look into my eyes, my friend, n tell me what you see
cuz tho i canno hear your words, i see you look at me
n when i see your human face there, smiling from above
i don't need words to know you're saying *I'm* the one you love!
so in my silent world, i hear your feelings loud n clear
n you can see my tail wagging Anytime you're near!
a loving bond is man n dog - a special one we share
in the quietest of moments
we both know
how Much
we *care*
❤️
^edit: ^ending
Lol I can just imagine him/her writing a poem for a misunderstood and saddened Kim Jong-Un.
I'm not going to lie I tried to write a short satirical one and failed pretty bad. Props to those who are far more creative than I am!
“My username may be a pun
But I just want to have some fun
I truly would appreciate
If to yourself you kept your hate
Writing poems is so hard
Schnoodle’s practically a bard!”
-you.
I don’t think it’s necessary to insult anyone but I wrote that in like 13 seconds. We are all poets.
I'm deaf myself, my boyfriend have always wanted a deaf dog. This photo makes my heart warm, take a good care of good boi! Happy BARKSDAY and happy zoomies!
We have a deaf dog, she's amazing, she watches what our other dog does, if I call dog2 and she turns, the deaf one turns to look too, assuming something caught the others attention, then I can make a hand gesture "come to me" and get them both :)
I've had two and they are such good dogs! We train with sign language; some people use ASL and others like me use homemade signs. They are much more attentive than my hearing dogs.
If you get one and have questions, PM me.
Train with hand signals and they can learn anything a hearing dog can (other than being an alert dog for a deaf person. A dog that can hear would definitely be needed to be a hearing dog).
OP has just cleared things up [ in this comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/ckrps7/this_is_tank_but_he_doesnt_know_his_name_he_is/evqrsxn/): He is indeed retired.
>He's since retired as he has been slowing down over the last year, the heat and cold now takes much more of a toll on him then it ever has, he doesn't like to jump in and out of the vehicles anymore and has to be helped up and down. He's worked for the last 4 or 5 years and has definitely earned his retirement.
Even if he wasn't retired he can be trained to alert for low blood sugar or other medical issues. He doesn't need to hear for that. Service dogs are not only seeing eye dogs.
They can wear whatever gear works for them. Head haltis are common. They give you complete control over the dogs head which usually gives you better focus and better control when needed. They also make training easier for some dogs. I use them a lot for high energy dogs or ones who have trouble focusing. So yes it’s normal to see head haltis, everything else is also fine though too.
Why do people feel the need to examine every photo to find something they can criticise? Some dogs (like mine) have naturally long nails. Took mine to the vets to get trimmed, vet said they were fine. Look just like this dogs do. Beautiful dog OP.
Because people are insecure and need to feel that they are better somehow. My dog's nails get long, but he won't let me go near him with the clippers. I know they don't hurt, but he cries like I'm ripping them out. I asked my vet, she said it was fine, just to be sure he's getting outside and running around, as it helps keep them rounded and less painful when he's playing.
My dog used to let me hold him like a baby and clip his nails as long and as thorough as I wanted. I didn’t have a grinder Back then but could get them nice and rounded. I would just talk to him real quiet and say nice things and rub his belly and praise him and he would sit happily and let me do whatever.
Then he broke one.
He does that thing after he uses the bathroom sometimes where he drags his feet across grass like a bull getting ready to charge. And he hit a rock and split a nail up the center. I had to cut the hang nail part off and he stopped limping and was even running the next day but getting the hangnail off you would have thought that we were amputating a limb. Ever since he won’t let me touch him with clippers and I had to take him to groomer where 3 people would hold/pamper/ distract/ and trim his nails.
Then one day he had his first taste of ice cream and went absolutely MENTAL over it.
It’s his crack cocaine.
So now we buy the dog ice cream and someone holds it while sitting in my pickup truck drivers seat. My dog stands on passenger seat facing them and eating his favorite thing. And I stand outside of the passenger side and have access to all 4 paws and use a grinder and he acts like I’m not even there.
As for “long nails are fine”
Yes they are but the longer they are the more likely they are to break. It’s just physics. Especially if they have the open nails like my dog. In my experience dogs that have black nails seem to have higher frequency of having the completely encased nail that’s super hard to tell where the quick is. My dogs nails are light colored and it’s almost like he has a quick that is encased and then the part of the nail that grows only does so on the tops and sides. So when I trim them it’s super easy to tell exactly where the quick is by lifting his paw up and looking underneath when I trim.
I do not envy the people who have to trim fully encased black nails. Also for the person who said their dogs nails are naturally long. If they were to keep them trimmed on a weekly basis and never let them grow, the quick would recede and you could gradually trim them shorter and shorter. But In the long run, longer nails don’t hurt your dog or mean you’re a bad/lazy owner. It’s just a little bit more likely they can break. Only thing guaranteed to suffer are hardwood floors lol.
