Living With A Deaf Dog - 2nd Edition: A Book of Training Advice, Facts and Resources About Canine Deafness Caused by Genetics, Aging, Illness.

By Susan Cope Becker

Sharing Life With A Deaf Dog Is Not Only Possible But Rewarding!

For more than 20 years Living with a Deaf Dog has helped tens of thousands of owners all over the world communicate with and train their deaf dogs. This book has been an integral part of the world wide movement to increase awareness, understanding and acceptance of deaf dogs which has resulted in increased adoptions, decreased euthanasia rates, and even acceptance into dog sports and competitions.

Additions To This Valuable Resource:

•Deafness due to aging, illness, and tips for living with deaf and blind dogs

•Body Language illustrations of both canine and human

•American Sign Language Chart and additional hand signs

•Updated and modern training methods

•Stories and photos from deaf dog owners

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dogwise Publishing
• Release date: Oct 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781617812132

Susan Cope Becker

Susan Cope Becker's literary publications include: Living with a Deaf Dog the 75th Anniversary Edition of Joy of Cooking, and greeting card series for John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Book preview

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT LIVING WITH A DEAF DOG

"…every so often a book comes along that hits on such a timely subject that it deserves some extra attention. Filled with facts and advice from deaf-dog owners and canine professionals from around the world, Living with a Deaf Dog helps disprove myths and gives hope and encouragement to people who own these special animals."

––Donna L. Marcel, Editor/DogWorld Magazine

"How profoundly touched I was by Living with a Deaf Dog. What a splendid, readable and thoroughly professional book."

––Susan Moldow, President, Scribner Publishing Group and Publisher of Touchstone Books, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

When I ordered the book, I thought that maybe there wouldn’t be any information that was new to me because I have owned deaf dogs for almost five years…but was I wrong! My copy is already dog-eared!

––Holly Newstead, ASL Certified Court Interpreter, EMT, Aerialist, former Deaf Dog owner

Susan Cope Becker’s new book is a wonderful read! I get many calls from around the country on deaf Danes and NOW I have a book to steer them to.

––Sandy Suarez, Founder Great Dane Rescue, Inc

I call it the Deaf Dog Bible. I have recommended it on a deaf dogs email site in the USA, Canada and the world for at least the last 15 years. Liz Grewal

I read your book from cover to cover. After reading it, I realized there wasn’t anything I couldn’t accomplish with my deaf girl! I was inspired!!!!! Joann Sesser

The book is a bible for me. I read through it so many times and also had friends and family that would be interacting with Sage. My parents (in their 90’s) learn so much that my father enjoys taking him for walks and hearing what a well behave boy. Note: my dad 140 pounds and Sage is 100 pounds. Tammy Travis

I don’t know how many times I have lent this book to people when they discover their pup is deaf. Super resource. Janine Carson

"I use this book at the animal shelter where I work and it is an important read for the staff and the volunteers. Many deaf dogs are put to sleep in shelters, but anyone who has read Living With A Deaf Dog knows that deaf dogs are just dogs.

This is also a good book to send home with adopting parents of a deaf dog. It is a great tool to give them the confidence that they can manage and build upon the new relationship between them and their new deaf dog.

. . . for real people who want common sense ideas on handling deaf dogs. Nothing fancy, just good down-to-earth ideas and stories of other deaf dog families. I read the book, cover to cover, and never had any doubts on how to communicate with my deaf dog.

Coming to grips with the realities of living with a deaf dog made Susan Becker’s book a good tool. Her use of ASL to communicate with her pet stimulated ideas I could use. And it alerted me to the fact that my Cavalier was reading signals which I had not noticed previously.

. . . this was exactly the resource I needed. I effectively taught her hand signals, she is actually a pretty incredible dog! Being handicapped doesn’t mean that a dog isn’t worthy of love or a long life!

Definite must-read for any person wishing to care for a dog who is deaf. Very informative.

"I got to this site and found Living with a Deaf Dog. I can’t tell you in words how it changed our outlook. Because of this book we had the confidence to pursue this new adventure. Absolutely a great book. Thanks for writing it."

As invaluable as this book is to actual owners of deaf dogs, it is also equally valuable to trainers to help the owners of deaf dogs. Chock full of tips, suggestions and insights from an author speaking from experience.

