Caring for a deaf Frenchie?

turbodave · Aug 7, 2015

I've been asked if I would be interested in adopting an 11 week old brindle girl but she's deaf. I don't know how to properly care for one though.

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Squishy Walnuts · Aug 7, 2015

Definitely talk to Jess [MENTION=894]blushy[/MENTION]. She's done a great job with Titan and training. I think it would be a challenge but it should be manageable.

turbodave · Aug 7, 2015

Yes, hopefully [MENTION=894]blushy[/MENTION] will chime in. I've followed Titan's progress with great interest. He's been through so much and shows great courage.

Cbrugs · Aug 7, 2015

[MENTION=193]winginit66[/MENTION] would also have some tips for you.

turbodave · Aug 7, 2015

The little girl goes in for her physical tomorrow, so I'll know more about her general health then.

Nek Mos · Aug 7, 2015

turbodave said:
I've been asked if I would be interested in adopting an 11 week old brindle girl from the same place we got Benjamin and bitty but she's deaf. I don't know how to properly care for one though.

Hey, I can tell you a bit about what it's like having a deaf pup. My pup has very limited hearing and it was apparent at a very early age. She doesn't respond to sounds or her name being called. If she is sleeping she can't be woken up by noises. Some of the methods of like slapping a rolled up newspaper on the ground to interrupt her or shaking a can with coins in it to get her attention completely didn't register. I could walk up to her and snap my fingers next to her ear while either awake or asleep and she wouldn't hear. She's been like this since birth and she is now 10 months old.

Having said all that, I hope I have not discouraged you. As you know, dogs have amazing senses all around and are quite clever. So even though my pup might not react to the noise, she does react to what i assume is the resonance or vibration from the sound e.g. i use a deeper voice when giving her a command, she reacts to the vibration caused from opening/closing doors in our smallish condo. If she's not near me, I often find my self waving at her so she sees me in her periphery and when she turns to me, then I can issue hand commands!

As for my suggestion if you adopt this deaf puppy, play to all of her other senses that are super keen such as being consistent with the hand signals you use for her commands. Use body language and your physical presence to indicate to her. Use facial expressions and tactility to communicate. She'll understand you before too long.

So even though i don't have a dog that comes running to me when I call its name, i still love my frenchie all the same!

blushy · Aug 7, 2015

I love my deaf frenchie! He's a HANDFUL... But the deaf part really shouldn't discourage you. It's really rather a relief to not have a dog respond to every single little noise that's made... Especially as we know frenchies can be over reactive!

Hand signals as mentioned above are so important. And it's actually pretty tough to train more than the basics IMO, but these are my first two dogs and one happens to be deaf. Persistence is key, and even if they only ever learn a few commands, hey, you taught your DEAF DOG commands and tricks! I think it's great!

It's really no different beyond using your hands instead of your words, and you need to take extra precaution to the other dogs towards the deaf pup, since they can't hear if they are being "warned" or "put in place" while they're playing... You also need extra precautions when walking them, especially off leash, because if they don't look at you, they aren't "listening", it's rather nerve wracking! Haha!

If you can take on another, and you think she'll be a good fit, give it a go! Titan's temperament is SO mellow compared to Isabelle! He wouldn't be the pup he is if he wasn't deaf... He still wrestles like a maniac frenchie, still talks and barks (even more so than Isabelle!), everything you love about a frenchie, minus noise reaction.

https://vimeo.com/135690015

See? Can't even tell he's deaf...

I'm jumping all over the place! Excuse my rambling.

If you have any specifics that I probably left out just tag me!

I've learned so much over these months of owning Titan! So I might have more to offer!

Alice Kable · Aug 7, 2015

If she's a good fit with your other 2 I'd go for it! :heart:

turbodave · Aug 7, 2015

Here's a couple pic, if her physical comes out good tomorrow I think we'll go for her.

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Jakeyjake · Aug 7, 2015

Awww that melts my heart. Look at her sweet face. That's awesome you are going to have a new addition to the family! Congrats! Hope she is healthy otherwise.

blushy · Aug 7, 2015

turbodave said:
Here's a couple pic, if her physical comes out good tomorrow I think we'll go for her.

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Oh what a sweetie!

At least you know she's deaf before hand unlike us who purchased ours and then switched to a new vet after 4 weeks who tells us he's deaf!

Titan has one kidney that had a "little lower functioning" than the other, but nothing to worry about according to the vet which I trust so that's good.

I hope it works out! Really it's not much different but I did remember to condition, condition, condition! Get in her face, check her ears, teeth, feet, tail, roll them around, etc CONSTANTLY. Titan gets a little grumpy if the vet checks his ears and makes an angry face haha! But not for us, but he gets annoyed and it's partially my fault for not remembering to condition him (since I never had to clean his ears as a baby puppy), but it's even more important with deaf dogs because (now that I own one and realize) they can't hear what's going on.

Hoping to hear tomorrow that you're taking her into your family!

mhuinker · Aug 7, 2015

turbodave said:
Here's a couple pic, if her physical comes out good tomorrow I think we'll go for her.

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She's so cute I can't stand it!!

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Tgirl · Aug 7, 2015

Oh wow, how beautiful she is. I'm sure with some patience and understanding she would do just fine.

Nek Mos · Aug 8, 2015

You'll do fine if you adopt her, OP. It's not much different, but just got keep a closer eye on her when out and about really. Just the other day my pup was getting barked at by another dog for coming to close, and my pup was oblivious to it.

My dog has been trained to sit, stay, come, lie down, turn around, bark, silent bark, leave it, give....based on hand commands. So all long as she's looking at you she'll know what you want.

Have fun with the new pup!

winginit66 · Aug 9, 2015

Hi Dave. Best of luck! And kudos to you for accepting the challenge! Wilson is unilaterally deaf. We took him to our vet when we had figured out something was going on to have him checked out and make sure it wasn't an infection or something. We could have taken him to Va. Tech to have it confirmed, but we decided against spending the $ when it wasn't going to change anything. There is a local lady, Christine, who runs Deaf Dogs Rock. You can get lots of great info. Find her on FB or at Deaf Dogs Rock. Before Wilson, I had NO idea there were as many deaf dogs out there as there are... Anyway, keep us posted.

turbodave · Aug 9, 2015

Well, we got Lucy home. She's so tiny. Now the puppy training (both ways) begins. https://vimeo.com/135789829

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mhuinker · Aug 9, 2015

turbodave said:
Well, we got Lucy home. She's so tiny. Now the puppy training (both ways) begins. https://vimeo.com/135789829

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blushy · Aug 9, 2015

turbodave said:
Well, we got Lucy home. She's so tiny. Now the puppy training (both ways) begins. https://vimeo.com/135789829

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OMG OMG OMG OMG [emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji173]️

How much does she weigh? Mine was 3.3 when he came home. Now he's 18 at 9 months.

eeturk · Aug 9, 2015

Ahhh I love!! It's so cute how B & B get excited about her and then start to bicker themselves [emoji23]. She looks brave and spunky!!

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Chiana · Aug 9, 2015

turbodave said:
Well, we got Lucy home. She's so tiny. Now the puppy training (both ways) begins. https://vimeo.com/135789829

OMG! She is so cute!! :havemyheart: She will be such a bundle of joy in your family :heart:
I just keep staring at her photos and video...she is so tiny and precious!
I'm sure she will pick up the drift of the family in no time...and she have big sis and bro to play with

...once more OMG!!!