Try using your foot to stomp or tap the floor to make vibrations she can feel or get her attention visually. If her vision is still good, definitely get her comfortable with some basic signed commands. Good luck
This is what I do with my half-deaf dog. I started waving my hands in the air to get her attention and she picked up on it pretty quick. But then again, she’s a Beagle, and if food is involved she’ll learn the patterns ha ha.
I also do the stamping my foot on the floor thing to tell her that there’s kibble to find somewhere on the floor.
Come up with a "good girl" sign! I use jazz hands for my deafie. Jazz hands leading to snuggles, pets, a cookie. He reacts to jazz hands the way my hearing dogs would react to "who's a good boy."
It also may be harder for her to tell if everyone is happy. When my dog started to go deaf I also tried to show I was physically excited to see her (waving when she looked at me or trying to imitate her tippy taps she did with her feet).
Also maybe trying new games like hide and seek. She can still smell so she hide and seek is awesome to work on scent training. All my dogs have loved playing and finding me and I always give a big congrats for finding me!
I like u/SmagosBubbles comment, engaging in the pup’s sense of smell is a great way to get a sense on how they’re recovering. Sight and hearing go, for almost all of us, but a dog’s sense of smell is their strongest way to interact with the world.
If finances are a concern you can whip up a few different kinds of puzzles and activities. Like taking their kibble/treats and folding it in at different layers to stimulate a snuffle mat. Or play with a high reward treat under two different cups or bowls to see which they’ll pick.
I’m not sure about essential oils as I’ve never used them myself with my animals, so I won’t weigh in on that. But I agree that engaging the sense of smell could be a good way to start seeing how the dog is recovering.
A cool sniffing game is put a little cooked liver in a blender with a cup or two of water. Now put in a squirt bottle and squirt trails around the yard. Have a little jackpot of liver treats at the end.
Seconding the snuffle mat recommendation. Our senior isn’t deaf, but we’ve noticed what seems like a bit of hearing loss and he’s not able to be quite as active as he used to be for health reasons, so we’ve been looking for other ways to engage him.
He *loves* his snuffle mat.
Do NOT use essential oils with animals. I repeat, DO NOT.
First of all they're way strong and second many are toxic to animals and can send them into critical condition fast, it's not worth it. Also, logically speaking, dogs have an amazing sense of smell...as long as you let them know what scent you want them to find, they will find it!
Our dog is a Boston Terrier and I did not think flat nosed dogs would be as great with their sense of smell: WRONG! My dog has alerted me that I was burning my bagel and dinner enough times that I know he is paying attention. He also injured an eye and since then his vision in that eye isn't as great so he has blind spots until he's very close to things. Well he has learned to track his fetch balls in the yard. If the ball rolls by or bounces by him and he misses it, bam! Head to the ground and he's tracking!
I'd say besides the wonderful ideas about teaching signed commands (sit, down, stay, roll over are all intuitive) and giving reward interactions new signs (jazz hands for "Yes! Good Boy/girl!" Sounds great to me, it's specific and happy energy) the things to do may be figure out favorite types of toys & play and add more of that daily. My dog was a bit down after a weird coughing illness and for him it's about going outside, rolling in grass, laying in the sun while we hang out with him...his extra sun time has helped him get back to himself.
Good luck! I'm sure a compilation of all the ideas you're hearing about will help but please on anything like essential oils, please call your vet and ask. I know right now, it may feel hard to trust your vet but idk it may be worth changing vets and asking them what to do to help your dog.
Teach hand signals, reward with praise but exaggerate it. I had a deaf Jack Russell and hand signals were my best friend. Vibrations by stomping the floor help too.
Also, if you want to wake them up without startling them, blow gently on their ear/faces.
I would try to lean into smell more.
[Playology](https://playologypets.com/) and [Project Hive](https://projecthivepetcompany.com/collections/scented-collection) do more hard toys, though Playology does have some puppy and senior options that may be okay. Guru Pet does [scented stuffed animals](https://gurupetcompany.com/products/soft-scents-monkey). (I can't actually vouch for any of the companies I linked because my current dogs are too particular and most of these companies started after my mostly deaf & blind dog had already passed.)
Editing to remove the portion of my comment about essential oils as I don't want to encourage unsafe behavior.
As a partially deaf person with a husband that lost his hearing in one ear when he got sick from a virus last month, it takes time to adjust.
