The Critical Mistake We Make When Training Deaf Dogs

I like to give advice about training deaf dogs as there isn't much out there. We wrote previously about what you should start with when you're training a deaf dog, but now I want to touch on something I see many people doing wrong! It's something they don't even think about, but it's a critical mistake that's easy to fix.

Don't be quiet!

Your dog can't hear, but you still NEED to speak! Speaking and moving your mouth and body is CRUCIAL! Giving signs is obviously important, but giving a thumbs up with a straight face means a lot less to your dog than seeing a thumbs up with a big ol' smile on your face!

Our body language is not natural if we don't speak. We are stiff and awkward and your dog will pick up on that.

Never stop talking to your deaf dog, ever. Even if you aren't giving cues and you're just sitting around watching tv, if they're close enough they can feel vibrations of you speaking.

They're picking up so much

When training Keller, I always speak to her. Sure, she can complete her behaviors just by me giving specific visual cues, but I can always tell she's less interested if I'm silent. I've actually noticed Keller pick up on some cues by just watching my lips. Sit is the main example as it's a short word and your mouth will always move the same way when saying it.

It's amazing what a dog can do. Just remember to never stop speaking!