My buddy has gone deaf

[FlyingClayDisk]

Noticed some gradual behavior changes in one of our dogs (Aus. Cattle Dog).  He's about 11 (maybe 12).  Seemed to not be obeying verbal commands and other small clues (i.e. barking louder, etc).  He's a really good boy, and probably the most emotional dog we've ever owned.  He gets very upset (almost depressed even) if he thinks he's in trouble or been bad.  He's a very sensitive fellow.  Started realizing he was reacting more to our other dog and body language more than verbal.  I think it has been coming on gradually for a while, so gradual we didn't notice it at first, but recently he seems to have gone completely deaf.  His ears have always passed vet checks with flying colors, and he's never had ear issues (infections, etc.), so it must just be old age more than anything else. 

We started testing him with various methods to see what he could hear and couldn't hear (there are some tricks for doing this).  It can be tricky sorting this out because dogs are sensitive to a lot of stimuli, and vibration is one of them.  So, while he can't hear, he can sense vibration, so he still reacts to a loud noise but mainly because of the vibration from the noise, not the sound from the noise.  We realized that he was equating vibration with louder voices which he interpreted as him being in trouble when he wasn't.  He thought we were mad at him because he can't hear (and we totally are not).  So, we've started using more visual cues with him which he's responding to very well, and he's really perked up now that he knows he's not in trouble.

They say that it's harder to train a dog visual cues if they could hear at one time in their life, and that it's much easier to train dogs who have been deaf since birth (makes sense I guess).  One of the hardest things we've found so far is trying to figure out how to tell him he's a good boy without touching him (like from a distance).  "Come" and "Stay" has been pretty easy.  He's rarely ever a bad boy, but "Bad" required no training at all; all we have to do is just look cross at him and he gets it.  So, the challenge is how to say "Good Boy!" from a distance.  Up close is easy because we can just give him a nice scratch or rub and he's all wiggles.  I laughed when one source said to use the 'thumbs up' symbol.  ACD's aren't known for their good eyesight to begin with (not like the Labs I used to raise and train, who have excellent vision), but it sure does feel silly giving your dog a thumbs up hand signal.  I'd like to find something better than this.  Love to hear some suggestions!

Thx

[user123]

Noticed some gradual behavior changes in one of our dogs (Aus. Cattle Dog).  He's about 11 (maybe 12).  Seemed to not be obeying verbal commands and other small clues (i.e. barking louder, etc).  He's a really good boy, and probably the most emotional dog we've ever owned.  He gets very upset (almost depressed even) if he thinks he's in trouble or been bad.  He's a very sensitive fellow.  Started realizing he was reacting more to our other dog and body language more than verbal.  I think it has been coming on gradually for a while, so gradual we didn't notice it at first, but recently he seems to have gone completely deaf.  His ears have always passed vet checks with flying colors, and he's never had ear issues (infections, etc.), so it must just be old age more than anything else. 

We started testing him with various methods to see what he could hear and couldn't hear (there are some tricks for doing this).  It can be tricky sorting this out because dogs are sensitive to a lot of stimuli, and vibration is one of them.  So, while he can't hear, he can sense vibration, so he still reacts to a loud noise but mainly because of the vibration from the noise, not the sound from the noise.  We realized that he was equating vibration with louder voices which he interpreted as him being in trouble when he wasn't.  He thought we were mad at him because he can't hear (and we totally are not).  So, we've started using more visual cues with him which he's responding to very well, and he's really perked up now that he knows he's not in trouble.

They say that it's harder to train a dog visual cues if they could hear at one time in their life, and that it's much easier to train dogs who have been deaf since birth (makes sense I guess).  One of the hardest things we've found so far is trying to figure out how to tell him he's a good boy without touching him (like from a distance).  "Come" and "Stay" has been pretty easy.  He's rarely ever a bad boy, but "Bad" required no training at all; all we have to do is just look cross at him and he gets it.  So, the challenge is how to say "Good Boy!" from a distance.  Up close is easy because we can just give him a nice scratch or rub and he's all wiggles.  I laughed when one source said to use the 'thumbs up' symbol.  ACD's aren't known for their good eyesight to begin with (not like the Labs I used to raise and train, who have excellent vision), but it sure does feel silly giving your dog a thumbs up hand signal.  I'd like to find something better than this.  Love to hear some suggestions!