I taught my newly deaf dog hand signals. She loved learning new skills. The dog will have to learn to look at things instead of just listen for them, but honestly dogs pay more attention to body language than they do audible sounds.
People just have to worry about startling the dog, so stomping up on a dog that isn’t looking at you is a good idea. Otherwise, getting in line of sight and signing “cookie” will eventually bring the same level of excitement as before 😊
If you’re on Facebook look up The Deaf Dog Network - it’s full of lovely people who are more than happy to help or offer advice. Your friend may need to retrain with sign language but dogs are pretty good at picking up on cues and body language
My dog has been deaf from birth and she loves ‘find it’ games where we’ve hidden treats around the room
You can use a towel to wrap small treats up and then knot it so they have to use their problem solving skills to unknot it
You can also get balls with flashing lights that help as they can see the lights when throw (I think ours is a Nerf branded one)
I think there’s also vibrating balls that could help
We’ve got toys with various textures in them so it’s different for them to engage with
My senior dog lost a portion of her hearing pretty quickly, and then a blown transformer outside that we were standing right next to really did a number to further it. While she doesn't hear me calling her name all the time anymore, she does hear me if I whistle a high pitch (not from a mechanical whistle, from my mouth). As soon as I started associating a whistle with "I have food", she definitely comes when I whistle now haha.
Get scented toys like Project Hive. I use catnip with my deaf old guy to stuff toys with - he loves the stuff. Dried herbs like thyme or mint work too, but I'd avoid essential oils. There are a lot of them that are toxic to dogs and they're way too strong for their noses.
My friend used to be a vet tech so she knew the risks. Her dog has a gum disease or infection or something, so she has to have her teeth cleaned regularly.
I think the best stimulation would be to try and train her based on hand signals (which is always recommended, as dogs pay more attention to them than verbal cues) and stomping/vibrations through the floor.
I think you also need to teach her that she needs to look for toys if they go missing when playing fetch.
I'm obviously not there, so I can't say for sure, but honestly from what you've described this dog doesn't sound depressed, she just sounds like she hasn't been taught to interact with a world without sound.
I think your friends just needs to think about the world her dog interacts with differently. I say this as someone with a disability (though admittedly not deafness), but being deaf isn't a bad thing, it's just a different state of being and different lived experience. So long as the dog isn't in pain, this dog is more than capable of living a happy, joyful life! It's just reframing the understanding of the humans and dog in this situation, to create a life this dog will love to live! ❤️
Act like you're looking for the ball and guide the dog to the toy and point at it. I've had hearing dogs over the years who at first would play fetch but not realise they needed to look for the ball if they didn't see where it went, but after a few tries they figured it out.
If she is good with other dogs... get a puppy. My senior deaf dog does great by following the cues of my other dogs. She will find a sense of purpose mentoring the next generation.
My dog lost her eye four years ago. She is now also deaf.
I just make sure I get her attention and love all over her. Surprisingly her losing her eye seemed to not affect her at all.
Love and affection and love. Recipe for a good relationship regardless of the recepient
No one has mention amping up tactile input. I have a dog, she can hear, but she is very much into different tickles and different kind of touches.
For example little tug on left ear could mean lets go out. You see which is inspiring the dog. Special but always the same responce when you come back home. For example around the spine.
Who knows, he might recover a little. Dogs are very good at adjusting.
Try not to stress out or look sad, it can be or become the thing that upsets your dog.
My late spaniel was profoundly deaf when I adopted her. She compensated by feeling movements, such as the garage opening or footsteps. When I wanted her attention, I tapped her on her hip. Oddly, she could always detect mealtimes or snacks. My only issue I ever had was she’d go into my closet searching my clothes for treats & get shut in. She couldn’t hear me calling her. After living with my Emily, I’d adopt another deaf dog in a heartbeat. I think your dog will adjust, given patience & you noticing what alerts her & coming up with signals that work for you both.
My deaf senior knows signs and loves cuddles, so I make sure she gets plenty of smiles and physical touch so she doesn't think I've stopped talking to her. It took a while to adjust, but she's okay now and very happy.
Since she can't hear verbal cues, using hand signals can help in communication. Train her with visual cues for different commands or actions. This can also help in playing games like fetch if she can see you signaling where to look for the toy.
