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!

Coping with blind dogs can be a stressful experience; however, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences. Regardless of whether your dog has become blind with old age or whether you have made the choice to adopt a dog who is blind there is no doubt about it, owning a blind dog requires special considerations.

The fact of the matter is that blind dogs adjust very quickly to being blind and to navigating their environment. There are things you can do to aid your blind dog in life though and many of these things can be learned from speaking to other owners of blind dogs by joining online communities and speaking to local rescue organizations who may be able to offer resources for owners of special needs dogs.

Some ways you can help your blind dog learn about their environment are:

- Placing mats before steps so your dog can feel the change in flooring and anticipate steps

-Don’t rearrange furniture, rearranging furniture will leave your blind dog having to relearn his way around the house, much like blind people blind dogs learn their environment by cues and distance, rearranging furniture leaves your blind dog with no cues or distance knowledge of the house.

- Socialize your young blind dog, a blind dog can be particularly fearful of his environment and socializing him will lead him to understand that even though he can’t see he is safe and should not be fearful of strangers.

- Keep your dog leashed when outside – Keeping your dog on leash when outdoors is very important for your blind dog, even though your blind dog can smell his way around he is not able to see his way around his environment. Since your dog cannot see his way around the unfamilier environment it is your job to be his eyes.

- Blind dogs sometimes do well with a fur sibling, while this is not always the case some blind dogs do well with another dog in the household to be his eyes as well as to keep him company; however, always keep in mind that dogs are individuals and not all dogs appreciate being a sibling.

- Scent is a very important factor for your blind dog, you can use particular scents to mark doors so your dog can let you know when it’s “potty time”.

- Squeeky toys and scented toys are the best for your blind dog, although keeping your dogs toys in one location (a toybox is best) helps your dog to find any toy he wishes to play with.

- Make noise – when you approach your dog or when other approach your dog make sure that he hears you coming, since your dog can’t see he needs to hear someone approaching. Blind dogs can be easily startled. It is also important that you vocalize throughout your blind dog’s upbringing so he knows that you are there for him.

- Don’t baby your blind dog – the more you baby your blind dog for his disability the more disabled you make him become, teach your dog independence through treating him just like a “normal” dog.

- Teach your dog commands using scent and sound – emphasize the senses that your dog still has instead of focussing on the ones he doesn’t.