Adopting a DeafBlind puppy or dog
Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 2:17 am
Hi
I am interested in fostering/taking in a DeafBlind puppy or dog in the near future that otherwise would not get a home.
Using sign language is not a problem I have an extensive vocab of sign, my own dogs were brought up using sign so a dog with enough sight to see some signs would pretty much get taught words the way mine were.
My question is what if the dog is totally blind and deaf? or has sight so limited signing is not useful, (maybe it could only see the difference between light and dark) or had no sight at all and not enough hearing to distinguish and learn 'words'... how do you teach commands?
My young collie has well over a 250 word/sign vocab but he has normal hearing and low vision due to 'holes' in his eyes (causing small blind spots in his field of vision) My old dog although going deaf and blind is now 14, and can be easily directed around as she knows the routine. ... but a puppy or a dog I was fostering that had gone deaf/blind (i might be given an older deaf dog that was struggling cos it had also developed cataracts or an unwanted abandoned puppy cos it had been deafblind).
Where would I start? Would you expect the same or instantly make exceptions for everything such as it doesn't matter if this one poops in the house it won't get told off, or 'we won't bother toilet training her, she can just poop anywhere and we'll clear up', or is there a way to teach it? how does it learn 'outside' when it can't hear the word or see what 'outside' is to go there?
As anyone successfully taught a deafblind dog the same amount of commands as a sighted/hearing dog entirely through touch commands?
Thanks
I am interested in fostering/taking in a DeafBlind puppy or dog in the near future that otherwise would not get a home.
Using sign language is not a problem I have an extensive vocab of sign, my own dogs were brought up using sign so a dog with enough sight to see some signs would pretty much get taught words the way mine were.
My question is what if the dog is totally blind and deaf? or has sight so limited signing is not useful, (maybe it could only see the difference between light and dark) or had no sight at all and not enough hearing to distinguish and learn 'words'... how do you teach commands?
My young collie has well over a 250 word/sign vocab but he has normal hearing and low vision due to 'holes' in his eyes (causing small blind spots in his field of vision) My old dog although going deaf and blind is now 14, and can be easily directed around as she knows the routine. ... but a puppy or a dog I was fostering that had gone deaf/blind (i might be given an older deaf dog that was struggling cos it had also developed cataracts or an unwanted abandoned puppy cos it had been deafblind).
Where would I start? Would you expect the same or instantly make exceptions for everything such as it doesn't matter if this one poops in the house it won't get told off, or 'we won't bother toilet training her, she can just poop anywhere and we'll clear up', or is there a way to teach it? how does it learn 'outside' when it can't hear the word or see what 'outside' is to go there?
As anyone successfully taught a deafblind dog the same amount of commands as a sighted/hearing dog entirely through touch commands?
Thanks