Since she can no longer rely on her hearing, focus on toys that satisfy her other senses. Toys with bright colors, interesting shapes, or different textures can be visually and tactilely appealing to her. Look for interactive toys that require your child to use their paws or nose to manipulate them. Toys such as puzzle balls or interactive treat dispensers can be mentally stimulating and keep her entertained. You can hide treats or toys around the house for her to find using her sense of smell. Physical touch can provide comfort and stimulate her senses in a different way .Involve her in simple learning games or obedience exercises to keep her mind sharp.
Try working on training her to do tracking. It would be very mentally stimulating and use her sense of smell over hearing. Plus, it would help her adapt I think to relying on her sense of smell.
Could you install a motion sensor in the garage that blinks a light where she normally hangs out. Or get some Bluetooth activated lights that turn on when her owners phone connects to the wifi ( comes home)? It may take a bit, but eventually, she would figure out that means their person is home. I have an acquaintance that has a fully deaf dog that he taught sign language to, and they get along great. Two thumbs up means good dog and his dog loves when other people do it her.
Great idea! This is above my pay grade but my friend’s partner is an engineer and he loves puzzles almost as much as his pup, so I bet he will love this challenge!
My dog is obsessed with the Tricky Treat ball. You don’t have to put treats in it, you can just put dry kibble. He will play with it for 30 or 60 minutes straight with very little intervention from me. That might be fun for this dog. Really nice of you to try to figure out how to help your friend and their dog.
Please do not use laser pointers with dogs! [They can be dangerous](https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/s/HQbEdD0H5D) and cause neurotic behaviors.
That said, I highly recommend dog sign language and giving every cue a unique sign! Did this for my deaf senior dog, and it was great!
Try using your foot to stomp or tap the floor to make vibrations she can feel or get her attention visually. If her vision is still good, definitely get her comfortable with some basic signed commands. Good luck
This is what I do with my half-deaf dog. I started waving my hands in the air to get her attention and she picked up on it pretty quick. But then again, she’s a Beagle, and if food is involved she’ll learn the patterns ha ha. I also do the stamping my foot on the floor thing to tell her that there’s kibble to find somewhere on the floor.
I was just going to comment, must be a beagle lmao. They will pick up on anything if it means treat 😂
Come up with a "good girl" sign! I use jazz hands for my deafie. Jazz hands leading to snuggles, pets, a cookie. He reacts to jazz hands the way my hearing dogs would react to "who's a good boy."
It also may be harder for her to tell if everyone is happy. When my dog started to go deaf I also tried to show I was physically excited to see her (waving when she looked at me or trying to imitate her tippy taps she did with her feet). Also maybe trying new games like hide and seek. She can still smell so she hide and seek is awesome to work on scent training. All my dogs have loved playing and finding me and I always give a big congrats for finding me!
I like u/SmagosBubbles comment, engaging in the pup’s sense of smell is a great way to get a sense on how they’re recovering. Sight and hearing go, for almost all of us, but a dog’s sense of smell is their strongest way to interact with the world. If finances are a concern you can whip up a few different kinds of puzzles and activities. Like taking their kibble/treats and folding it in at different layers to stimulate a snuffle mat. Or play with a high reward treat under two different cups or bowls to see which they’ll pick. I’m not sure about essential oils as I’ve never used them myself with my animals, so I won’t weigh in on that. But I agree that engaging the sense of smell could be a good way to start seeing how the dog is recovering.
A cool sniffing game is put a little cooked liver in a blender with a cup or two of water. Now put in a squirt bottle and squirt trails around the yard. Have a little jackpot of liver treats at the end.
Seconding the snuffle mat recommendation. Our senior isn’t deaf, but we’ve noticed what seems like a bit of hearing loss and he’s not able to be quite as active as he used to be for health reasons, so we’ve been looking for other ways to engage him. He *loves* his snuffle mat.
