TEACHING A “WATCH ME” SIGNAL TO A DEAF DOG This sign can be used as a form of 'clicker training' for a deaf dog and is useful as a basic signal both day to day and when training. You can use this sign whenever your dog performs a desired behaviour and then reward with a treat.When your dog does something positive, make an ‘O’ with your thumb and index finger and make sure they are looking at you, or can see you.Use this to tell the dog that they have done something positive or that you are happy with. TEACHING A “GOOD DOG” SIGNAL TO A DEAF DOG Smiling and speaking as you sign, particularly when praising, can help the dog, as they will pick up on your facial expressions and positive body language. As with any training it is important to remember that the training should be fun and rewarding for both of you! It may seem unnecessary to speak when training a deaf dog, but it can actually help the process. You may need to exaggerate your movements initially and then reduce them to smaller signals over time. When teaching hand signals to a deaf dog, it is important that that they are obvious, clear and consistent. It’s those gestures which your deaf dog will learn to respond to. As with any dog, you can help a blind dog to feel more comfortable with spending time by themselves by very gradually building up the length of time you leave them on their own for and providing them with ways to occupy themselves when you do, such as a KONG, so that their time by themselves is a positive experience.Īs verbal humans we tend to focus on voice cues, but we also use hand signals and different hand, arm and body gestures alongside these. This is particularly important when leaving the house, so they do not try to search for you unsuccessfully. Before leaving a room, it’s a good idea to calmly get your dog’s attention so that they can see what you are doing. This can become even more stressful if you have left the house completely and are nowhere to be found. Turning around to find that you are suddenly missing can cause anxiety and may lead to them searching around trying to find you. If you’re outside we would generally recommend that deaf dogs are kept on a long-lead unless the area is completely secure, so you can gently move the lead to get their attention, or alternatively try throwing a ball across their field of vision.Ī deaf dog won’t hear you as you move about the house, leave the room, or even leave the house itself. Alternatively, you can try turning a light on and off. This isn’t to frighten them, but just so they feel the vibrations of the floor. If that’s not possible then you could try lightly stomping your feet. If you need their attention inside the house the easiest thing is to walk into their eye line to get their attention. There may be times you need to get the attention of your deaf dog when they are at a distance and facing away from you, for example if they have found their way into the bins or if you need to call them back in from the garden. Repeat this a few times, and over time your dog will begin to associate an unexpected touch with good things happening and will be less likely to respond in a frightened way. To do this, when your dog is relaxed, but not facing you, very gently touch them somewhere not too sensitive (their shoulder is a good spot) When they turn around, immediately greet them with a treat. It’s not always possible to make your deaf dog aware of your presence before you touch them, so it’s a good idea to practise desensitisation exercises to make them more comfortable with responding to an unexpected touch. Deaf dogs won’t hear you coming, so can often be startled by an unexpected touch.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |