all my dogs the “treat” sign. If I stand under the light and flash them the sign for “treat” it is like a flash mob of all five of my dogs rushing to the back door to greet me.
I hope these tips help you in your road to building a great foundation for your deaf dog. If you have problems or concerns be sure to talk with all the deaf dog owners on our Deaf Dogs Rock Facebookpage.
Below are a series of tips I’ve picked up during my last two years of training my two deaf boxers Nitro and Bud. I hope these tips help our readers discover how easy and enjoyable training deaf dogs can be.
Happy training! ~ Christina Lee – Deaf Dogs Rock
Avoid surprising a deaf dog until you have the chance to work on desensitizing the dog with your touch. Deaf dogs can’t hear a person approaching from behind so it is very important to touch them gently and often. To wake a deaf dog lightly blow on their face or touch the dog on the back leg or shoulder. I always wake up Nitro and Bud every morning and we have our morning ritual of me touching and rubbing them all over while they wake up and stretch. A gentle stroke to the dog’s head will not be taken as threatening, your hands will be safe, and your dog will come to recognize your touch as a welcome ritual. I touch both of my deaf dogs all the time when they are sleeping to try to desensitize them to being woken up so they don’t usually startle. I also spend time massaging each of them and gently rubbing the insides of their ears, rubbing their paws, and legs so they get used to being touched all over. In our AKC Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog Training programs we work on touching our deaf dogs but we also invite the instructors and other people to practice touching our dogs as well.
Training has to be a priority if you are going to adopt a deaf dog. Training any dog takes time and patience but I think you will find with a deaf dog they learn very fast because they have no sound distractions. Also when a deaf dog finally figures out what you are asking the dog to do, you can actually see the excitement in their eyes and facial expression. The first step in training a deaf dog is to get on a dedicated training schedule hopefully at a dog training center so you’re deaf dog gets the socialization he/she needs for building a strong foundation.
The second step in training a deaf dog is getting them to look at you often. When they get a command they watch for your facial expressions to see if you have a happy look on your face. You will find when you train a deaf dog the best course of action is positive reinforcement dog training using a high value treat. The second course of action is lots of praise like smiling, a thumbs up signal and I even clap and act happy when my deaf dog Nitro gets a new command. I always make sure he is hungry so never feed your deaf dog before a training session. What I mean by a high value treat is a treat that is viewed as currency by your dog. I usually cut up turkey meatballs, hot dogs or sliced light bologna.
Hand signals based on American Sign Language (ASL) work very well, or you can make up the basic signals like sit, come and stay. I use a little of both so many of us deaf dog owners call our signs Deaf Dog Sign Language or DDSL. If you have more then just your deaf dog at home (I have five), you will be surprised how fast your hearing dogs will pick up on the DDSL hand signals when there is a high value treat involved. Nitro knows about 40 to 50 signs now (he took tricks and agility classes also) and he is only two years old. If you want to use ASL for signing be sure to check out aslpro.com or signsavvy.com to learn the different hand signs for commands. An advantage to using ASL sign is if the dog you are teaching is in a shelter and up for adoption it helps the new family to be able to have a consistent easy sign language they can look up on-line. Also I can’t count the times a deaf person has come up to Nitro and asked him for a “sit” in ASL and he immediately sits down. He is such a good boy!
When I give either of my deaf dogs Nitro or Bud a sign command and they follow through and do the command I then give them an open flash of my hand (just like in clicker training but instead of a the sound of a clicker, the dogs see a visual sign). What I am trying to do when I do and open flash of my hand is to mark the correct behavior the very second the dog does the correct command and then immediately treat the dog. What this does is let the deaf dog know after just a couple of times that he/she is doing the correct action to the sign request. I used to do a five finger flash but now I do a three finger flash so I can still hold a treat in between my thumb and index finger. To signal “Good dog,” after the flash I use a “thumbs up” sign when he is going in the right direction. I make sure I smile with a big smile and sometimes I will give him the “good job” sign which is bringing my hand out from my chin.
The “thumbs up” sign can be done immediately with any free hand and even across the room as long as your dog is looking directly at you. So to summarize what I just went over. I ask my dog for the command, he gives me the right command, I then flash to mark the correct behavior, treat the dog.
Teach your dog focus. Always make sure to teach your dog to focus on you as the dog’s owner and constantly “check in” with you every few seconds. You can teach your dog the “watch me” sign by holding the treat up by your eyes or nose and say “watch me” by pointing to your eyes. Deaf dogs are visually oriented, so use visual cues and body language. My deaf dogs Nitro and Bud had huge advantages in their levels obedience classes because while the other dogs were barking and being disruptive, my two deaf dogs were totally focused on me in most of my classes. Nitro for example went through puppy class all the way to level 4 in six weeks and he is 100% deaf!