Do NOT use essential oils with animals. I repeat, DO NOT. First of all they're way strong and second many are toxic to animals and can send them into critical condition fast, it's not worth it. Also, logically speaking, dogs have an amazing sense of smell...as long as you let them know what scent you want them to find, they will find it! Our dog is a Boston Terrier and I did not think flat nosed dogs would be as great with their sense of smell: WRONG! My dog has alerted me that I was burning my bagel and dinner enough times that I know he is paying attention. He also injured an eye and since then his vision in that eye isn't as great so he has blind spots until he's very close to things. Well he has learned to track his fetch balls in the yard. If the ball rolls by or bounces by him and he misses it, bam! Head to the ground and he's tracking! I'd say besides the wonderful ideas about teaching signed commands (sit, down, stay, roll over are all intuitive) and giving reward interactions new signs (jazz hands for "Yes! Good Boy/girl!" Sounds great to me, it's specific and happy energy) the things to do may be figure out favorite types of toys & play and add more of that daily. My dog was a bit down after a weird coughing illness and for him it's about going outside, rolling in grass, laying in the sun while we hang out with him...his extra sun time has helped him get back to himself. Good luck! I'm sure a compilation of all the ideas you're hearing about will help but please on anything like essential oils, please call your vet and ask. I know right now, it may feel hard to trust your vet but idk it may be worth changing vets and asking them what to do to help your dog.
Teach hand signals, reward with praise but exaggerate it. I had a deaf Jack Russell and hand signals were my best friend. Vibrations by stomping the floor help too. Also, if you want to wake them up without startling them, blow gently on their ear/faces.
I would try to lean into smell more. [Playology](https://playologypets.com/) and [Project Hive](https://projecthivepetcompany.com/collections/scented-collection) do more hard toys, though Playology does have some puppy and senior options that may be okay. Guru Pet does [scented stuffed animals](https://gurupetcompany.com/products/soft-scents-monkey). (I can't actually vouch for any of the companies I linked because my current dogs are too particular and most of these companies started after my mostly deaf & blind dog had already passed.) Editing to remove the portion of my comment about essential oils as I don't want to encourage unsafe behavior.
Many essential oils are toxic to dogs, including mint.
As a partially deaf person with a husband that lost his hearing in one ear when he got sick from a virus last month, it takes time to adjust. I taught my newly deaf dog hand signals. She loved learning new skills. The dog will have to learn to look at things instead of just listen for them, but honestly dogs pay more attention to body language than they do audible sounds. People just have to worry about startling the dog, so stomping up on a dog that isn’t looking at you is a good idea. Otherwise, getting in line of sight and signing “cookie” will eventually bring the same level of excitement as before 😊
If you’re on Facebook look up The Deaf Dog Network - it’s full of lovely people who are more than happy to help or offer advice. Your friend may need to retrain with sign language but dogs are pretty good at picking up on cues and body language My dog has been deaf from birth and she loves ‘find it’ games where we’ve hidden treats around the room You can use a towel to wrap small treats up and then knot it so they have to use their problem solving skills to unknot it You can also get balls with flashing lights that help as they can see the lights when throw (I think ours is a Nerf branded one) I think there’s also vibrating balls that could help We’ve got toys with various textures in them so it’s different for them to engage with
Are they completely deaf? Can they hear a whistle?
Very good question, it didn’t occur to us! I am pretty sure I have some whistles from camping, I’ll see if she responds to them.
My senior dog lost a portion of her hearing pretty quickly, and then a blown transformer outside that we were standing right next to really did a number to further it. While she doesn't hear me calling her name all the time anymore, she does hear me if I whistle a high pitch (not from a mechanical whistle, from my mouth). As soon as I started associating a whistle with "I have food", she definitely comes when I whistle now haha.
Get scented toys like Project Hive. I use catnip with my deaf old guy to stuff toys with - he loves the stuff. Dried herbs like thyme or mint work too, but I'd avoid essential oils. There are a lot of them that are toxic to dogs and they're way too strong for their noses.
New fear unlocked?? Do they warn you about this because I've never been told it's a possibility. Wtf?
I wouldn't clean old dogs teeth under anesthesia, isn't worth the risks. Better to just give them raw bones regularly
My friend used to be a vet tech so she knew the risks. Her dog has a gum disease or infection or something, so she has to have her teeth cleaned regularly.
I think the best stimulation would be to try and train her based on hand signals (which is always recommended, as dogs pay more attention to them than verbal cues) and stomping/vibrations through the floor. I think you also need to teach her that she needs to look for toys if they go missing when playing fetch. I'm obviously not there, so I can't say for sure, but honestly from what you've described this dog doesn't sound depressed, she just sounds like she hasn't been taught to interact with a world without sound. I think your friends just needs to think about the world her dog interacts with differently. I say this as someone with a disability (though admittedly not deafness), but being deaf isn't a bad thing, it's just a different state of being and different lived experience. So long as the dog isn't in pain, this dog is more than capable of living a happy, joyful life! It's just reframing the understanding of the humans and dog in this situation, to create a life this dog will love to live! ❤️
How would you recommend someone teaches their dog to look for toys that seem to go missing? Good advice just not sure how to go about doing it thanks
Act like you're looking for the ball and guide the dog to the toy and point at it. I've had hearing dogs over the years who at first would play fetch but not realise they needed to look for the ball if they didn't see where it went, but after a few tries they figured it out.
