How (and Why) I Taught Hand Signs to My Hearing Dogs
As dogs age, they experience many of the same physiological changes as humans, including hearing loss, vision impairment and osteoarthritis among others. Living with two deaf dogs has helped me understand that my hearing dogs may one day too lose their hearing. Preparing now for this day is key!
Senior Dogs & Deafness
As puppies, they make us laugh as they clumsily learn to climb on the couch. As teenagers, they unapologetically turn our remote controls into chew toys. As adults, they settle into our rules, schedules, and moods.
Once they become senior dogs, we are blessed to have been given many years of wagging tails and unconditional love. This is also a time of more physical change; for both them and us.
As dogs age, they experience many of the same physiological changes as humans, including hearing loss, vision impairment and osteoarthritis among others.
Because I share my life with two deaf dogs, I am especially aware that my hearing dogs may one day lose their hearing. I am preparing for this possibility now by teaching them hand signs while they can still hear and I encourage others to do the same.
Signs of Deafness in Dogs
Hearing loss in senior dogs is a gradual process and the signs often go unnoticed until the hearing deficit is significant. Signs of hearing loss will vary and may depend on the degree of hearing loss, but some warning signs to watch for include:
- not responding to their name or other common sounds, such as food being poured in his bowl, squeaky toys, or jangling keys
- sleeping deeper than usual and/or not waking up when called
- becoming a “velcro” dog who is unwilling to leave your side
- being unaware that you have left the room
Maggie Marton with Oh My Dog!, whose senior dog Emmett has begun to lose his hearing, says, “I started to notice it last summer, but I suspect it had started to decline well before then. I noticed him following our younger dog around more, which was unusual for him. He was always a clingy dog, but he became a piece of Velcro stuck to us, and it seemed like he got confused if he didn’t see us leave a room.”
Suspecting Hearing Loss in Your Dog
If you suspect your dog is losing his hearing, there are ways to test his hearing at home. However, it is best to also consult with your veterinarian to rule out a medical reason that can be treated.
Christina Lee, of Deaf Dogs Rock, offers these tips to assess your dog’s hearing.
“A good at-home test to see if your dog is going deaf is to put a squeaky toy in your pocket. Wait until the dog is distracted, put your hand in your pocket and then squeak the toy. This way your hand and the toy can’t be seen. If you don’t see a reaction to the squeak, most likely your dog is going deaf. You can also wait for your pup to take a nap and jingle some keys to see if the pup wakes up.”
Why You Should Start Teaching Dog Hand Signs Now
It is much easier to teach hand signs while your dog can hear than if you wait until hearing loss occurs. If you start now, you have the benefit of being able to use a verbal cue your dog already knows while also giving a hand sign. This approach helps your dog assign meaning to the hand sign much faster.
How I Taught Hand Signs to My Hearing Dogs
With my hearing dogs, I began to use a hand sign at the same time as I used my voice.
As an example, to teach them the hand sign for hungry, I started using our sign for “food” when I asked them if they were hungry. I did this consistently before every meal. They quickly learned that the sign for “food” means the same thing as the word, “Hungry?”
I used the same training process for other signs, including water, cookie, sit, come, stay, yes, no, and potty. Every time I gave them a cookie, I said the word while using the sign for cookie. Every time I filled their water bowl, I gave them the sign for water. And so on.
After a few weeks of using both a hand sign and my voice, I stopped using my voice and relied solely on my hands to communicate. Because I was consistent, my hearing dogs now respond to hand signs alone, and I keep adding signs to their vocabulary.
If there comes a day when Darwin or Galileo cannot hear as well as they do today, they will already have the skills they need to carry on as if nothing has changed. This is the least I can do to say thank you for all the joy they’ve given me.
Linda says
January 19, 2018 at 4:41 pmI love your writing style. This was an informative as well as an entertaining post. My senior Chihuahua is now losing his hearing if not already deaf. I started to notice that he sleeps deeper and if I touch him he is startled because he apparently didn’t hear me coming. I am glad that I always train my dogs using hand signals as well as verbal cues. But I never thought of teaching him signs for words like hungry, etc.
Bernard Lima-Chavez says
January 19, 2018 at 5:00 pmThanks Linda! Your story is EXACTLY why I wrote this post. If you need any help along the way, please know I’m here to help!
