Rapidly going deaf

[angelaw]

Duchess is a little over 12 years old now with spondylosis. She's trained with verbal commands. Anyone with tried and true ways of using signals? I know while she's still able to hear (within a few feet like 3!!) but I don't want to do normal sit, since she has back problems. Just every day commands.

My biggest problem is when I let her outside to do her business. She wanders into the side yard, etc (No I don't stay out there, sometimes she just likes to go and lay down for 20 min). So obviously I'm out there yelling for her, no response. I need something to get her attention to let her know I'm looking for her. I thought of using the e collar vibrate feature, but I'd have to get a 4th collar since 3 are already in use normally.

Last night I thought I lost her. Calling for her in the house, look in my room, looked in the other bedrooms, garage, outside nothing. Son gets ready to grab a flash light, I go back into my bedroom. Now mind you, there is about 5 feet to the right side of my bed, 10 to the left side. Calling her from the door (5ft to bed now) no response. I start toward the left side, then she hears me a few feet away.

So I obviously need to figure something out.

[WiscTiger]

Angela, a couple of things come to mind.

Start using Hand Signals with your verbals now.

Also I know there are ecollars out there with a paging feature, like a vibation no shock or a sound page. Most old dogs don't go totally deaf, so the sound on a collar might work.

Val

[marylou]

Too bad they don't make a tiny cell phone you could attach to her collar - you could call it and then find the "ring" or if she could hear it ring, teach her to come when it rang.

When my Heidi went deaf, we had to do the "search" for her, also. If she was outside in the yard at night, she learned that if we flipped on and off the outside light to come in.

[Lauri & The Gang]

Make your own vibrating collar:

http://www.deafdogs.org/resources/vibracollar.php

[Lauri & The Gang]

Find your missing keys (or dog):

http://www.keyringer.com/

[Lauri & The Gang]

They also make blinking lights you can attach to their collars (I had one for Neke).

I'll see if I can Google those.

[Lauri & The Gang]

Here you go:

http://www.jazzylites.com/Product_De...p?ProductID=85

[Mandalay]

Maybe it might be better to just tether her when she is out after dark. I would hate to see another animal get into your yard and surprise her and hurt her in some way.

[GSD10]

My Mas starting going deaf last year. I use the basic hand signals with him, like someone said, do the hand signals with your girl so she makes the association now.

At night I flick a light for Mas to come inside if he is not watching me at the door. He learned that trick fairly quickly.

How about putting a small bell on her so you know where she is next time you can't locate her?

Clapping also works well since they feel the vibrations.

Good luck, it is really not as bad as I had anticipated

[debbiebrown]

toby is also starting to loose his hearing at almost 13 years. i have always used hand signals with my commands, and glad i did. thankfully i have two other dogs here, and they all go out to do their business together in the mornings and last thing at night. i do stand in the door and watch them. they all come back quite quickly because they know they will get a treat. this is something i always did. so, deaf or not, thats one sure way to get him and all of them back inside in a hurry so they do dilly dally.

debbie