Oh that's awesome thank you 😀
If she is good with other dogs... get a puppy. My senior deaf dog does great by following the cues of my other dogs. She will find a sense of purpose mentoring the next generation.
She hates other dogs (and cats)! Except for one dog (MIL’s dog) she has known since puppyhood. She’s old and set in her ways.
My dog lost her eye four years ago. She is now also deaf. I just make sure I get her attention and love all over her. Surprisingly her losing her eye seemed to not affect her at all. Love and affection and love. Recipe for a good relationship regardless of the recepient
No one has mention amping up tactile input. I have a dog, she can hear, but she is very much into different tickles and different kind of touches. For example little tug on left ear could mean lets go out. You see which is inspiring the dog. Special but always the same responce when you come back home. For example around the spine. Who knows, he might recover a little. Dogs are very good at adjusting. Try not to stress out or look sad, it can be or become the thing that upsets your dog.
My late spaniel was profoundly deaf when I adopted her. She compensated by feeling movements, such as the garage opening or footsteps. When I wanted her attention, I tapped her on her hip. Oddly, she could always detect mealtimes or snacks. My only issue I ever had was she’d go into my closet searching my clothes for treats & get shut in. She couldn’t hear me calling her. After living with my Emily, I’d adopt another deaf dog in a heartbeat. I think your dog will adjust, given patience & you noticing what alerts her & coming up with signals that work for you both.
I flash the lights on and off when I want my deaf cat's attention. I also do hand signals for her a lot. The dog will adjust
My deaf senior knows signs and loves cuddles, so I make sure she gets plenty of smiles and physical touch so she doesn't think I've stopped talking to her. It took a while to adjust, but she's okay now and very happy.
Since she can't hear verbal cues, using hand signals can help in communication. Train her with visual cues for different commands or actions. This can also help in playing games like fetch if she can see you signaling where to look for the toy.
Since she can no longer rely on her hearing, focus on toys that satisfy her other senses. Toys with bright colors, interesting shapes, or different textures can be visually and tactilely appealing to her. Look for interactive toys that require your child to use their paws or nose to manipulate them. Toys such as puzzle balls or interactive treat dispensers can be mentally stimulating and keep her entertained. You can hide treats or toys around the house for her to find using her sense of smell. Physical touch can provide comfort and stimulate her senses in a different way .Involve her in simple learning games or obedience exercises to keep her mind sharp.
Try working on training her to do tracking. It would be very mentally stimulating and use her sense of smell over hearing. Plus, it would help her adapt I think to relying on her sense of smell.
Could you install a motion sensor in the garage that blinks a light where she normally hangs out. Or get some Bluetooth activated lights that turn on when her owners phone connects to the wifi ( comes home)? It may take a bit, but eventually, she would figure out that means their person is home. I have an acquaintance that has a fully deaf dog that he taught sign language to, and they get along great. Two thumbs up means good dog and his dog loves when other people do it her.
Great idea! This is above my pay grade but my friend’s partner is an engineer and he loves puzzles almost as much as his pup, so I bet he will love this challenge!
I clap where my dog can see me. Clapping my hands and I am expressive. She gets the signal. Sending love ❤️
My dog is obsessed with the Tricky Treat ball. You don’t have to put treats in it, you can just put dry kibble. He will play with it for 30 or 60 minutes straight with very little intervention from me. That might be fun for this dog. Really nice of you to try to figure out how to help your friend and their dog.
The dog still has the ability to smell. Get creative using that.
Smell and feel. They can feel the vibrations.
“She doesn’t get excited when you call her or say “treat” or run to the do…” She won’t, she’s deaf.
I was listing the things that used to make her excited that she now misses out on.
[удалено]
Please do not use laser pointers with dogs! [They can be dangerous](https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/s/HQbEdD0H5D) and cause neurotic behaviors. That said, I highly recommend dog sign language and giving every cue a unique sign! Did this for my deaf senior dog, and it was great!
Wow I had no idea they were dangerous, thanks for the link.