It is Deaf Dog Awareness Week, so we want to bring to light some facts and myths about deaf pets.
Deafness in animals can be
inherited from birth, acquired through trauma, stem from drug reactions, or come
on with age. Deafness is more common in white animals, but any animal can be
deaf. Some breeds, such as Dalmatians and Boxers, are more prone to deafness
than others. Thirty percent of all Dalmatians born are either deaf in one ear,
or deaf in both ears. Some deaf animals also have albinism, meaning that they
lack normal melanin pigment in their eyes, nose, or skin, although not every
albino animal is deaf.
Deaf pets are just as intelligent
as hearing pets. They make great pets and do well with other animals in the
home. it's a myth that a deaf pet "needs" a hearing companion to
function successfully. Deaf animals bark, meow, and make all the regular sounds
their hearing counterparts make. They can be taught sign language commands and
are fully trainable. The only real caveat in adopting a deaf pet is that it
should never be allowed to roam freely outdoors unless it is in a securely
fenced enclosure, since they cannot hear cars or other dangers approaching.
Speaking of myths… Here are some other myths about deaf
dogs.
Myth: Since they cannot hear, deaf dogs are easily
startled when someone wakes them, touches them when they are not looking at you,
or even walks up behind them. Over time, deaf dogs develop fearful, aggressive
personalities. They will bite when startled, or attack for no reason.
You could say that no other myth has caused more
damage than this one. It seems to make sense, and therefore it is seldom
questioned. This myth assumes that "being startled" is a permanent
condition, and that he will always respond by becoming fearful and aggressive.
The truth is that deaf dogs adapt to their hearing
loss, and become comfortable with their surroundings. A hearing dog can be
startled by a loud noise, just as a deaf dog can be startled by an unexpected
touch. Owners of deaf dogs report that their dogs' responses to being touched
unexpectedly range from a "YIKES" response, where the dog may jump,
to a "huh?" response, where the dog simply turns and looks. Some may
be briefly disoriented when awakened, but few become aggressive or bite in
response.
You can help teach your dog to be desensitized to
the startle of being touched unexpectedly or awakened from sleep. One suggestion
would be by first walking up behind the dog when he isn't looking; touch the
dog, then immediately pop a treat in the dog's mouth when he turns around. The
dog quickly associates good things with being touched unexpectedly, and learns
to respond happily. Not all deaf dogs require this type of training, but it is
helpful for the more sensitive ones.
Another suggestion would be to start slowly by
first placing your hand in front of the sleeping dog's nose, allowing him to
smell that you are near. Next lightly touch the dog and begin to gently stroke
the dog with two fingertips, then with your entire hand. Most deaf dogs will wake
up during some part of this exercise. When they open their eyes, their owner's
smiling face and perhaps even a treat rewards them. In a matter of weeks, the
dog becomes accustomed to waking up when the owner places a hand in front of
his nose, or lightly touching him. Waking up becomes a gentle, positive
experience.
Myth: Deaf dogs should never be
placed in homes with children. They will startle and bite, they will become
aggressive, and they will be hard to train.
The truth is, if a deaf dog is well socialized to
children, it is as safe to have in a home with children as any other dog. What
is more important is the dog's history, its personality and any breed
characteristics that affect how the dog reacts to children. The right deaf dog
in a home with children can teach the children a lot about dealing with someone
who doesn't have the same abilities that they do.
This applies for hearing and deaf dogs. If you are
considering getting a dog and you know children will be a part of the dog's
life, then do the research and find the best match for your situation.
- Size
- Breed characteristics
- Level of activity
- Trainability
- Coat type
- Temperament
- Personality
Myth: Because a deaf dog cannot hear an approaching car, a honking
horn, or his owner's verbal command, he is more likely to be hit by a car than
a hearing dog.
This myth implies that most dog owners allow their
dogs to roam free, unsupervised, off leash. This may be true for dogs living on
a large piece of property, but it is certainly not true for dogs living in the
city. Most cities have leash laws, which would prohibit dogs roaming off leash.