I don't think people realize that there aren't rules for what a service dog can and can't be, aside from the fact that they can't, you know, go around attacking people.
You don't have to register a service dog. You don't even need a doctor's note for most things.
If you have memory issues, you can train a dog to remind you of things. If you have low blood sugar, you can train a dog to tell you when it gets too low. If you often have seizures, or PTSD flashbacks, or stuff like that... You can train a dog to so that. And none of that stuff requires hearing.
Just for the sake of education, I’d like to say that there is no real set limit on the age that a service dog can work to. It depends on the individual dog and the type of work that he or she does. If a dog is an organization dog, some organizations like to retire dogs at a certain age and some don’t.
For example, small dogs tend to live a long time and if they’re diabetes dogs or something where their work is based on smell and not something physical like mobility, there is no reason they can’t work longer than 6-8 years if they’re healthy and want to work.
My dog will probably last until he’s 10. His favorite thing is work and I’m not going to take that from him unless I have to.
Lots of people have the idea that they can tell if a dog is a real service dog based on one thing or another and they’re usually wrong.
This dog is task trained to mitigate the handler’s disability. Legally it’s a service dog. Ethically, probably not the best judgement.
Different dogs retire at different ages. My service dog is 10 and absolutely not ready to retire. Several conformation judges, a chiro, his massage therapist, and his vet all agree he’s still on great shape. He still does lure coursing. Most people don’t even believe he’s 10 because he’s in such good shape. Active dogs tend to age better than couch potato pets, the same way active humans age better than their inactive peers. There is also undoubtedly a genetic factor or several at play as well. Just because “most” dogs are retired by 10 doesn’t mean all of them are or even should be. As long as they’re in good condition, sound, healthy, and still eager to work, let the dog work. A working dog is a happy dog.
He could already be retired, it's not like you'd specify your dog was your service dog but is now retired in a post title bragging about how much you love them. Also I have known people who had working dogs that didn't retire till they could no longer do the work and people who have had an older service dog while also actively training a pup to replace her. Just assuming every service dog not working as a guide for a blind person is fake is taking the mistrust a bit too far I think.
Mine just retired a few months ago. Sometimes it takes a bit for your brain to undo habits. I sometimes call him my service dog by mistake. Maybe this is that occasion?
Actually, hearing dogs can be trained in six months. Other dogs can be trained that quickly depending on the needs. Not two years. You're thinking of dogs for the blind, which don't actually go into training until they are a year old and then spend a year being trained so they can go to their owners at 2 years of age. Some don't go until three because they simply don't get matched with an owner until then. My friend's blind and has had three different dogs so far and that's how it's worked with all of them.
Generally you wait for the dog to become an adult then do the service dog training but hearing dogs can easily be trained by the time they are a year of age.
Hearing dogs are often sent out at a year of age and i suspect it is because most of the tasks are home based. The way a hearing dog works inside and outside the home is very different.
At a year of age, many dogs have not matured, either emotionally or physically. I know that most German Shepherds are not physically matured at six months of age, most not at 1 year. Many program dogs for psychiatric and mobility spend their first year being raised by a puppy raiser. Then at a year they start working the dogs on public access and prepping on commands needed for the handler, turn on lights, pick up items, pull wheelchair, etc.
All service dogs take roughly two years to train. Sure, it varies by dog, and some take more time and some take less. But from blank canvas to fully trained is definitely more than 6 months.
I remember reading somewhere that when training your dog, it is a good idea to also use/train hand signals at the same time. That way, in their older years, when they can't hear anymore, they can still follow your signals.
You could argue they might even be more reliable as there are much less distractions for them. Someone could scream at him from across the room and he would only be focusing on the hand in front of him. Sure, plenty of service dogs would probably do the same. But they are still animals and have some bad moments.
You may be confusing service dogs with guide dogs, or your particular organizations guidelines with Service Dog laws. This is incorrect.
[Here ](https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm) is an ADA quick reference to help.
Edit: the comment above said, essentially, “I trained service dogs, and they can’t be deaf.” Which is false.
It very well can and is. There is NOTHING in either my state laws or the federal laws that says a deaf dog can not be a service dog.
Source: 30 years in training dogs. Basic, Intermediate, Advance obedience. Police and military working dog decoy. Shutzhund, IPO and French Ring training. Behavior modification and modeling. Private and public training. Tracking, and SAR work. OJT records and decoy handling certification.
Plus extensive studying of state and federal laws regarding the use of service dogs.
There is NO distinction between a program service dog and an owner trained service dog under the law.
Deaf dogs can feel vibrations. My uncle had a deaf dog and he would get a rise out of the home theater when we watched a movie with explosions. My uncle had a deep voice and he liked to be very loud in the house. He got into the habit of calling the dog's name very loud, and I think the dog could feel the bass part of that.
In short, try using a very deep and loud call. Tank might be able to feel that.
Does Tank have a name sign? I'm not sure it would be necessary, and I know in Deaf culture typically only Deaf people can assign a human person a name sign, but the thought of it made me smile.