This is a must for anyone who has a deaf dog, anyone who interacts with deaf dogs or any shelter who takes in deaf dogs. Read this book and learn so many things you may not have discovered on your own.

LIVING

WITH A

DEAF DOG

A book of training advice, facts

and experiences about

canine deafness

caused by

GENETICS

AGING

ILLNESS

Illustrations

Andy Caylor

Henry Molter

Susan Cope Becker

SECOND EDITION

– Susan Cope Becker –

Published by

Susan Cope Becker

611 Mt. Peasant Road

Vonore, TN 37885

First Edition/1997

Second Edition/2017

Copyright ©1997, 2017 Susan Cope Becker

All rights reserved,

including the right of reproduction

in whole or in part in any form.

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2017912856

Susan Cope Becker

Living with a Deaf Dog

ISBN 978-1-61781-213-2

This book is dedicated to my Mom

who taught me how to love

and be kind to animals;

To all the people who have

opened their homes, hearts and minds

to the lovable and noble deaf dog;

To all of the people who work in deaf dog rescue,

and those who have worked tirelessly

as voices for the deaf dog;

To all the deaf dog owners with whom I have lost touch,

and to those whose letters I have not answered;

And to Spanky –

one of my greatest teachers.

Nothing is impossible

to a willing heart.

John Heywood

1546

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

CHAPTER 1       My Life with SPANKY

1996 - 2003

CHAPTER 2       DEAFNESS IN DOGS –

Genetics, Aging and Illness

CHAPTER 3       TESTING Your Dog for Deafness

CHAPTER 4       Deaf Dog SAFETY and TEMPERAMENT

CHAPTER 5       Communicating with BODY LANGUAGE

– Canine and Human

CHAPTER 6       Communicating with HAND SIGNS

CHAPTER 7       TRAINING Your Deaf Dog

CHAPTER 8       THE DEAF DOG’S RIGHTS

to Live Life to the Fullest

CHAPTER 9       CONTINUING EDUCATION and RESOURCES

CHAPTER 10     STORIES AND STUFF about Deaf Dogs

Afterword           Owners and Deaf Dogs and their Special Bonds

INDEX

FOREWORD

Sensory systems allow animals (and humans) to monitor the environment for purposes of self-protection, acquiring food and water, mating, communication and social interaction, and many other functions. It stands to reason that the loss of one of our senses makes life more of a challenge. Loss of taste or olfaction might not drastically affect a domestic animal, while the loss of vision or audition can impact an animal to the point of resulting in injury or even death.

Several decades ago, veterinary neurology texts only would mention deafness in passing, since so little was known about it. In the intervening years our knowledge about hearing loss in animals has made great strides, although it must be admitted that there is yet much to be discovered. We better understand the expression of the multiple forms of deafness, the pathology, and to some extent the genetics of deafness. Deafness can be (1) congenital (with birth) or later onset. It can be (2) hereditary or acquired. It can be (3) sensorineural or conductive (sound blocked from reaching the inner ear). In each case, the impact on the affected animal will differ. Conductive hearing losses can often recover, but sensorineural deafness is permanent since nerve cells in mammals can’t be replaced at present – although there is exciting work making progress in this area.

The most common type of deafness seen in dogs is congenital/hereditary/ sensorineural. Usually this is in dog breeds with white pigmentation, but not always, and the deafness is present at 3-4 weeks after birth. The deafness can be unilateral or bilateral, but the affected ear is totally deaf. We’ve recently learned that dogs in some breeds can develop later onset (mid-life)/hereditary/sensorineural deafness, but we don’t know much about this yet. Many dogs that live long enough, like people, will develop age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). This is progressive and irreversible, and owners may not notice the loss until the dog reaches a point where it can no longer cope. Dogs exposed repeatedly to percussive sounds, like military, police, and hunting dogs, will gradually lose hearing as the sensory nerve cells in the inner ear are mechanically damaged and not replaced. Numerous drugs and chemicals have the potential to be ototoxic, leading to deafness and balance problems; the antibiotic gentamicin is the best known of these. There are other less common deafness causes. The genetic basis of pigment-associated congenital/hereditary/sensory deafness is under intense study at present. Evidence points to the cause being at least two genes, one for the white skin and hair pigment (piebald or merle) and one that regulates the first. When this problem is solved it is hoped that a DNA test can be developed to identify carriers and allow breeders to reduce the prevalence of deafness, which in some breeds can be as high as 30%. I’ve worked on deafness in dogs for nearly 40 years, and have seen much progress in that time.