Thx

Yeah, that could be tough to see that from a distance.   What about the sign referees make when a football is kicked through a goalpost, both arms raised above head maybe?

[FlyingClayDisk]

Yeah, that could be tough to see that from a distance.   What about the sign referees make when a football is kicked through a goalpost, both arms raised above head maybe?

This is the first thing which popped into my head while I was reading this...



That freaking scene would make about anything wag their tail!!

[user123]

This is the first thing which popped into my head while I was reading this...

[Image: https://i.imgur.com/OJD3qod.jpeg]

That freaking scene would make about anything wag their tail!!

LOL!

[CCoburn]

Well, the imagery is quite humorous so far, but not sure what the dog would make of it, at first. Maybe a physical gesture from a distance could be conditioned in, or just status quo and maybe the dog might be(or become) sensitive enough to pick up on the subtler cues as customary without making yourself look like a fool.

Growing old sucks and is chock full o' disapointments and probably more often than not it just is what it is. This dog is like 66 or so in human years and people often go hard of hearing around the same time as well; apparently there are also hearing aids for dogs. I believe it was around early 40s when my mother was using a hearing aid, and that's not even that old; maybe there were other factors.

Good luck.

[Chiefsmom]

Sorry to hear he is going through this.  
He sounds a lot like my dog.  Very emotional.

What about clapping?
For some reason I clap when mine does something right.  While mine can hear, he also looks for it now (my hands) and he struts around.

Unless you use clapping for something else on the farm?

Or maybe "jazz Hands"?   LOL might work.

[CCoburn]

I thought about the clapping too. It could be a step up in magnitude for an aging dog that is becoming less sentient.

[FlyingClayDisk]

Sorry to hear he is going through this.  
He sounds a lot like my dog.  Very emotional.

What about clapping?
For some reason I clap when mine does something right.  While mine can hear, he also looks for it now (my hands) and he struts around.

Unless you use clapping for something else on the farm?

Or maybe "jazz Hands"?   LOL might work.

He used to react to clapping...instantly.  He would go nuts if I grabbed my car/truck keys, even from all the way across the house (and even when I tried to keep them from jingling so I could try to sneak out...he LOVES car rides!).  Now not even keys jingling right behind him will make him stir.  If he sees them, he'll perk up and be ready to go, but it doesn't seem he can hear them.  He doesn't seem to hear a clap at all.  But if I stomp my foot (lightly), he'll perk right up...this is kind of how I discovered the vibration reaction.  If a sound is loud enough to cause a vibration in the floor he will 'hear' (sense) it, but sound alone will not faze him at all.

One weird thing I noticed yesterday was I closed one of our garage doors.  He came running from across the house.  Historically the garage door movement means someone is going for one of the cars (thus a ride for him maybe).  The garage doors are almost silent and don't have a lot of vibration that I can sense, so I don't know what got his attention.  Possibly a vibration I can't sense, but I don't know.

Overall, this issue hasn't been too much of a problem as we live way out in the country.  When he goes out, it's always with his 'brother' so he just kind of queues off of what his brother is doing.  So, when we call his brother, he comes too as if we'd called him.  I've read this is very common, that one dog will serve as the ears (or eyes) for another dog if they live together.

The only problem we've run into so far is when he thinks he 'hears' something.  I think it's all in his head, like a phantom sound, but when it happens he'll jump up and start barking (very loudly, and ACD's have an ear shattering bark) just out of the blue.  It'll startle the bejeezus out of you when he does it because he'll just be laying there one moment, and then suddenly leap up barking at ear-splitting volume.  Unfortunately, he's doing that more frequently now, so we'll just have to learn to live with it, but maybe he'll get over it after he gets used to the fact he can no longer hear.