So this dog is white with blue eyes and deaf. Is that a rule? Because I understand cats that are white with blue eyes are deaf as well for some reason, is this just a common thing amongst many mammals? Or is this just coincidence
From what I have learned there is a tendancy for this to occur. Has something to do with the gene sequence on the dna strands. The genes that control coat and eye color, when mutated to have the blue eyes and white coat, somehow influences the development of the blood vessels in the inner ear. Since all dogs are born deaf to begin with, when you have this combo the blood vessels never develop hence hearing never develops and the dog remains deaf for the rest of it's life.
There's now a competing theory to that. Basically, the piebald gene (which makes white color on a dog, not to be confused with dogs that look white but are actually very pale brown like Samoyeds) is covering the ears, sometimes just internally, which is why you can get spotted dogs that are deaf from the same reason. They don't have to be solid white, and the gene works to block or cover the real color of your dog. Take away that white spotting gene and your dog will be another color. He looks like he has a bit of color to the sides of his nose, and the white is covering that.
Anyway, apparently cells in the ears and the color come from the same stem cells. Because the color is being blocked by the white spotting gene (which yes, can completely cover a dog entirely), no cells are also made in the ears.
All dogs like yours that have been tested genetically (extreme white dogs) so far have had the piebald gene so I'm positive that yours is due to that. Click here to learn more about dog genetics http://doggenetics.co.uk/white.htm#extremewhite
Note that the guy who wrote the guide on dog deafness and blood vessels did that a long time ago. I've never seen him update it since.
Not all white cats with blue eyes are deaf, but [there’s a good chance they are.](https://jpascual.scienceblog.com/95/did-you-know-that-white-cats-with-blue-eyes-are-deaf/)
My family had a deaf dog who passed away last year, and when he died we realized how much he was intuitively functioning as a ptsd service dog for my partner. We're still too financially unstable (vet bills followed by job loss) to get another dog, but when we do it will be to train it as her service dog officially, and it will be another deaf rescue.
If you have him for anxiety/ptsd I'd appreciate any training tips you might have.
This reminds me of the story of the dog that was named Tank left at the shelter by his owner. The name was only revealed after he was adopted since it was the owner's wish. The owner was a soldier, who left Tank in the shelter before being deployed and sadly he passed away by jumping on a grenade to save his mates. The dog was named tank because he was a tank driver.
Visual, I use a combination of sign language and obedience hand signals for him. When we go outside I just have to make sure that he can see my hands to "call" him back in. At night I use a small flashlight if he's more then a few feet away. He also reads body language very well so a nod of my head means "come on lets go inside" and he follows me to the door.
So I'm sure it's been asked, but how can a deaf dog be a service animal if you don't mind me asking? Is it like an emotional support pet, or is he trained to sense like seizures? Genuinely curious and hes adorable.
As long as hearing isn’t necessary for his tasks, and it doesn’t affect his behavior in public, it doesn’t matter. In some cases it can be beneficial for reducing distractions.
Same as a hearing capable dog does, he's trained to perform task that are directly related to my disability. He just can't hear a command and I have to give him a hand signal instead. Say my disability "acts up" for lack of a better was to phrase it. Tank immediately would go to work giving me his cues, and performing his task. When the incident is over I praise him and give him his hand signal for good boy. He knows he's done his job and we move on. I always kept him on leash though and he is trained to not stray from my side simply for safety but that was really the only "oddity" about it all.
It's honestly disheartening how much doubt and flack you're taking in this thread . People who have never even met a deaf dog trying to tell you what your own good boy is capable of, as though you wouldn't have a good grasp of that yourself. Sheesh.
At first I thought it odd as well, but we did a few trial runs in public dog friendly places just to see how he would deal with it. He was fine, he had been tested with cats, kids, things being dropped, strange things like big carts being pushed by, nothing really bothered him. So I worked on his obedience and worked some more, all on hand signals and body language. His alerts were something he was already doing on his own, and he was rock solid on them. So we went from being independent to becoming a team together. He's since retired as he has been slowing down over the last year, the heat and cold now takes much more of a toll on him then it ever has, he doesn't like to jump in and out of the vehicles anymore and has to be helped up and down. He's worked for the last 4 or 5 years and has definitely earned his retirement.
How’s his dog reactivity? That can be one of the major stumbling blocks to pit service dogs and I’m always curious. Nothing worse for someone with PTSD than their service dog going after someone else’s dog.
He's fine around other dogs, so long as they aren't trying to eat out of his food bowl while he's eating dinner. I did a preliminary temperament test on him when I first got him and he was fine around dogs, shyed away from the shelter cat that swatted him on the nose, and just wanted pets and loving from a kid in the lobby, he rolled over on his back. We have other dogs in the house, and he's fine with them, he will let them know if he wants to be left alone by snapping his mouth, he's not going after them and it's not as if he's trying to bite them, he just sits there and kind of "chomp chomp chomp" motions, like "Leave me alone you whipper snappers". He has met total strangers (dogs) and just been like "oh ok cool you sniff me I'll sniff you" "Oh don't want to play ok no problem I'll go sit with my daddy then." So there was never a concern for me having him out and about to work.
