How Deaf Dogs Learn

As trainers we often get asked: How does a deaf dog learn if they can't hear? The good news is that regardless if a dog can hear or not they learn the same way as able-hearing dogs do- via hand signals! What we sometimes tend to forget, is that ALL dogs are more keen at observing and understanding visual (body-generated) signals than words. As trainers and guardians of a deaf or hard of hearing dog, you need to come up with a vocabulary of hand signals.

Well what about recall? True, a bit more tricky with a dog that cannot hear you. The trick here is to teach your dog to constantly check in with you (as in when will the next treat be delivered or the ball be tossed). For longer distances there are collars that vibrate via a remote control, signaling your critter that you are calling him. This vibrating collar is NOT a pain generating collar, it just vibrates.

Now come to think of it, you might have a hearing dog with a terrible recall, who never comes to you even though he can hear you! So is there such a difference than teaching a hearing dog? The answer is ... you guessed it, not really!

Here is a video showcasing current ARF dog Ava. Herself and her sister, Norma, are both hearing impaired and, as you can see, learning readily!