*Training a Deaf DogHow a dog is able to follow orders correctly through hand signals and body language. We can use the dogs other senses such as sight to train him.
The focus of this training is based mostly on the visual and body language rather than verbal commands. The use of hand signals or body language can be easily learned by most dogs. There are things you will need to always keep in mind regarding this type of training. First, you must always be consistent to avoid confusion for the dog, you must be clear, you must be visible from a distance, and lastly you should distinguish each signal from one another. Attention and distraction are the two most difficult factors you will be up against in training a deaf dog. The most difficult part of training a deaf dog is keeping the dog's attention and focus on you. Remember he relies on his vision to get your command and sometimes it is difficult to relay a message through facial expressions and body language. There are a lot of ways in which to attract the attention of your deaf dog. One of them being the use of food as a reward. You may also use an object such as a toy to attract his attention. Since a deaf dog's attention cannot be regained easily, try to eliminate distractions as much as possible. Consider finding ways to substitute verbal praise and commands in conveying your message to your dog. The challenge of finding a substitute for verbal praise and feedback for your deaf dog can be difficult if you have not evaluated your dog correctly. The evaluation will be your guide in which you learn what facial expressions or body language to use in representing a command for the dog that they easily understand. The first thing you need to do in order for your dog to carry out the command is to establish a signal that will be easily recognized by your dog. He needs to understand that he is doing it correctly. This will make it much easier for you to relay other things that you want him to do. Just make sure to take things one step at a time and be consistent. Constantly practice the command with him so he gets familiar. Training a deaf dog requires a lot of patience and commitment. If you give fifty percent patience in training hearing dogs you have to double it for deaf dogs. Commitment should be your number one tool in making this work and for not quitting or loosing hope. It takes much more time and effort to train a dog with a disability, but just hang in there and your patience will allow you to be able to achieve your goal. Just believe in yourself and in your dog that you will be able to master all the commands.
