Living with Our Deaf Pups

Our deaf animals can be wonderful and loving members of our families if we remember they have some special needs. Adopting them, like any pet, is a real responsibility and commitment.  Below, I have made a simple list that is designed to help us and our special family members and indicates the most important things we need to do.

1. Learn to communicate with them their way.  American Sign Language (ASL) is great inasmuch as it is already invented and allows many others to communicate with our deaf pups.

2. Always let them know when you are nearby.  Like any dog, we need to be cognizant of their need not to be startled.  The expression, "Let a sleeping dog lie," didn't come about because of deaf dogs, but any dog.  Courtesy first!

3. Approach them slowly from the front where they can see you.  It is always best to approach our dogs, whether they hear us or not, in a manner that they know that we are present.

 4. Always be gentle with touch and gesture.  Our love needs to be shown in every way.  Massage is also a great way to establish closeness and trust.

 5. Use only praise, encouraging touch, and positive reinforcement. And lots of it !!  Our pups love to please us and the more wonderful feedback that we give, the happier they are.

 6. Allow them to approach a newcomer first by smelling the person's fist.  Never allow a stranger or anyone to rush in.

 7. Keep them on leashes and close to you when out on walks.

 8. Tether them to you in the house in order to help with initial adjustment, house breaking, bonding, and helping them feel safe.  My deaf pups bonded so closely with me that they were nicknamed Velcro dogs.  There is no better feeling than having a devoted and loving dog by our side. 

 9. Provide outdoor fencing that is secure and essential for their safety.  They can't hear dangers.  However, we need to remember that all pets need to be kept safe; and it's our responsibility to keep them safe.

 10. Work with them in an established and continual training program.  Our pets are adopted members of our families, and daily attention is "a non-negotiable" just as it is for any child or loved one.  Learning is continual throughout their entire lives.

** Love and accept them with their special needs. **

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Tips - Halloween Safety

Simple is best.

Halloween is holiday that can be great fun for our trick-or-treaters but can be the source of stress for our pups.  And, keeping our pets safe is important and actually quite easy if we keep their needs in mind.  The ASPCA makes some simple recommendations for keeping them safe and happy. 

Number 1 on their list is the candy:
Candy is for the human trick-or-treaters and can be toxic to our pets. "Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs, and sugar-free candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause serious problems in pets. If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately."  Candy wrappers are a threat as well, causing stomach upset and even deadly blockages.

Number 2 is the decorations
Keep decorations out of reach.  While things like pumpkins, corn, glow sticks, etc. aren't big threats, they can cause severe stomach upset. 

Number 3 is costumes
I love to dress my pups up for most holidays BUT I watch closely for any indications that they don't like the costume.  We do not want to cause unnecessary stress.  Costumes should never cause risk or infringe on eyesight, breathing, movement, or being able to express themselves with a bark or meow.  Keep it simple.  I use a headband or just a holiday scarf for one of my pups.

Number 3 is safety
I always make sure that I have an identification collar or tag on my pups before the visitors of Halloween arrive.  I even have reflecting collars on them so they are more visible in the darkness.  If they do escape, they can be returned to me more easily.  One of my pups needs to be kept in a completely separate part of the house because the costumes are a bit too overwhelming.  NO STRESS!  NO WORRIES!  Our pups depend on us to provide safety, security, and well being. 

If your dog has any potential to jump up, nip, or bite, PLEASE secure him or her in another room.  We must not only consider the safety of our visitors, but we don't want to encounter the slightest chance of losing our dog in a legal suit.

If you suspect that something is going to create an unsafe or stressful situation, please provide your wonderful and loving pet an alternative.  Remember, too, that our deaf dogs need extra security!

NOTE:  To make comments in this blog, simply click on the title and scroll to the bottom to type your text.  Thank you and God bless!