The last week of September is reserved for the appreciation of deaf dogs and it’s called National Deaf Dog Awareness Week. This year, the days to celebrate these amazing dogs are 23rd to 29th of September.
Dogs are amazing creatures with an even more amazing sense of hearing. They rely on this sense and life without can be hard and challenging. Some dogs are born deaf and they manage to get used to that very easy, but many dogs lose their hearing later in life, most commonly with old age.
Training with deaf dogs can be quite challenging because they cannot hear the clicker or even a verbal praise. In this case, we have to rely on our positive emotions and vibrations that dogs can read quite well 🙂
Because dogs rely on their hearing so much, losing this sense can be very confusing for them. Caring for a deaf dog or even approaching one has to be done very carefully. Our movements around them should not be erratic or sudden, and we should always approach them face front and not from behind.
Patience while trying to teach them something or correct a certain behavior should be first on our list.
Dogs with special needs, like these dogs that lost their hearing, need more love and attention to make them feel that they are part of the group and feel more normal. Extra loving can be very reassuring for an anxious dog that just lost their hearing.
Celebrate this week with your deaf dog and do something special, take them to their favorite place at the park and give them their favorite treats. Spoil them with love and attention 🙂
Happy National Deaf Dog Awareness Week!
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