Jill - CharityPaws says
January 19, 2018 at 8:03 pmI love this! I wish more people would be as good a pet owner as you are. If more people realized that sign language with dogs was a possibility – maybe, just maybe more would be adopted. I am not sure who is luckier – you or Edison! 🙂
Bernard Lima-Chavez says
January 19, 2018 at 9:07 pmHi Jill,
THere’s no doubt about it in my mind…I am the lucky one! He literally changed my life!
Tenacious Little Terrier says
January 19, 2018 at 9:48 pmI teach Mr. N hand signals for just about all of his cues. I haven’t done it yet for everyday events yet though.
Irene McHugh says
January 20, 2018 at 3:59 amI had not even considered hearing loss for aging pups. Our two dogs are under two. I’ve been Teaching and using hand signals because i find them useful in quieter environments where i don’t want to be the person ruining the atmosphere with me Talking to my dogs. I love your points here and Now i’m Even happier that i use hand siGns.
Ruth Epstein says
January 20, 2018 at 10:26 pmFantastic post, Layla is going on 11 and I am keeping an eye on her hearing wise plus other senior dog issues but we are all good at the moment and I am relieved. I have watched many dogs/humans in the dog parks with their deaf dogs and it is just amazing.
Marjorie at Dash Kitten says
January 21, 2018 at 10:21 pmPeople might leave the leArning until its too late (when their dog has lost its hearing) so teaching them while they can see seems a no brainer – but only because you point it out to us!
I love Christina’s doggy hearing test too. No fancy equipment, just the things thst resonate STRONGLY with any pup wating a walk!!
Marjorie at Dash Kitten says
January 21, 2018 at 10:22 pmPeople might leave the learning until its too late (when their dog has lost its hearing) so teaching them while they can hear seems a no brainer – but only because you point it out to us!
I love Christina’s doggy hearing test too. No fancy equipment, just the things that resonate STRONGLY with any pup waiting a walk!!
Sweet Purrfections says
January 21, 2018 at 11:40 pmVery informative! I’ve never had a deaf dog or cat, but I could learn a lot from you. How smart of you to work with your hearing dogs, too.
Beth says
January 22, 2018 at 2:50 amYou inspired me to teach my dogs some hand signals a while ago. I’ve taught my dogs a few commands, but I’m sure they would benefit from knowing more.
Kamira G. says
January 22, 2018 at 3:01 amAww I think this is so smart and thoughtful to think about how your dogs age and be proactive about teaching them sign language. you really have not only shown consideration and love in that act but also really make it easier on you and them by doing so early. kuddos to you and your dogs for nailing that task early. love the graffiti art too. I’m a fan!
Cathy Armato says
January 22, 2018 at 1:30 pmThis is such a smart idea, Bernard! I have taught my dogs sit, down, and come using only hand signals just so they have a non-verbal cue. Little Phoebe seems like she might be losing a little hearing, sometimes she doesn’t notice that I’ve left the room and it bothers her. She gets flustered. Thanks for sharing this.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Stephanie seger says
January 22, 2018 at 4:06 pmThis is a fantastic Post and such good advice. When our 15 year old labrador, burton, started to lose his hearing at about 14 years old, we questioned for a long time if that was happening. Sometimes he would get right up at the sound of the door, and other times he could be Sleeping so soundly right in front of the door and not wake up. Of course the times when he got up got progressively fewer and fewer as he ageD. I, like you, have always used handsignals for commands, however, Not for this purpose. I didnt have a signal for things like potty or hungry. Im defintEly going tO take Your advice and start now with sulley and junior.
Talent Hounds says
January 22, 2018 at 5:09 pmGreat idea to teach signs so Seniors Can still follow. Kilo follows hand signals but he reacts most to the sound of a treat bag or the word treat. Love your photos. I was at the Wynward kitchen for a work dinner last week – the art is so stunning.
Bernard Lima-Chavez says
January 24, 2018 at 9:46 pmThanks Susan! The Wynwood, Miami area is fantastic! And yes, anyone or any dog or cat can learn hand signs. It’s harder for humans to rely on communicating with our bodies instead of our voice.