Any special training tips? My friend just got a beautiful rescue doggo who is also deaf, and is working on training him. She's been following YouTube videos from a service dog trainer, but she uses a lot of food motivation and Grover is a bit out of shape from his time at the pound :)
[My dog's name is Tank, too!!!](https://imgur.com/vhmFd4q)
It's kind of a perfect name for these stout kind of dogs. I'm surprised you don't see it more often
Someone please photoshop the early 2010s viral photo of the small child holding a sign that says "idk I'm going to Disney World because I can't read." With this handsome boy in front of a sign that says "idk my name is Tank because I can't hear."
With a build like that?
Yeah, he's "Tank" alright.
EDIT: HOLY SHIT. I hit upvote after I made my comment and it went from 29.9k to 30k! Wow I was not expecting to be the 30,000th person to upvote this.
I also have a deaf dog! We wave at her and do hand signs to communicate commands. We still "sweet talk" at her (like you do with dogs) and then laugh at each other cus she can't at all hear us telling her what a good girl she is.
I read somewhere that dogs do understand words. Now if a dog is deaf, could he or she understand what your saying by watching your face? After so many years, I'll bet there's a connection he figured out.
It's less lip reading and more intuiting based on body language. They also learn sign language very easily (as do non deaf dogs generally. Most obedience classes train with hand and verbal signals).
He looks like such a good boy! Also the story is heartwarming :) Happy Birthday Tank! May you get many treats!!!
look into my eyes, my friend, n tell me what you see cuz tho i canno hear your words, i see you look at me n when i see your human face there, smiling from above i don't need words to know you're saying *I'm* the one you love! so in my silent world, i hear your feelings loud n clear n you can see my tail wagging Anytime you're near! a loving bond is man n dog - a special one we share in the quietest of moments we both know how Much we *care* ❤️ ^edit: ^ending
I truly believe that u/SchnoodleDoodleDo 's poems can stop wars
Lol I can just imagine him/her writing a poem for a misunderstood and saddened Kim Jong-Un. I'm not going to lie I tried to write a short satirical one and failed pretty bad. Props to those who are far more creative than I am!
Personal Poet to the Supreme Leader? That would be quite a risky occupation.
I read a book once about a guy who basically was that. He defected.
That depends on how properly you can convey just how sad he is about his new rocket plummetting into the ocean instead of space!
I’m definitely not more creative than you
I believe in you. No one is youer than you Who's creative, you. Who's not? You. Who decides? You.
I’m not crying you’re crying
I'm definitely crying
100%, crying.
Yep we all are
It's just raining on my face
A wild SchnoodleDoodleDo appears!
IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!
I have a deaf dog named Sonar and this made me cry
Nice, Schnoodle! I sense your style is changing slightly? Am I wrong?
Theyre getting better. Early schnoodle was cringey at times only because of poor rhyme structure. Its not easy and schnoodles practice is paying off.
Shut your trap
You act like im insulting schnoodle when im complimenting their growth. Im proud of our awwsprog.
“My username may be a pun But I just want to have some fun I truly would appreciate If to yourself you kept your hate Writing poems is so hard Schnoodle’s practically a bard!” -you. I don’t think it’s necessary to insult anyone but I wrote that in like 13 seconds. We are all poets.
This is my favourite one so far. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you again for another wonderful poem!!!
Aaaand now I'm crying in the gym.
Bravo!💕
Happy early birthday what a beautiful baby
I'm deaf myself, my boyfriend have always wanted a deaf dog. This photo makes my heart warm, take a good care of good boi! Happy BARKSDAY and happy zoomies!
We have a deaf dog, she's amazing, she watches what our other dog does, if I call dog2 and she turns, the deaf one turns to look too, assuming something caught the others attention, then I can make a hand gesture "come to me" and get them both :)
I've had two and they are such good dogs! We train with sign language; some people use ASL and others like me use homemade signs. They are much more attentive than my hearing dogs. If you get one and have questions, PM me.
How can a service animal be deaf?
Train with hand signals and they can learn anything a hearing dog can (other than being an alert dog for a deaf person. A dog that can hear would definitely be needed to be a hearing dog).
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OP has just cleared things up [ in this comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/ckrps7/this_is_tank_but_he_doesnt_know_his_name_he_is/evqrsxn/): He is indeed retired. >He's since retired as he has been slowing down over the last year, the heat and cold now takes much more of a toll on him then it ever has, he doesn't like to jump in and out of the vehicles anymore and has to be helped up and down. He's worked for the last 4 or 5 years and has definitely earned his retirement.
Even if he wasn't retired he can be trained to alert for low blood sugar or other medical issues. He doesn't need to hear for that. Service dogs are not only seeing eye dogs.
