Recently I hosted a free Q&A on training deaf dogs, with my friend and colleague, Zach from Evolved Dog Training, who specializes in training hearing impaired dogs. Here are some of the key takeaways from the Q&A:
- Train hand signals
- Train gentle, tactile cues, like a light touch to the rump or side for attention
- Only use a vibration only collar once hand signals and tactile have been trained and only do this under the supervision of a qualified trainer (like Zach!) who can teach you how to properly condition the collar to ensure this doesn’t hurt or scare your dog.
- Interrupt play with other dogs if needed, since your deaf dog can’t hear other dogs’ warning signals.
- NEVER use a shock collar.
If you missed the Q&A you can watch it here!
Happy training!
