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Working with a deaf dog presents us with some
interesting challenges, as human beings, since
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we're so language motivated and vocal, but
it's just an opportunity to think things through
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in a different way. You just need a way to
tell your dog what you want without using
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sound. Of course, gestures are very helpful
and I strongly recommend any kind of training
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that you do with a dog. You, seeing and hearing
dog you always pair with a gesture and a vocal
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command so that they're kind of double trained
against any kind of a future infirmity. But
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with a deaf dog you would just need to be
able to communicate to your dog. You might,
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deaf dogs are on the ground, they can feel
vibration, you might stomp your foot to get
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your dog's attention, which is very effective.
Deaf dogs are more focused on thing's to balance
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out their lack of hearing. You could use a
light, a laser light, which of course you
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be very careful not to shine in your dogs
eyes. A small flashlight would probably be
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much safer, that you would flash when you
get the behavior that you want rather than
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saying good, or using a clicker. So, keeping
in mind that there's no sound, you might stomp
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your foot to get your dogs attention, get
your dog's eye contact, ask your dog to do
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the behavior with a signal, and then you might
say...you might let them know that it's a
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good thing. You can let 'em know with facial
expression, and then give them the treat.
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So again, it's just different challenges.