Nevertheless, everything mentioned above tells the owner of a deaf dog nothing about how to successfully raise a deaf puppy or to accommodate an older dog losing or having lost its hearing. Dogs that lose their hearing later in life are easier. Bilaterally deaf puppies are often euthanized at the request of the breeder. This is a controversial topic with arguments for and against, and feelings are often very strong from both perspectives. To be clear, unilaterally deaf dogs have negligible deficits, and make great pets and should not be considered for euthanasia. However, many bilaterally deaf dogs are not euthanized and become much-loved pets, and their owners often need help. It is obvious that these dogs will present more of a challenge to raise and manage than dogs with no impairment. Doing so requires greater effort and dedication on the part of the owners than with dogs without impairment. People contemplating adopting a deaf puppy should be aware of this. It is challenging to train a dog when it cannot detect the auditory cue to look for a behavior command. Without hearing, dogs are at risk from motor vehicles and other undetected dangers. Deaf dogs are more easily startled than hearing dogs, and since any dog may reflexly bite when startled, the chance of bites can be greater with deaf dogs. From a legal perspective, the owner of a deaf dog faces liability if the dog bites someone, since it can be argued that the owner knowingly kept a dangerous animal. As a result, it is incumbent on the owner to demonstrate and practice great caution in protecting both their dog and the public.

Older dogs who lose their hearing seem to cope quite well. They’re still in a familiar setting with familiar family and other pets. They still need to be protected from undetected dangers, but there is no associate suffering and their quality of life will remain as good as it was before the loss. Assurance of that fact is often all that an owner needs to hear.

This book provides a great service to the owners of a deaf dog, whether puppy or adult, where in the past there were few resources available. The focus is mostly on working with puppies, which is appropriate, but much also applies to older affected dogs. What to expect is well explained, often presented from the perspective of the dog. Good communication methods and training methods are presented so that the new owner can successfully get past the frustrations and move into an owner-pet relationship that is rewarding and mutually beneficial. Additional resources, often from obscure sources, are catalogued for the owner looking for more information. Perhaps as much as anything, this book provides to the owners of deaf dogs the knowledge that they are not alone and others have successfully followed the path that they face. Susan Cope Becker is to be commended for providing this valuable resource.

George M. Strain, Ph.D.

Professor of Neuroscience

Comparative Biomedical Sciences

School of Veterinary Medicine

Louisiana State University

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1997

This book reflects the experiences of hundreds of people who live with deaf dogs. They are the folks I met on the internet when I desperately went in search of advice on how to train and communicate with Spanky. They are the folks with whom I shared my own tips and experiences. They have become friends without faces, but friends with lots of heart and sound information. They have never let me forget that I made a commitment to write this book, and have encouraged me to keep on even when I slowed to a complete halt. From these wonderful, compassionate folks, I have gathered extensive files of email communications and bulletin board postings that record hundreds of training tips, hand signs, and experiences about life with a deaf dog.

I will forever be grateful to the first people I talked with about deafness in dogs, many of whom shared articles and correspondence regarding deaf dogs and canine deafness when I began my research for writing this book. All of them shared their enthusiasm, tips and encouragement when I set about training Spanky: Julie Nelson, Lynn Sickenger, Dr. Michael Sims of the University of Tennessee Department of Small Animal Sciences Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Dr. Michael Moore of Washington State Veterinary College, Michele Dunefsky, Caroline Crosby of the Santa Fe School of Deaf Dalmatians, and Connie Bomaci. Lyndsay Patten deserves recognition and a large thanks from all of us deaf dog owners for setting up the Deaf Dog Web Page and giving of his time and skills to create the Deaf Dog Mailing List where hundreds of us have come together to discuss everything from how to say no to a deaf dog, to deaf dog rescue, separation anxiety, and injustices the deaf dog faces in today’s world. I must thank the hundreds of people who filled out questionnaires.

My gratitude to M.L. Tanner who referred me to Amber Saunders of Four Paws Training School in Lenoir City, Tennessee, who had never trained a deaf dog, but who didn’t say no to trying. Not only did she try, she succeeded and Spanky rewarded her by graduating