Just as life with a blind dog can be a unique circumstance, life with a deaf dog can also be a new experience for many owners, in fact, under certain circumstances people do not even realize they have a deaf puppy or that their dog has lost his hearing blaming their behaviour on simple disobedience. Hearing loss is something which can and should be tested by your vet and is another reason why regular vet visits are necessary in maintaining your dog’s health.

So, what should you know about deaf dogs? Deaf dogs are not different from any other dog’s in temperament, they judge by vibrations in the flooring rather than sound and they can be taught with hand signals or vibrations from a vibrating collar. Training deaf dogs is similar to training blind dogs – you need to be resourceful in how you teach but understand that just because your dog cannot hear you does not mean he is not capable of learning. Deaf dog owners often stamp or clap their hands or even flash lights to get their deaf dog’s attention and some prefer to utilize the vibrating collar, but simply put, a deaf dog can be an obedient dog when you take the time to find alternative methods of training. Training a deaf dog should always begin with teaching your dog to visually connect with you frequently for cues on his behaviour, this is done like any other behaviour – with plenty of praise and treats help too! You can also utilize American Sign Language to teach your deaf dog commands!

One thing you should keep in mind, much like owners of blind dogs, is that your deaf dog may be more easily startled than a hearing dog IF you make an effort not to make vibrations as you move which is pretty difficult to do but not impossible. It is courtesy to make some noise as you approach your deaf dog so that he knows you are approaching – look at it as though you are wearing headphones and someone sneaks up on you rather than announcing their presence…it’s unpleasant to be startled.

Certain dogs are more likely to be deaf than others; however, that does not mean that you should avoid these dogs because deaf dogs make great pets too! By rule of thumb elderly dogs are generally more hard of hearing as are all white dogs with blue eyes such as some American Bulldogs as skin pigmentation and deafness hold a genetic link.

If you suspect that your puppy or your elderly dog is losing his hearing take him to your vet for testing so that you can tailor your training and life to him!

Cold Tail AKA Limber tail syndrome is something many dog owners know nothing about until they notice it in their own dog. Due to the nature of cold tail it is most often seen in hunting dogs and not all vets may be familiar with it; however, it does not exclusively occur in hunting dogs and can be seen in pets and various breeds.

So what is cold tail? Cold tail is characterized by a dog’s tail hanging limply from their back end, the tail does not hang directly down, however, it sticks out horizontally from your dog’s back end a few inches and then drops directly down. Your dog will not be able to lift his tail when he has cold tail, while it is not serious, cold tail can be extremely sensitive and you may notice your dog showing symptoms of discomfort. Cold tail resolves itself within a few days to a few weeks and there is little to nothing that can be done to improve it although some people believe that warm wraps at the base of the tail can help.

What causes cold tail? No one really knows what causes cold tail; however, some people believe it is related to over exhertion, damage to the tail due to excessive wagging or hitting it against something when being wagged, cold water or even nutrition. I can tell you that Jet’s “fur-uncle” got cold tail from jumping in to a swimming pool when the water was too cold, it happened almost immediately when he got out of the water and resolved itself in a few days.

Newspapers: If you have to go to the bathroom while playing in the front yard, always use the newspaper that’s placed in the driveway every morning for that purpose.

Visitors: Quickly determine which guest is afraid of dogs. Charge across the room, barking loudly and leap playfully on this person. If the human falls down on the floor and starts crying, lick its face and growl gently to show your concern.

Barking: Because you are a dog, you are expected to bark. So bark–a lot. Your owners will be very happy to hear you protecting their house. Especially late at night while they are sleeping safely in their beds. There is no more secure feeling for a human than to keep waking up in the middle of the night and hearing your protective bark, bark, bark…

Licking: Always take a big drink from your water dish immediately before licking your human. Humans prefer clean tongues. Be ready to fetch your human a towel.

Holes: Rather than digging a big hole in the middle of the yard and upsetting your human, dig a lot of smaller holes all over the yard so they won’t notice. If you arrange a little pile of dirt on one side of each hole, maybe they’ll think it’s gophers. There are never enough holes in the ground. Strive daily to do your part to help correct this problem.

Doors: The area directly in front of a door is always reserved for the family dog to sleep.

The Art of Sniffing: Humans like to be sniffed. Everywhere. It is your duty, as the family dog, to accommodate them.

Dining Etiquette: Always sit under the table at dinner, especially when there are guests, so you can clean up any food that falls on the floor. It’s also a good time to practice your sniffing.

Housebreaking: Housebreaking is very important to humans, so break as much of the house as possible.

Going for Walks: Rules of the road: When out for a walk with your master or mistress, never go to the bathroom on your own lawn.

Couches: It is perfectly permissible to lie on the new couch after all your humans have gone to bed.

Playing: If you lose your footing while chasing a ball or stick, use the flower bed to absorb your fall so you don’t injure yourself.

Chasing Cats: When chasing cats, make sure you never–quite–catch them. It spoils all the fun.

Chewing: Make a contribution to the fashion industry. …Eat a shoe.