Trust is everything to a deaf dog. Both of my deaf dogs know no matter what happens I always have theirs backs. For this reason, in my opinion, you must never ever strike your deaf dog for any reason but instead redirect him. For example if your deaf dog is chewing on your shoes (I have lost 3 pairs this month), you would give your dog the “no” sign and then give the dog a chew toy with a “thumbs up” sign. When your deaf dog is truly bonded with you, he will always come to you if he is worried or frightened. My deaf dog Bud is a free spirit at the local dog park but Nitro shadows me everywhere. He will play with another dog as long as I am there to protect him if there is trouble but the minute I walk away, he stops playing and follows me where ever I go.
Make dog training part of every activity you do throughout your day. My first few weeks with each one of my deaf dogs Nitro and Bud I had them attached to my belt by a leash. They both literally became my shadow. I use this time as an opportunity to sign to them, point and treat. By the end of the week they know about 20 signs right off the bat. Now they both move from room to room with me when I am in the house. Deaf dogs have a good chance of having separation anxiety issues so they tend to follow their owners from room to room. Both of my deaf boxers follow me from room to room which is good because with them both being young male boxers they tend to get into stuff so by them following me everywhere they are never left unsupervised. If your deaf dog is being good and just hanging out on the floor watching you then give him a treat with a thumbs up for being a “good dog”. By being consistent and doing these training tips often, you will be amazed at the transformation from an unruly young dog to a dog with good canine manners who actually pays attention to your commands.
Deaf dogs can be great with children. My dog Nitro absolutely loves children and he is trained to lay all the way down when he meets a child or another dog. Since children can be unpredictable, raising a deaf dog in a household with children can take extra training not just for the dog but also for the children. On the other hand my deaf dog Bud who just turned one is nervous around kids and so we have to go a little slower with introductions with him.
Children must be taught to respect the dog’s space and not to disrupt the deaf dog when he is sleeping. Also playing tag with a deaf dog is a big mistake. You never want a deaf dog running from you while playing because if the deaf dog gets loose he will run from you thinking it is play time. You don’t want a deaf dog chasing children and grabbing onto them in play so it is important to show the children how to take two toys (throw one and when the dog comes back to them throw the other toy which makes him drop the first and go after the second) and teach the dog to fetch so he is running after the toy and not the kids.
Deaf dogs can’t hear an adult or child cry out in pain when a puppy bites down to hard so it is important to work on bite inhibition. I have taught Nitro the “no bite” signal with a “no” sign and then my right hand makes a biting motion to my left hand. When a deaf dog bites, you should give the “no bite” sign, make a very sad facial expression and make sure all play abruptly stops by walking away. Repeat, repeat, repeat. This also includes playing with other dogs, children and adults. As soon as the dog learns when he/she bites down to hard, all play stops, then they learn very fast not to bite down hard. I have also taught my deaf dog the “gentle” sign by softly stroking the top of my hand with my other hand and mouthing the word “gentle”.
Give a deaf dog his own personal and safe space. Be sure to have an area where the deaf dog can have his very own space. For my deaf dogs Nitro and Bud they both have big crates half covered up with blankets so their safe haven is like a den inside. This is a safe place they each can go inside and get their time to relax and take a nap. We have crate trained both dogs and give them their “treat time” in their crates so their crates are a positive place to go. Also if you are getting a deaf puppy or a rambunctious older deaf dog, think about putting up doggy gates in your living-family room. By having dog gates up, you can monitor your dog from “counter or shoe surfing” and getting into things they are not supposed to get in to. Also never punish a deaf dog by putting him into his crate. The crate must always be a positive place to go. If you need a “time out” place then choose one and stick to it (some folks use a hallway or outside in the back yard).
Having a fenced yard is a must when owning a deaf dog unless you have a small lap dog who is happy just taking a walk a couple of times a day. You must always walk a deaf dog on a leash. If you decide you want a deaf dog who can be off leash, (many compete in agility, rally, flyball and disc competitions) then it would be a good idea to train your dog on recall with a vibration collar.
Hearing dogs can be your deaf dog’s “partner”. My three hearing dogs are great partners for my two deaf dogs. Deaf dogs often take “cues” from the hearing dogs around them. When my deaf dogs Nitro and Bud notice the other dogs in our family running to the fence to bark, they will always join in with them. Also my hearing dogs have been trained to come whenever I call them so when they come running to me, Nitro and Bud are always right behind them. You should be working on your recall with all your dogs but especially your deaf dogs. The commands of “come” and “stay” are very important and both of those commands could potentially save your deaf and hearing dog’s life one day. You can use a flashlight to call your deaf dog after dark or flash your porch lights on and off. I have taught all my dogs the “treat” sign. If I stand under the light and flash them the sign for “treat” it is like a flash mob of all five of my dogs rushing to the back door to greet me.
I hope these tips help you in your road to building a great foundation for your deaf dog. If you have problems or concerns be sure to talk with all the deaf dog owners on our Deaf Dogs Rock Facebookpage.