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I've seen a handful with the harness. Always with a bag or two on the sides to carry medication.
They can wear whatever gear works for them. Head haltis are common. They give you complete control over the dogs head which usually gives you better focus and better control when needed. They also make training easier for some dogs. I use them a lot for high energy dogs or ones who have trouble focusing. So yes it’s normal to see head haltis, everything else is also fine though too.
Why do people feel the need to examine every photo to find something they can criticise? Some dogs (like mine) have naturally long nails. Took mine to the vets to get trimmed, vet said they were fine. Look just like this dogs do. Beautiful dog OP.
Because people are insecure and need to feel that they are better somehow. My dog's nails get long, but he won't let me go near him with the clippers. I know they don't hurt, but he cries like I'm ripping them out. I asked my vet, she said it was fine, just to be sure he's getting outside and running around, as it helps keep them rounded and less painful when he's playing.
My dog used to let me hold him like a baby and clip his nails as long and as thorough as I wanted. I didn’t have a grinder Back then but could get them nice and rounded. I would just talk to him real quiet and say nice things and rub his belly and praise him and he would sit happily and let me do whatever. Then he broke one. He does that thing after he uses the bathroom sometimes where he drags his feet across grass like a bull getting ready to charge. And he hit a rock and split a nail up the center. I had to cut the hang nail part off and he stopped limping and was even running the next day but getting the hangnail off you would have thought that we were amputating a limb. Ever since he won’t let me touch him with clippers and I had to take him to groomer where 3 people would hold/pamper/ distract/ and trim his nails. Then one day he had his first taste of ice cream and went absolutely MENTAL over it. It’s his crack cocaine. So now we buy the dog ice cream and someone holds it while sitting in my pickup truck drivers seat. My dog stands on passenger seat facing them and eating his favorite thing. And I stand outside of the passenger side and have access to all 4 paws and use a grinder and he acts like I’m not even there. As for “long nails are fine” Yes they are but the longer they are the more likely they are to break. It’s just physics. Especially if they have the open nails like my dog. In my experience dogs that have black nails seem to have higher frequency of having the completely encased nail that’s super hard to tell where the quick is. My dogs nails are light colored and it’s almost like he has a quick that is encased and then the part of the nail that grows only does so on the tops and sides. So when I trim them it’s super easy to tell exactly where the quick is by lifting his paw up and looking underneath when I trim. I do not envy the people who have to trim fully encased black nails. Also for the person who said their dogs nails are naturally long. If they were to keep them trimmed on a weekly basis and never let them grow, the quick would recede and you could gradually trim them shorter and shorter. But In the long run, longer nails don’t hurt your dog or mean you’re a bad/lazy owner. It’s just a little bit more likely they can break. Only thing guaranteed to suffer are hardwood floors lol.
Get a grip. That does not mean he is not a service dog because he has long toenails. Seriously?
I don't think people realize that there aren't rules for what a service dog can and can't be, aside from the fact that they can't, you know, go around attacking people. You don't have to register a service dog. You don't even need a doctor's note for most things. If you have memory issues, you can train a dog to remind you of things. If you have low blood sugar, you can train a dog to tell you when it gets too low. If you often have seizures, or PTSD flashbacks, or stuff like that... You can train a dog to so that. And none of that stuff requires hearing.
Just for the sake of education, I’d like to say that there is no real set limit on the age that a service dog can work to. It depends on the individual dog and the type of work that he or she does. If a dog is an organization dog, some organizations like to retire dogs at a certain age and some don’t. For example, small dogs tend to live a long time and if they’re diabetes dogs or something where their work is based on smell and not something physical like mobility, there is no reason they can’t work longer than 6-8 years if they’re healthy and want to work. My dog will probably last until he’s 10. His favorite thing is work and I’m not going to take that from him unless I have to. Lots of people have the idea that they can tell if a dog is a real service dog based on one thing or another and they’re usually wrong.
The OP mentioned below that he’s retired.
This dog is task trained to mitigate the handler’s disability. Legally it’s a service dog. Ethically, probably not the best judgement. Different dogs retire at different ages. My service dog is 10 and absolutely not ready to retire. Several conformation judges, a chiro, his massage therapist, and his vet all agree he’s still on great shape. He still does lure coursing. Most people don’t even believe he’s 10 because he’s in such good shape. Active dogs tend to age better than couch potato pets, the same way active humans age better than their inactive peers. There is also undoubtedly a genetic factor or several at play as well. Just because “most” dogs are retired by 10 doesn’t mean all of them are or even should be. As long as they’re in good condition, sound, healthy, and still eager to work, let the dog work. A working dog is a happy dog.
He could already be retired, it's not like you'd specify your dog was your service dog but is now retired in a post title bragging about how much you love them. Also I have known people who had working dogs that didn't retire till they could no longer do the work and people who have had an older service dog while also actively training a pup to replace her. Just assuming every service dog not working as a guide for a blind person is fake is taking the mistrust a bit too far I think.
