Here is my article on Training Deaf Dogs.
They can be slightly harder to train because one of their main senses are gone- luckily dogs rely heavily on visual body language for communication. There is a lot we can do to help deaf dogs lead happier, more fulfilled lives.❤️🐺❤️
For working with deaf dogs I use train hand signals. These can be the basic dog obedience hand signals, hand signals specifically for deaf people, or you can make up your own. Just be consistent with whatever you choose for your dog. Dogs learn by watching body language, and pick up hand signals quickly.
I highly recommend using all the dogs daily meals as rewards in training.
Hand feeding gives “ value” to the human from the dogs point of view, instead of giving “value “ to the dog bowl. It helps the dog focus on the handler instead of being distracted. Hand feeding also lessens the chance of resource guarding, as there is no longer a bowl to guard. Controlling the dogs highest value resource gives us a huge training advantage.
Never touch a sleeping dog, this can add to or cause fear aggression. I’ve found the best way to wake a sleeping deaf dog it to hold a piece of food near their nose.
I train with and recommend the PG-300 Pager Only Vibration e collar for deaf dogs - which has 100 levels of vibration. I only use this model because most vibration e collars on the market have just a single level vibration which can be very aversive for some dogs. Having 100 levels allows the lower levels to be very subtle, and it will bridge the gap between human and canine communication easily.
When conditioning the dog to the vibration e collar,I work in a quiet outside area without distractions . Dirt or pavement is preferable, over grass or areas with brush - as the dog will be more distracted by the smells in these.
To find the dogs perception level - which is the lowest level on the vibration e collar that the dog can feel- I start on a level 1 (out of 100) . Many dogs can feel and respond to the vibration on a level 1. Some people prefer to use only that lowest vibration, which is fine if that is what you are comfortable with. I evaluate each dog as an individual, and feel some need higher levels of vibration. In that case I would slowly turn the level of vibration up. I am looking for the most subtle vibration the dog feels- it may be a puzzled look on the dogs face, a head cock, or an ear twitch as if a fly landed on it.
I set my vibration e collar on M/C, and use only the red button.
I keep my finger OVER the continuous (red) button - so I can give just a quick tap (nick) or I can lengthen the duration of that vibration by using the same button at any given time I feel appropriate.
Once finding the dogs perception level ( when the dog first acknowledged the vibration) I will start with the dog on 20’ longline. I allow the dog to move away from me just a few feet then tug on a long line, give one tap on the vibration e collar , hand signal and guide them with the long line to me. If the dog starts to veer off I repeat by tugging on the leash, a tap on the e collar, and a hand signal. Repeat till they reach me.
I reward with praise when they reach me, depending on the dog I may use a food reward as well. Repeat multiple times, gradually making the long line longer, and fazing out the tug from the line, till the dog is coming right in directly to me by just using the e collar and hand signal. Lots of praise/food reward when they reach me.
Some dogs will do better with continuous pressure (vibration) until they reach you, then release the pressure (vibration) and praise /reward them. I still use hand signal cues, and a long line to help guide the dog.
Note: the vibration levels may bounce around a bit during this conditioning phase, this is normal. Once the dog fully understands the e collar the numbers will be much more consistent.
If the dogs owner is unsure of how to read dog body language, timing with the e collar, or use of the e collar I recommend finding a good balanced trainer who is familiar with deaf dogs to properly condition the dog, then teach the owner how to use the collar responsibility.
All commands are taught by leash pressure, and luring into position with food or toys. Add hand signals when the dog understands the command.
Once learned, the vibration e collar is then layered over the commands by getting the dogs attention first with a very subtle nick so the handler can give the dog a visual hand signal ,and as a consequence at a higher nick if needed after to reinforce the command. I tell people to think of an e collar as an invisible leash, any time you would use your leash- use the vibration e collar and hand signals instead.
Once well conditioned to the e collar start doing off leash training in a safe, enclosed location . Add harder distractions, always set the dog up to win. Because a distraction like a squirrel may be higher value to a dog than the consequence of even the highest level on the vibration e collar, I recommend always having a long line on the dog unless it is in a safe enclosure.
For training a reward word like“YES”, or “GOOD” I would look for eye contact from the dog, then give the sign language cues, and reinforce them with food rewards.
For training “NO” I would have the dog on leash, and use leash pressure as well as spacial pressure ( blocking /pushing the dog with your body) along with the hand signal for NO and move the dog away from an object. Basically, you are “claiming” the object.
For enforcing “NO “ to a dog who has already been properly conditioned to the vibration collar I would give a light tap on the collar to get the dogs attention, and give the hand signal for NO. If the dog continues the behavior I would raise the vibration level as a consequence, use leash pressure at first to help guide the dog so it succeeds. Once the dog stops the undesirable behavior, immediately recall the dog to you- and always praise/reward him for coming when asked. This way you can end is good note after giving a correction.
A release word should be taught so the dog knows the exercise is complete, I use “BREAK”, and I would use the sign language for break- which is the action of taking both hands and snapping a stick in two.
For training the OUT command to a deaf dog I would use one of the techniques described in my article on training OUT, and instead of a verbal cue I would first get the dogs attention with a subtle tap on the( already properly conditioned) PG-300 vibration collar, and give a hand signal for OUT.
You can use the standard example hand signal of OUT used for deaf people, or make up your own. Just be consistent in whatever you choose. Once learned, the vibration collar can be used at higher levels as a consequence for breaking a known command.
