Deaf Pet Awareness Week starts September 19th this year. Just like people, dogs can be afflicted by partial or complete hearing loss. Fido can still make a wonderful pet, and he’ll still be full of tail wags and happy dances as any other dog. He may just need some extra TLC. A Frisco, TX vet offers some helpful advice on caring for a deaf dog in this article.
Training
Fido is quite intelligent. You may be able to teach your pet to respond to hand commands instead of spoken ones. Teach your pet signals for key commands, such as Sit, Stay, Come, and Lay Down. Another thing that will be helpful? Teaching your furry friend to respond when you wave a flashlight. This can come in very handy at night.
Bells
Your pooch won’t hear you calling for him, so you may want to consider putting a little bell on his collar, to help you track his whereabouts.
Safety
You’ll need to take a few extra precautions when walking your canine companion. Fido won’t be able to hear cars approaching, horns beeping, or other dogs barking. Keep him on a short leash, and make sure he stays to the outside of the road. It’s also best to face oncoming traffic.
Fair Warning
Many deaf dogs share a common pet peeve: they absolutely hate being startled, or woken up unexpectedly. Stomp your foot or clap your hands before you approach your dog, so he knows you’re there. If you have to wake him up, do so by putting a treat under his nose. Breakfast in bed is just as popular with pets as it is with people.
Remaining Hearing
It’s not uncommon for dogs that are hearing impaired to still be able to pick out notes on a very high or low register. Try a dog whistle, and see if your pooch responds. Fido may also react to the sound or vibration of a lower-octave piano key.
Sign Up!
You’ll need to let others know about your furry buddy’s hearing (or lack thereof) before they interact with him. This is also something to give guests a heads-up about in advance. One thing that may help with this is putting a little sign on Fido.
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