I wrote previously about my experience adopting my dog Alan, a 2-year-old deaf flat-coated retriever mix who'd spent the past year in rescue. Here's an update, in honor of Deaf Dog Awareness Week.Alan has been part of the family for about six weeks now and we're settling into a nice routine. He has calmed down significantly and clearly is starting to feel at home. Recently he has begun barking when strangers pull into the driveway, which I think is a sure sign he now views this home as his territory.
His housetraining has come along well -- as long as I'm vigilant about keeping a schedule and listening to him when he asks to go out. Unfortunately, 5 a.m. seems to be a potty time no matter when we go to bed. On the positive side, I've been enjoying the early autumnal sunrises.
His deafness does present some interesting challenges for training. The biggest obstacle, I find, is the inability to firmly establish an ongoing "No" and "Good" dialog. With previous dogs I've relied heavily on this, but with Alan it's difficult.
We have signs for these things, but I'm never completely sure if he
understands them, and of course he needs to be looking at me to see
them. I do have plenty of chances to tell him "No," as he is an avid
counter surfer and enjoys shopping in the trash cans. When I take his
hard-earned prizes away, he looks completely surprised and dismayed.
I've found it's important to talk and interact with Alan as if he can hear. I treat him exactly like my other dog. At first this seemed kind of silly, but it really is essential to bonding, and he does pick up on the body language and non-verbal pieces of the communication. It has become natural for me and I encourage visitors to do the same.
Now that he has acclimated to his new home, we'll begin training in earnest. I'll be ordering a vibration collar and getting down to work. He has already learned to sit, lie down, stay and come, but he views these as highly optional and only worth the effort with the proper incentive. Distance recall is my top priority. I'm also going to start socializing him, as he can be a little skittish and seems to be becoming too exclusively bonded to me.
For anyone contemplating adopting a deaf dog, I would recommend it without hesitation. You need to be willing to put a little more effort into training, but otherwise they are fine pets and companions. Too many of these dogs are looking for good homes and are too often overlooked.
For more information about living with and training deaf pets, visit the Deaf Dog Education Action Fund at deafdogs.org.
Previous entry:
Staff Happy Tail: A friend for Sophie
I've found it's important to talk and interact with Alan as if he can hear. I treat him exactly like my other dog. At first this seemed kind of silly, but it really is essential to bonding, and he does pick up on the body language and non-verbal pieces of the communication. It has become natural for me and I encourage visitors to do the same.
Now that he has acclimated to his new home, we'll begin training in earnest. I'll be ordering a vibration collar and getting down to work. He has already learned to sit, lie down, stay and come, but he views these as highly optional and only worth the effort with the proper incentive. Distance recall is my top priority. I'm also going to start socializing him, as he can be a little skittish and seems to be becoming too exclusively bonded to me.
For anyone contemplating adopting a deaf dog, I would recommend it without hesitation. You need to be willing to put a little more effort into training, but otherwise they are fine pets and companions. Too many of these dogs are looking for good homes and are too often overlooked.
For more information about living with and training deaf pets, visit the Deaf Dog Education Action Fund at deafdogs.org.
Previous entry:
Staff Happy Tail: A friend for Sophie
Hi Jared. It's Jo Anne, from Marino's Marnia. I'm sorry I have to contact you this way, but we do not have updated contact information on your file. We only have an old phone number and the Pet Finder business phone number. You requested a price estimate, if you could call the marina our number is (727) 784-0143, we can get you the price. Thank you!
I need to tell somebody about a woman in Maine who collects poodles. She goes on the internet at the library and reads the paper. She has only seven. She shaves them when she gets them.She just keeps trying to get more. She also had 60-70 cats. She does not believe in in letting the cats who are living their lives on a particular high place because they are scared to get down. She does not believe any of theses animals needy joy in their lives. She also has ferrets and birds. None are allowed out of their cages.
She sounds very sincere and loving when she speaks but there is no joy in her life or the animals lives. A poodle rescue in Mass., placed poodles in her home and shipped them to her. The adoption required a home visit . i f they went to her home for a home visit, she would never been allowed to adopt. She now has blind poodles. Her house smells like cat urine and it makes ones eyes smart to be in that house. This was 20 something years ago. The dept of mental health leaves clients dogs with her when the owner has to go inpatient. She claims she has allergies to dogs and that why she wants a poodle. Sh has no allergies. The animal control people have not done anything. I don't know whatthe law is about how many cats one can have in the city.She uses bleach continually,which is harmful to the animals. She just has no love or caring for these animals. When I was there a very long time ago 20 years or more when I went back to Maine She had two poodles....now she is trying to collect more.
She does not have a regular vet because they wil not see her animals anymore. She is still trying to get more poodles. She talks like she knows animals. She only gives them minimum care and spes all her time cleaning and trying to keep litter boxes clean for 60 or more cats.I believe she gets her satisfaction from the cleaning. She also gets praise for her rescue efforts. The cat urine smell is so strong that ones eyes water. My computer keeps going down so, I cannot notify the poodles rescues esp. in New England poodle rescue. My computer keeps going down on other sites but seems work on this site.I hve tried the poodle sites but my computer knocks me out. I will hopelly get it fixed sometime in the next two weeks. I Iam 68 years old and living in CT. I have been a long time animal rescuer since I was young. I am from Maine and talked to people who told me, Sally is still doing what she has been doing for decades. I am not surprised she is trying to get poodles contantly by any means.
She shaves them so they wont need anything done to them. She is also clean and bleaches everything but the smell is staggering and the animals but e harmed by the bleach odor. No animal or human should have to live wth the stench that I smelled 20 years ago and has not changed but only gotten worse.
Please email one poodle rescue in New England Perhaps theMass. one that can't get on their site as I am thrown out. It is called THe N.E. poodle rescue ,I believe. This woman's name is Sally Rollins. She lives on Brackett St. in Portland Me.
My name is Jean Corsini in CT. You have my email and if some one wants to talk with me ,I will give them my tel: number. I do not want to get sued but feel she has been doing this for decades and cannot stand the thought of helpless blind poodles who cannot fight other podles to protect themselves.or any dogs living in an environment that has no love or caring.
I am one of the Friday group walkers at FOF,and we are flipping with delight over your adoption. Alan is a great pup,filled with love and boundless energy. Thank you for giving him such a wonderful new life.
I knew Alan. I was one of the volunteers at FOR OUR FRIENDS, the Queens group that rescued him and kept him for over a year until his wonderful home with Jared came along. We all loved Alan, he was gorgeous and playful and sure loved his treats. He was a favorite among the volunteers and all of us are more than thrilled that he has found his forever home.