Starting out with the dog on a longline will give better results when conditioning a deaf dog through the majority of the exercises above, as you can give them a physical tug along with the higher vibration if needed to enforce the command.
Proof often, and faze out the longline once the dog is consistent .
* I highly recommend putting a bell on your deaf dog, this will help you locate them. ❤️🐺
More information on dog training at my site below, which is open to the public and free of charge. ❤️🐺❤️
https://www.facebook.com/AllBasicsDogTrainingKimChappell/
I train with and recommend the PG-300 Pager Only Vibration e collar for deaf dogs - which has 100 levels of vibration. I only use this model because most vibration e collars on the market have just a single level vibration which can be very aversive for some dogs. Having 100 levels allows the lower levels to be very subtle, and it will bridge the gap between human and canine communication easily.
When conditioning the dog to the vibration e collar,I work in a quiet outside area without distractions . Dirt or pavement is preferable, over grass or areas with brush - as the dog will be more distracted by the smells in these.
To find the dogs perception level - which is the lowest level on the vibration e collar that the dog can feel- I start on a level 1 (out of 100) . Many dogs can feel and respond to the vibration on a level 1. Some people prefer to use only that lowest vibration, which is fine if that is what you are comfortable with. I evaluate each dog as an individual, and feel some need higher levels of vibration. In that case I would slowly turn the level of vibration up. I am looking for the most subtle vibration the dog feels- it may be a puzzled look on the dogs face, a head cock, or an ear twitch as if a fly landed on it.
I set my vibration e collar on M/C, and use only the red button.
I keep my finger OVER the continuous (red) button - so I can give just a quick tap (nick) or I can lengthen the duration of that vibration by using the same button at any given time I feel appropriate.
Once finding the dogs perception level ( when the dog first acknowledged the vibration) I will start with the dog on 20’ longline. I allow the dog to move away from me just a few feet then tug on a long line, give one tap on the vibration e collar , hand signal and guide them with the long line to me. If the dog starts to veer off I repeat by tugging on the leash, a tap on the e collar, and a hand signal. Repeat till they reach me.
I reward with praise when they reach me, depending on the dog I may use a food reward as well. Repeat multiple times, gradually making the long line longer, and fazing out the tug from the line, till the dog is coming right in directly to me by just using the e collar and hand signal. Lots of praise/food reward when they reach me.
Some dogs will do better with continuous pressure (vibration) until they reach you, then release the pressure (vibration) and praise /reward them. I still use hand signal cues, and a long line to help guide the dog.
Note: the vibration levels may bounce around a bit during this conditioning phase, this is normal. Once the dog fully understands the e collar the numbers will be much more consistent.
If the dogs owner is unsure of how to read dog body language, timing with the e collar, or use of the e collar I recommend finding a good balanced trainer who is familiar with deaf dogs to properly condition the dog, then teach the owner how to use the collar responsibility.
All commands are taught by leash pressure, and luring into position with food or toys. Add hand signals when the dog understands the command.
Once learned, the vibration e collar is then layered over the commands by getting the dogs attention first with a very subtle nick so the handler can give the dog a visual hand signal ,and as a consequence at a higher nick if needed after to reinforce the command. I tell people to think of an e collar as an invisible leash, any time you would use your leash- use the vibration e collar and hand signals instead.
Once well conditioned to the e collar start doing off leash training in a safe, enclosed location . Add harder distractions, always set the dog up to win. Because a distraction like a squirrel may be higher value to a dog than the consequence of even the highest level on the vibration e collar, I recommend always having a long line on the dog unless it is in a safe enclosure.
For training a reward word like“YES”, or “GOOD” I would look for eye contact from the dog, then give the sign language cues, and reinforce them with food rewards.
For training “NO” I would have the dog on leash, and use leash pressure as well as spacial pressure ( blocking /pushing the dog with your body) along with the hand signal for NO and move the dog away from an object. Basically, you are “claiming” the object.
For enforcing “NO “ to a dog who has already been properly conditioned to the vibration collar I would give a light tap on the collar to get the dogs attention, and give the hand signal for NO. If the dog continues the behavior I would raise the vibration level as a consequence, use leash pressure at first to help guide the dog so it succeeds. Once the dog stops the undesirable behavior, immediately recall the dog to you- and always praise/reward him for coming when asked. This way you can end is good note after giving a correction.
A release word should be taught so the dog knows the exercise is complete, I use “BREAK”, and I would use the sign language for break- which is the action of taking both hands and snapping a stick in two.
For training the OUT command to a deaf dog I would use one of the techniques described in my article on training OUT, and instead of a verbal cue I would first get the dogs attention with a subtle tap on the( already properly conditioned) PG-300 vibration collar, and give a hand signal for OUT.
You can use the standard example hand signal of OUT used for deaf people, or make up your own. Just be consistent in whatever you choose. Once learned, the vibration collar can be used at higher levels as a consequence for breaking a known command.
Starting out with the dog on a longline will give better results when conditioning a deaf dog through the majority of the exercises above, as you can give them a physical tug along with the higher vibration if needed to enforce the command.
Proof often, and faze out the longline once the dog is consistent .
* I highly recommend putting a bell on your deaf dog, this will help you locate them. ❤️🐺
More information on dog training at my site below, which is open to the public and free of charge. ❤️🐺❤️
https://www.facebook.com/AllBasicsDogTrainingKimChappell/
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