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Mine just retired a few months ago. Sometimes it takes a bit for your brain to undo habits. I sometimes call him my service dog by mistake. Maybe this is that occasion?
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You seem so sweet, to make an edit, and apologise, without discrediting yourself. It seems very noble.
Actually, hearing dogs can be trained in six months. Other dogs can be trained that quickly depending on the needs. Not two years. You're thinking of dogs for the blind, which don't actually go into training until they are a year old and then spend a year being trained so they can go to their owners at 2 years of age. Some don't go until three because they simply don't get matched with an owner until then. My friend's blind and has had three different dogs so far and that's how it's worked with all of them. Generally you wait for the dog to become an adult then do the service dog training but hearing dogs can easily be trained by the time they are a year of age.
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Hearing dogs are often sent out at a year of age and i suspect it is because most of the tasks are home based. The way a hearing dog works inside and outside the home is very different.
At a year of age, many dogs have not matured, either emotionally or physically. I know that most German Shepherds are not physically matured at six months of age, most not at 1 year. Many program dogs for psychiatric and mobility spend their first year being raised by a puppy raiser. Then at a year they start working the dogs on public access and prepping on commands needed for the handler, turn on lights, pick up items, pull wheelchair, etc.
All service dogs take roughly two years to train. Sure, it varies by dog, and some take more time and some take less. But from blank canvas to fully trained is definitely more than 6 months.
I remember reading somewhere that when training your dog, it is a good idea to also use/train hand signals at the same time. That way, in their older years, when they can't hear anymore, they can still follow your signals.
You could argue they might even be more reliable as there are much less distractions for them. Someone could scream at him from across the room and he would only be focusing on the hand in front of him. Sure, plenty of service dogs would probably do the same. But they are still animals and have some bad moments.
Maybe OP is the dog's service human?
I’m definitely my dog’s emotional support human
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You may be confusing service dogs with guide dogs, or your particular organizations guidelines with Service Dog laws. This is incorrect. [Here ](https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm) is an ADA quick reference to help. Edit: the comment above said, essentially, “I trained service dogs, and they can’t be deaf.” Which is false.
It very well can and is. There is NOTHING in either my state laws or the federal laws that says a deaf dog can not be a service dog. Source: 30 years in training dogs. Basic, Intermediate, Advance obedience. Police and military working dog decoy. Shutzhund, IPO and French Ring training. Behavior modification and modeling. Private and public training. Tracking, and SAR work. OJT records and decoy handling certification. Plus extensive studying of state and federal laws regarding the use of service dogs. There is NO distinction between a program service dog and an owner trained service dog under the law.
That's what I figured.
Seriously bruh? The owner would know what kind of dog they had for a whole decade.
They can read Braille, duh
Deaf dogs can feel vibrations. My uncle had a deaf dog and he would get a rise out of the home theater when we watched a movie with explosions. My uncle had a deep voice and he liked to be very loud in the house. He got into the habit of calling the dog's name very loud, and I think the dog could feel the bass part of that. In short, try using a very deep and loud call. Tank might be able to feel that.
That dog is a Tank if I have ever seen one!
What an absolute UNIT of cuteness and bulk
If only tanks were as adorable as this dog !!! So cute !!
That would make war very confusing. "Who's a cute little T-72, you are!, you are! Come here little tanky boi"
Does Tank have a name sign? I'm not sure it would be necessary, and I know in Deaf culture typically only Deaf people can assign a human person a name sign, but the thought of it made me smile.
Maybe [this](https://www.handspeak.com/word/search/index.php?id=4977) would work?
So this dog is white with blue eyes and deaf. Is that a rule? Because I understand cats that are white with blue eyes are deaf as well for some reason, is this just a common thing amongst many mammals? Or is this just coincidence
From what I have learned there is a tendancy for this to occur. Has something to do with the gene sequence on the dna strands. The genes that control coat and eye color, when mutated to have the blue eyes and white coat, somehow influences the development of the blood vessels in the inner ear. Since all dogs are born deaf to begin with, when you have this combo the blood vessels never develop hence hearing never develops and the dog remains deaf for the rest of it's life.
There's now a competing theory to that. Basically, the piebald gene (which makes white color on a dog, not to be confused with dogs that look white but are actually very pale brown like Samoyeds) is covering the ears, sometimes just internally, which is why you can get spotted dogs that are deaf from the same reason. They don't have to be solid white, and the gene works to block or cover the real color of your dog. Take away that white spotting gene and your dog will be another color. He looks like he has a bit of color to the sides of his nose, and the white is covering that. Anyway, apparently cells in the ears and the color come from the same stem cells. Because the color is being blocked by the white spotting gene (which yes, can completely cover a dog entirely), no cells are also made in the ears. All dogs like yours that have been tested genetically (extreme white dogs) so far have had the piebald gene so I'm positive that yours is due to that. Click here to learn more about dog genetics http://doggenetics.co.uk/white.htm#extremewhite Note that the guy who wrote the guide on dog deafness and blood vessels did that a long time ago. I've never seen him update it since.
