Deaf AND Blind Dog Training

[magnacare]

Hello, I am a dog trainer in Grand Rapids, MI. I also work rescue, and have a pet care company.

I recently rescued a Blind and Deaf Dogo Argentino, from gang bangers who had just cut his ears off. Mika is so non-aggressive and VERY food motivated. I have taught him come, sit and we are working on down and stay. He occasionally does some nipping and corn cobbing when he gets excited or wants to play, although it is not constant like when I first rescued him.

I am DESPERATE to find an EXPERIENCED trainer in my area who can coach/help me with more advanced blind/deaf dog training for Mika. I am hoping someone, somewhere, can share a trainer they might know of near me. Mika is such a loving and sweet dog, although a lot of work, I WILL NOT give up on him.

I have 3 of my own dogs, and Mika has yet to be introduced to my pack as he play bows, and swats at my gang. When my pack warns him to calm down or back off he cannot hear or see their warnings and I am afraid one of my pack may bite him and make him fearful and cause a fight reaction. So far Mika has no fear of anything except when his ears are prodded. I am just not experienced enough with blind and deaf dog training, I need someone more experienced to help me out. Mika so wants to play with the pack and have other canine companionship and I want more than anything to give that to him. Anyone having experience with these issues I would love to hear from.

Thank you for reading and responding.

Best 'Regards,

Tonya Choryan, Founder
PAWSitively Pampering Pet Care, LLC

[WufWuf]

Hi there welcome to the forum.

You'll get more views and responses if you post this in the Dog Training Advice section. Hopefully the experts will be able to help.

If you could add a little more detail about your 3 current dogs and also Mika's age, is he entire, how long have you had him, how long ago were his ears removed?

Dogs usually need people far more then they need other dogs so don't worry too much about that for the moment. You are doing the right thing for all of them by keeping them seperated.

[Horace's Mum]

Hi there!! Just a brief post cos I have little time, but didn't want to not reply at all. I have a deaf and partially sighted dog, who had no social skills at all with dogs (or anything else come to that) when he came to me. It is entirely possible for them to learn to read other dogs with a little help on your part, and help from your own dogs, but it is two-fold. You need to really make sure your other dogs have good general obedience, especially a call away command, so you can ask them to move away if they feel threatened or uncomfortable. That helps keep them safe, as they realise you are watching and keeping them safe. Then with Mica you need to be prepared to step in and gently find a way to remove him from a situation of there is growling etc. This needs to be non-threatening and as gentle as possible - if possible teach him a tap on the bottom or something similar means turn around and move away (just make sure you know which way he will turn, so maybe teach the tap right and left handed). With Horus, when he had his head stuck under someone and wasn't watching, and that dog started to stiffen or growl or hackle, I would get cheese and put it in front of his face to guide him away, and reward him for coming with me. Obviously no cheese of other dog may react around food. Gradually he learned from this to pick up on the stiffening, or the sense of growling, and now has quite exceptional awareness of body language - to the point where I have to be very careful because he will pick up stuff that most owners don't see, but I have learned to spot and keep him away from dogs I know he will struggle with (but as I said, he has other issues too).

Hope that gives you some ideas, well done for your progress so far, I am sure you will get him integrated but don't rush it, and consider your other dogs at all times as well as him. As others have said, I love watching Horus play with his friends but he is far happier not having to meet and be social with random dogs, so we just more or less stick to his friends these days. Be prepared to integrate into your little "pack" but be wary of assuming that means he can or should meet strange dogs as well. Good luck!!

[magnacare]

Thank you so much for your reply, I will give the things you suggested a try. Little by little Mika is sharing some time with my oldest, non reactive dog, but only in short bursts just to intro them.

Thank you again for responding.