# Training a hearing impaired little dog to come



## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

So... All the videos I've seen on YouTube for training dear or hearing impaired dogs are big dogs. I'm trying to find small dog ones... 

I've read a lot too.... and most things I think I can adapt... but the one thing that seems hard is the "come".

This is important... "Come" is one of those commands I believe every dog should learn ASAP.

Needless to say, Grace has been my challenge, which I thought was her spunk and then possible brain damage... but since the ear surgery and reading up on hearing impaired pets - definitely think Grace doesn't hear very well.

Come has been a huge struggle. She doesn't do it... Sometimes she does, but I've figured out it is because of other cues - her bag, my keys, me putting on a hat (hair is growing  ), Gus running to me or following me, her plate, etc.

I didn't plan it but if I hold one finger up (like you do when pointing at someone doing something ... like "hey, stop it"...) She stops moving and will stand still, sort of move sideways toward you to let you pick her up. This developed when she began thinking it was SO FUN to play zoomies when I'd want her to come. Which I know she didn't totally understand now... so I'm careful with how I approach her when I do want her to come so she doesn't think it's an invite to start a game. I will hold my finger up and she will stand... that is our own "sign" for her that I need to pick her up.

But "Come"... not so easy. I think I could do it if she is looking at me - could do the "come" sign... but what about when she isn't looking at me?

I think she hears muffles of sound at certain pitches. And she definitely feels vibrations. Smart girl turns and looks at you when she thinks you are talking to her - if you move, if she hears any sound... of course I'm speculating. But she does look at people often - this has been something she does more and more over time - like she knows we are saying something to her.

We don't feel testing her is significant at this time... don't want her under again... but have been doing tests. I will stand completely still when she has been laying in another room, or stay in my room when she is somewhere else and call her or make sound and she doesn't move. The hard part is - the second Gus moves she gets up too.... She relies on him quite a bit, which I'm okay with.

Most of the things I read and the videos on youtube use vibrating collars to teach "Come". Just vibrations not shock.

I was wondering if this is something that I should consider for Grace?

I worry about when we go out. She goes with me to a lot of places... and though she is wonderful and stays in her bag or on my lap usually... I do worry about the "what if"... what if she got away from me? I don't know if she'd be able to hear me over the sounds of roads and people.... 

Does vibration training work for tiny dogs? Is it safe? Not even sure if they make one small enough....

Anyone who has a hearing impaired dog - any suggestions on this one?

Thanks!


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## eiksaa (Jun 8, 2012)

This is not very reliable so it can't be the only solution but one thing you could teach her is to always pay attention to you every few seconds. When we do agility with Gustave, the trainer asked me to reward him every single time he looks at me, and then reward randomly when he looks at me, but always acknowledge it somehow (praise, pet them, whatever she likes). They also asked me to practice this at home. 

This is because agility courses are laid out to be confusing to dogs, so it's helpful if they are looking at you for direction. Specially because agility rings are so loud you can't rely on verbal commands. I have seen Gustave is always checking in with me before he does something. If he hears the door bang outside, he looks at me for a second and THEN starts barking. Many times if I can react on time I can stop him from barking by interacting with him when he looks at me. You could watch the agility video on my youtube page(linked in signature) to see how he goes off course because he watches me as I mess up and don't direct him towards the table with my body language. 

I know this isn't very reliable in case of emergency, but perhaps an emergency situation could be avoided if she checks in with you first. 


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks Aastha.... That is an idea for when out.

I don't want her to have to constantly look at me or be "on" .... but maybe for awhile that would help so she learns to look at me and check with me before doing anything when we are out.

Might take awhile but.... yes, it is an option


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

I think Susan uses a flashing clicker to train Callie for hand signals. I'm wondering if you could use lights (like a laser pointer) aimed toward the ground in front of her to get her attention from afar and then teach her a "come" command signal. For my two, I always have a verbal and hand signal for commands. You need to practice both together and separately to really reinforce the verbal cue and hand cue. Practice and consistency will yield the best results. 


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Will think about lights  

I know laser pointers are dangerous if they get right in the dog's eye...but could try to avoid that.

And yes... Gus knows voice and hand commands. But if we are out and he is turned away from me I can call his name and he immediately looks at me.

Can't do that with Grace..... She never looks. And like I said - for a long time just thought it was her sassy self being stubborn. But now I know she can't hear well.

We've changed how we do some things - we are careful when coming into a room if Grace doesn't see... try to not sneak up on her or startle her as often. I've been trying to remember to incorporate more hand signals when talking to her so she can start learning what I want.

Normally she stays really close to me. She doesn't go far, and she will come look for me if I leave her in another room.... so that is good  

But I worry when we are out. I guess the main thing right now is that she never be off leash anywhere, even if we are inside. If it's not our home, she should be on a leash....


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

My deaf neighbours had a deaf dog, they would tap the floor with their feet 
, kinda like we would pat our leg to get them to come... their dog could feel the vibration. If she was in the other room they might have to tap or almost stomp it so Taffy could feel it... Maybe while she still hears, try doing that in conjunction with the word "come" and a treat until she gets it...
They wore slippers with thicker soles so the tapping would be more effective..

Maybe that might work...


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

We've tried tapping - but everywhere here is tile on cement so no vibrations, and it hurts my leg LOL

Craziness.... ugh.