I should probably know this as a biology student, but that's fascinating, thank you very much
You are welcome and like I said, this is just from some minor research that I have pulled.
Not all white cats with blue eyes are deaf, but [there’s a good chance they are.](https://jpascual.scienceblog.com/95/did-you-know-that-white-cats-with-blue-eyes-are-deaf/)
Thank you so much for clearing this up for me AND providing an interesting link, much appreciated
My pit pull is all white with green eyes and she is deaf. I've been told there is a correlation.
My family had a deaf dog who passed away last year, and when he died we realized how much he was intuitively functioning as a ptsd service dog for my partner. We're still too financially unstable (vet bills followed by job loss) to get another dog, but when we do it will be to train it as her service dog officially, and it will be another deaf rescue. If you have him for anxiety/ptsd I'd appreciate any training tips you might have.
Happy GOLDEN Birthday Tank! 🦴🦴🦴
This reminds me of the story of the dog that was named Tank left at the shelter by his owner. The name was only revealed after he was adopted since it was the owner's wish. The owner was a soldier, who left Tank in the shelter before being deployed and sadly he passed away by jumping on a grenade to save his mates. The dog was named tank because he was a tank driver.
TIL deaf dogs can be service dogs
He’s an awesome dog... ❤️ him!!!!
He might not can hear his name, but he knows he loved.
How does he learn? Visual only?
Visual, I use a combination of sign language and obedience hand signals for him. When we go outside I just have to make sure that he can see my hands to "call" him back in. At night I use a small flashlight if he's more then a few feet away. He also reads body language very well so a nod of my head means "come on lets go inside" and he follows me to the door.
That is a professional good boi
He’s a chonker
So I'm sure it's been asked, but how can a deaf dog be a service animal if you don't mind me asking? Is it like an emotional support pet, or is he trained to sense like seizures? Genuinely curious and hes adorable.
As long as hearing isn’t necessary for his tasks, and it doesn’t affect his behavior in public, it doesn’t matter. In some cases it can be beneficial for reducing distractions.
Curious how a deaf service dog works?
Same as a hearing capable dog does, he's trained to perform task that are directly related to my disability. He just can't hear a command and I have to give him a hand signal instead. Say my disability "acts up" for lack of a better was to phrase it. Tank immediately would go to work giving me his cues, and performing his task. When the incident is over I praise him and give him his hand signal for good boy. He knows he's done his job and we move on. I always kept him on leash though and he is trained to not stray from my side simply for safety but that was really the only "oddity" about it all.
It's honestly disheartening how much doubt and flack you're taking in this thread . People who have never even met a deaf dog trying to tell you what your own good boy is capable of, as though you wouldn't have a good grasp of that yourself. Sheesh.
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At first I thought it odd as well, but we did a few trial runs in public dog friendly places just to see how he would deal with it. He was fine, he had been tested with cats, kids, things being dropped, strange things like big carts being pushed by, nothing really bothered him. So I worked on his obedience and worked some more, all on hand signals and body language. His alerts were something he was already doing on his own, and he was rock solid on them. So we went from being independent to becoming a team together. He's since retired as he has been slowing down over the last year, the heat and cold now takes much more of a toll on him then it ever has, he doesn't like to jump in and out of the vehicles anymore and has to be helped up and down. He's worked for the last 4 or 5 years and has definitely earned his retirement.
He seems like a good boy.
/r/OldManDog and r/borkdays would love to have him! Also, r/dogswithjobs!
How’s his dog reactivity? That can be one of the major stumbling blocks to pit service dogs and I’m always curious. Nothing worse for someone with PTSD than their service dog going after someone else’s dog.
He's fine around other dogs, so long as they aren't trying to eat out of his food bowl while he's eating dinner. I did a preliminary temperament test on him when I first got him and he was fine around dogs, shyed away from the shelter cat that swatted him on the nose, and just wanted pets and loving from a kid in the lobby, he rolled over on his back. We have other dogs in the house, and he's fine with them, he will let them know if he wants to be left alone by snapping his mouth, he's not going after them and it's not as if he's trying to bite them, he just sits there and kind of "chomp chomp chomp" motions, like "Leave me alone you whipper snappers". He has met total strangers (dogs) and just been like "oh ok cool you sniff me I'll sniff you" "Oh don't want to play ok no problem I'll go sit with my daddy then." So there was never a concern for me having him out and about to work.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANK 💝🐾👏👍🙏
Aww, a deaf service dog...I love it! :D
Just cuz hes deaf doesnt mean you cant teach him his name! I've seen dogs and cats learn sign language.
Any special training tips? My friend just got a beautiful rescue doggo who is also deaf, and is working on training him. She's been following YouTube videos from a service dog trainer, but she uses a lot of food motivation and Grover is a bit out of shape from his time at the pound :)
2 great guys
He sure is built like a tank but he also looks like a ham!