This myth also implies that the hearing dog has an
advantage because it can hear the approaching car, and easily move out of its
way. However, dogs are not born knowing that the sound of an approaching car,
or a honking horn, will lead to pain and possible death. Therefore, just
because the hearing dog can see the approaching car & can hear the honking
horn, doesn’t mean they will get out of the cars way. Just as a deaf dog may
see the approaching car, and not be able to hear the honking horn, he may not
get out of the way.
Any dog wandering off leash, in close proximity to
cars, is at risk of being hit. Even the best-trained hearing dog may run into a
car's path if he's focused on something he is after, such as a ball, or another
animal. It is a cardinal rule of deaf dog owners to never allow the dog to roam
freely, off leash.
There is still the chance of the occasional
accident. For example, if you drop the
leash on a walk or your dog squeezes through an open door. However, not all
dogs bolt the minute they get a chance. Both deaf and hearing dogs can be
trained to sit and wait before being release to walk through a door.
Myth: A deaf dog is an accident waiting to happen,
because even if your deaf dog is not showing any signs of aggressive behavior
now, he will suddenly become aggressive when he reaches 3 years of age.
It is crazy to believe that your loving family pet
will suddenly become aggressive on their third birthday. The only explanation
for this myth is the fact that all dogs go through an "adolescent period"
which can start as early as five months in small breeds, and last as long as
three years in large breeds. However, a quick look at canine development also
suggests that this theory is inaccurate. Canine adolescence comes with such behaviors
as refusing to do commands they learned previously, accidents in the house,
excessive chewing, and so on. Most dogs are through the worst of their
adolescence by two years of age, but some dogs will remain in this phase for an
additional year. A dog that is three years of age or older, has generally
outgrown most of the annoying habits of the adolescent.
Myth: The deaf dog is incredibly
challenging to raise and train because they cannot respond to verbal commands.
They can be trained to respond to hand signals, but because the dog can only
see the signals if it is looking at you, deaf dogs must be kept under strict
control at all times.
It is wrong to assume that if a deaf dog isn't
looking at his owner, he's inaccessible and out of control. Like humans, many
dogs pick up movement and signals with their peripheral vision. A well trained
deaf dog makes eye contact with their owners on a regular basis, keeping track
of them, and repeatedly checking in, so the deaf dog matures and his training
progresses, getting his attention becomes less and less of an issue.
Dogs are tuned into body language more than you think.
When training any dog, visual signals are more effective than voice commands. A
voice command is a nice additional aid for training, not a mandatory requirement
because people talk, dogs don't. We place importance on our tone of voice and
the words we use when speaking to our dogs. We seldom realize the additional
messages communicated by our bodies, and the way those messages are interpreted
by our dogs. For example, when you tell your dog to sit, do you also do a hand
gesture?
Dogs rarely rely on the spoken word. They use
their bodies to communicate intent, dominance, submission, and a wide variety
of other emotions. Our dogs are always "reading" us, and they place a
higher value on our body language than the words we speak.
Dogs are not born with an inherent understanding
of the words we speak to them on a daily basis. Over time, a hearing dog learns
to associate certain words with events and, eventually, these words become
meaningful to the dog. A deaf dog is just as capable of making these
associations, even if he will be learning these based on visual cues rather
than verbal cues.
The trainer of a deaf dog will have to learn
techniques designed for a visual leaning dog. This is not a difficult task, but
if the trainer cannot make this adjustment, they will fail. This is not the
fault of the deaf dog.
Myth: A few special owners have deaf dogs that are
functioning well, but they are an exception. For every sketchy success story,
there is another one of disaster and heartache.
Many different people find themselves with deaf
dogs. Some of them get the dog and find out after the fact that their dog is
deaf. Some people adopt deaf dogs, even if they haven't had one before. Others
will deliberately look for a deaf dog, either because they have had one before,
or because they want to give the dog a good home. If the only home that a deaf
dog could be placed in was an "experienced" one, none of them would
ever get homes. Experience isn't needed, everyone has to have their
"first". The commitment to the dog is what is most important.
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