But will have to see if the places we go that is different.... would be an idea 

From experimenting the last few weeks... she doesn't hear much. Certain tones are better than others but it's hard to really tell. I do know that when she's laying on the bed beside me she doesn't hear a whisper or normal voice, I have to raise my voice like if I was trying to talk to someone on the other side of a big room (not really shouting).... then she will turn her head and look at me. If I tap her, blow on her, or move she looks 

I'm going to take all these suggestions and see what works for us


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Tori - Gee Tyler's not great at 'come' and he has no excuses. :blink: :brownbag: Just a mom who should do better. I know you're worried if you're out but I never have Tyler off leash when we're out...ever unless we're in the small dog run. There are way too many hazards where we live -- traffic, big aggressive dogs and little aggressive dogs, people with their heads buried in the iphones, hawks etc for me to feel comfortable with him off leash so maybe if you make sure she's on a leash at all times when you're outside with her, it would be safest and give you peace of mind. Maybe Aastha's looking at you check would work inside. I don't think Grace would constantly look at you but when she is about to do something she probably would and then use hand signs for come or whatever you want her to do.


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

Steve doesn't come when I call him unless he feels like it. So I'm with you Sue.


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## eiksaa (Jun 8, 2012)

Snowbody said:


> I don't think Grace would constantly look at you but when she is about to do something she probably would and then use hand signs for come or whatever you want her to do.


You're right, Sue. That's the idea. The dog checks in with you before doing something out of the ordinary. Like going chasing after a squirrel. Not for everyday tasks like eating food. 




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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

When my first Maltese went partially deaf at the age of 10 vibration worked best, thumping on the floor and walls. A high pitched whistle also helped until he went completely deaf and he cld no longer hear the high pitch and I always kept a bell around his neck so I knew where he was in the house or yard and on occasion flicking the lights at night grabbed his attention....hope this helps


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks for all the suggestions 

High pitches don't seem to register for her much - some do. Will have to try whistling.... . Which explains why my sister's "bark box" never phased her! The high pitched sound the anti-bark training things use - Grace can't hear I guess.

Lower louder sounds she hears, and she definitely picks up on vibrations and air movement.

Will have to try the somehow with her not in the room or without her knowing. She's so good at looking like she hears LOL have to be careful how much I move when trying things.


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

Well now I'm confused - is this hearing loss due to the ruptured ear drum? Because I thought that was only in one ear, so wouldn't her other ear be ok? Or are you thinking she's always been hearing impaired? Have you ever had her hearing tested? Sounds like she is pretty good at picking up visual cues. 


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

I know she heard just fine when we brought her home as a puppy.

Things changed after the vaccine incident at 14 weeks and she had all those really high fevers... she was also overloaded with medications.

Thinking that is when all this started. Know she had nerve damage from it, which has gotten better with the homeopathic remedies - she pees wonderfully now 

But once he said her ear drum was ruptured and he was questioning her hearing, things started making sense. Things Grace does or doesn't do, noises she doesn't react to, the fact Gus has to always bark first before Grace will (unless she is startled by someone), she doesn't come to the sound of food on her plate - I have to go get her and show her. She doesn't respond to the clicker anymore (did before 14 weeks).

She is good at paying attention, but she's also very "clingy" - which I thought was because I'm with her all the time but she really prefers to be near me - within a few feet. Rarely will she go into another room. When I leave her with my mother she says she won't move from her lap, and if she wants her to go anywhere she has to carry her.

She uses smell and sight much more than Gus. So she has found ways to adapt. And the last few weeks we've adjusted some things assuming she has hearing loss and some things have gotten better. 

Will have to talk to my vet about a hearing test. Have been reading and they don't always have to be sedated.

So yes - thinking she has had hearing loss since 14 weeks, and this was just the first time it's been brought up because she hasn't had any ear issues before this.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I forgot about flicking lights. That's how the doorbell worked, they could see the lights go on and off and Taffy would bark and go get them.
When my Amy went deaf, we'd do a combination of things,she eventually went blind too, she was 15.5 yrs old...
thumping on the floors and walls worked best for her...


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

Did I miss something? Has Grace actually been diagnosed as deaf? Before you jump to conclusions I would ask the vet for a BAER test (brainstem auditory evoked response) to be certain. Even in light of the ear surgery I wouldn't necessarily assume she was deaf. She could have residual hearing in one or both ears. I know sometimes I would swear that mine could be deaf at certain times, LOL. But they hear just fine....when they want to!


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

pammy4501 said:


> Did I miss something? Has Grace actually been diagnosed as deaf? Before you jump to conclusions I would ask the vet for a BAER test (brainstem auditory evoked response) to be certain. Even in light of the ear surgery I wouldn't necessarily assume she was deaf. She could have residual hearing in one or both ears. I know sometimes I would swear that mine could be deaf at certain times, LOL. But they hear just fine....when they want to!


I thought this too.... but so many things make sense now.

And since assuming she is hearing impaired (the vet said this first) - doing things differently the last few weeks Grace has blossomed.

But - once the ear infection stuff is cleared up - as it would need to be - I am going to ask about a hearing test.

But like Jackie said awhile ago - if it wouldn't change something like medical treatment - there may not be a benefit in the test if she does have to go under for it.

No harm in training her like a hearing impaired dog right now if it is working.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Vibrating collars work fine. It will be hard to find one small enough. 

I use a large hand signal for a recall so my dog can see it. 

Since it really does not sound like she is completely deaf, finding a tone she hears best will be best. Many dogs hear hunting whistles very well. 

Past that it is management. Use a long line outside for safety.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

My dogs often have selective listening too -(shockingly, just like my kids  ) 

And I think this is what my dogs are really muttering under their breath when they act like they don't hear me. 
Dr.Dolittle funny vet scene - YouTube

Hope you find something that works with Grace!


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

LOL Stacy 

Thanks Jamie...


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