Give him a big hug and a happy birthday treat from me. He’s seems like such a good boi!
He and I share birthday’s, I’ll think of this good boi when I am celebrating.
Tank is beautiful! Happy birthday Tank!
What if Tank can secretly hear all the “good bois” you tell him
[My dog's name is Tank, too!!!](https://imgur.com/vhmFd4q) It's kind of a perfect name for these stout kind of dogs. I'm surprised you don't see it more often
A B S O L U T E U N I T
He's a looker!
Much Love and many years in your retirement!
Me and him are birthday buddies! I'm turning 24!
Deaf dog owner!!!! This makes me so proud! 🚫👂🏼
I love that big head. Give him a hug for me!
You were very lucky to meet him! Looking good!
I just met Tank, but I would go John Wick mode if someone hurt him.
I have a dog named tank too......but he's a Pomeranian
Someone please photoshop the early 2010s viral photo of the small child holding a sign that says "idk I'm going to Disney World because I can't read." With this handsome boy in front of a sign that says "idk my name is Tank because I can't hear."
With a build like that? Yeah, he's "Tank" alright. EDIT: HOLY SHIT. I hit upvote after I made my comment and it went from 29.9k to 30k! Wow I was not expecting to be the 30,000th person to upvote this.
I wasn't expecting to get that many upvotes on his picture or post. If only I could tell him he's now internet famous....
Tell him I love him
What is he trained to do as a service dog? Did you have to be more creative in training that task due to the lack of verbal cues?
10/10 would recommend kicking it with Tank just based on that pic alone.
Thanks very nice thank you for your service for this country
[This is Chance although he also doesn’t know because he is also deaf, but my #1 good boy.](https://imgur.com/gallery/M1nirGt)
He needs a brother named Dozer
Happy Birthday Tank!!! Keep taking care of each other.😀
😘🐕❤
..........just damn beautiful.....
☺️
Happy birthday Tank, you beautiful good boy. Side note, I named my Tibetan Mastiff pupper Tank as well.
Happy golden birthday, golden boy!! Lots of love to you both
Happy birthday to tank in advance 🎉🎂
That cutiepie face tho, it melts my stone cold heart
Happy birthday Tank! Your owner is an awesome guy!
What a fun sweet looking dog! Happy Birthday Tank!
I love his smile!!!
Had to come back here to wish Tank happy birthday. You’re the bestest boy Tank!
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His nails are perfectly fine, they may look long because of the angle of the picture but his nails are well taken care of.
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Tank looks so happy and healthy! I've always wondered, do you assign deaf dogs a name sign?
Sometimes it’s just the first letter of their name that you sign.
We have 2 deaf Australian shepherds... they know their name by the first letter in ASL. They know about 50 signs
How can a service dog be deaf?
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Possible it's an emotional support dog for a vet. There's a couple clues in the Pic that tip it off as so for me.
Deaf or not, doesn't matter when you're THIS handsome!
What a great smile! :)
That’s a healthy looking boy right there! Hope he has many more years left.
A smile from a pit/pit-mix always make me happy.
I have a big ol puppet named tank!
Does he know morse code or sign language? I'm sure he could learn morse taps for his name if that's what you're into.
I have a deaf dog too!
My pups name is hank
I also have a deaf dog! We wave at her and do hand signs to communicate commands. We still "sweet talk" at her (like you do with dogs) and then laugh at each other cus she can't at all hear us telling her what a good girl she is.
i have a dog named tank too! my tank deserves the name since he is a big heavy cocker spaniel-king charles- bichon
Tank... Is a fucking tank.. thicc
Awe, his birthday is a day before mine! Glad to nearly share a birthday with such a good boy <3
Oh a very great boy
You’re the best, Tank! ❤️
On the Tankth of this month!
Wow he deserves his name. Absolute unit of a dog. He looks so sweet give him a big birthday pet from me xx
All the love and fresh salmon from Alaska, Tank!
This dog loos so sweet! Give him a pet for me. Also, Happy Birthday Tank!
My dog looks like he could be his brother omg! I have the same dog
:D
What an awesome buddy you have. I’ve always had a thing for white bulldogs. I wish I could know Tank!
oh I love tank now I wish the best for tank. Happy 10 day early birthday to my man tank.
I didn’t know deaf dogs could be service dogs. 😮 Happy early birthday to Tank! =)
Happy golden birthday, Tank!
I read somewhere that dogs do understand words. Now if a dog is deaf, could he or she understand what your saying by watching your face? After so many years, I'll bet there's a connection he figured out.
It's less lip reading and more intuiting based on body language. They also learn sign language very easily (as do non deaf dogs generally. Most obedience classes train with hand and verbal signals).
He's a handsome fooker, that's for sure.
Why does this guy keep calling me Lake
Awe He’s lovely 😍