We haven't looked into dog hearing aids.  I'm not sure, but I doubt it would help him, but we're definitely planning on getting his hearing checked medically by the vet. 

Lastly, and rather funnily, he does actually respond to the silly referee 'field goal!" arms up gesture!  LOL!  If I do that, he'll start wiggling and furiously wagging his stubby tail, and he'll come running over to me all happy.  He seems to be really happy we understand he can't hear; this seems to have been a big relief to him.  I really think he felt we would be mad at him for not being able to hear, and this is far from the case.

[Tecate]

FCD I’m sorry to hear about your buddy.

I have an Aussie Shepherd/Blue Heeler cross (oddly enough called a Texas Heeler)
Who turned 13 this year. And while her hearing has been slowly going, we’ve noticed that her eyes are getting the blue tint inside meaning cataracts.

Cattle dogs are so visually looking for cues, and of course whistles, clicks or whatever they respond to that we decided not to move cattle with her this year thinking that she may get hurt. She thinks that she is still a young lady.

It’s sad, but I was going to suggest the hand clapping with a smile works for us.

I’m glad that you are able to work it out!

Tecate

[FlyingClayDisk]

FCD I’m sorry to hear about your buddy.

I have an Aussie Shepherd/Blue Heeler cross (oddly enough called a Texas Heeler)
Who turned 13 this year. And while her hearing has been slowly going, we’ve noticed that her eyes are getting the blue tint inside meaning cataracts.

Cattle dogs are so visually looking for cues, and of course whistles, clicks or whatever they respond to that we decided not to move cattle with her this year thinking that she may get hurt. She thinks that she is still a young lady.

It’s sad, but I was going to suggest the hand clapping with a smile works for us.

I’m glad that you are able to work it out!

Tecate

Yeah, we don't use 'Cisco' to move the cattle anymore, not so much because of his hearing, but he still thinks he's as fast as he used to be.  He's still fast (faster than most dogs), but he's not the lightning bolt he used to be and I'm fearful he'll get hurt.  Now, with the hearing issues, there's no way I'd let him in there with the cows.  He's still got the aggression, but lacking the speed and now the hearing would likely be deadly for him.  I always marveled at this dog; ever since he was a pup he was almost 'timid' about virtually everything EXCEPT the cattle!  When it came to the cattle, he would pick out the biggest, meanest, bull and go after that one first.  Just no fear at all.  Once he had complete control of that animal all the rest would follow.  He knew exactly what to do in order to control the whole herd.  And he was an absolute rocket on the ground.  Like I said, he's still faster than most dogs, but he can't run down jackrabbits on a dead run like he used to be able to do.  When he was younger I actually watched him run right over the top of a jackrabbit one time in a full-on sprint.  Neither the jackrabbit nor Cisco knew what to do exactly; the jackrabbit went tumbling and Cisco didn't even realize he'd run right over him so he was still busy looking for the rabbit out in front of him when it was now upside down in a yucca bush behind him.  LOL!  Rabbit was looking around like... 'WTF just happened???'  The Australian Shepard we have was always slower than Cisco, so he was bringing up the rear and by the time the rabbit shook it off and came to his senses, the shepard was on top of him.

Cisco has earned his retirement many times over.  It's a little disappointing though because we trained them to work as a team.  Cisco would always take the long direct pursuit route line from the rear for their heels, and the shepard would take the vector, short-cut, route from the side to pick up the bolting calves to get them pointed in the right direction.  They rarely ever had to do this more than a couple times with any group of cows before the cows, calves and bulls learned trying to outsmart / outrun those two was futile.  After that, the two dogs just needed to show up in the vicinity and the cattle would go wherever we pointed them while the dogs sat and watched.  They're still best buddies though, so that's a good thing, but I'll miss all that in action.