Deaf Whippet Puppy - Owner Wants To Rehome

[Tesa]

I have had a phone call tonight from a woman with a 13 week old pup. She is convinced the pup is completely deaf. The breeder is of no use. The owner is besotted with her pup, but has convinced herself she is not going to cope with a deaf dog. One of her concerns is that the dog will never alert her to strangers approching the house, and will therefore offer no protection. She now wishes to rehome the pup, unless someone can convince her that this dog can be trained.

Max was deaf. In the beginning it was selective deafness :lol: but this last year it was actual deafness We had no problems. I just made certain allowances and always used hand signals, making sure he had seen me. All well and good in an old dog, but what about a puppy. Does anyone have any experience with deaf puppies. I would have thought that they become alert to other signals around the house that would alert her to approaching visitors.

BTW this pup is white, but am not sure if it is an albino.

 

[»Tina«]

it's such a shame sorry I got no advice, hope the little one finds a home soon :luck:

but would like to add that Whippets arn't the best guard dogs in the world, infact, none of mine have EVER barked when someone has knocked the door etc........ if she wanted a guard dog, why a whippet?? they would proberly drowned the intruders with wet kisses (w00t)

 

[lalena]

dont know if it would help, but i've heard that deaf people have door bells that instead of sound, set off a light?

although my girl hears fine, along with verbal commands, we taught her signals. just in case one day shes out of hearing range, but in sight. she responds to gestures for heel, sit, stay, wait, go on (wait and go on regarding her food), down. provided she keeps the puppys attention on her hand (as without actually seeing, pointless) maybe with a treat, it should present no problems.

i hope this gives a little help :luck:

 

[*Lesley*]

it's such a shame  sorry I got no advice, hope the little one finds a home soon  :luck:
but would like to add that Whippets arn't the best guard dogs in the world, infact, none of mine have EVER barked when someone has knocked the door etc........ if she wanted a guard dog, why a whippet?? they would proberly drowned the intruders with wet kisses  (w00t)

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Thats what I was thinking Tina I would be more worried about intruders stealing the whippets than anything else, mine bark if they hear something but I very much doubt they would back it up :b lick them to death more like (w00t) .

And like you say a whippet is the last dog on the list I would pick if I wanted a guard dog :lol:

Good luck to the dog :luck: :luck:

 

[Lynn-Alexandria]

I have had a phone call tonight from a woman with a 13 week old pup.  She is convinced the pup is completely deaf.  The breeder is of no use.  The owner is besotted with her pup, but has convinced herself she is not going to cope with a deaf dog.  One of her concerns is that the dog will never alert her to strangers approching the house, and will therefore offer no protection.  She now wishes to rehome the pup, unless someone can convince her that this dog can be trained.
Max was deaf.  In the beginning it was selective deafness :lol:   but this last year it was actual deafness   We had no problems.  I just made certain allowances and always used hand signals, making sure he had seen me.    All well and good in an old dog, but what about a puppy.  Does anyone have any experience with deaf puppies. I would have thought that they become alert to other signals around the house that would alert her to approaching visitors.

BTW this pup is white, but am not sure if it is an albino.

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A way that you could train it would be similar to clicker training only with a flash light. When training the dog show it what to do along with the hand signal that you wish to use and when the dog has done it correctly then just with a cliker...flash the light and give the dog a treat. It means that the dog will associate the flash of light with doing something right just as a hearing dog would hear the click and know it had done right. Just a thought.

 

[posh totty]

just a thought but you could get in touch with the dalmation bodies over there, breed club or such like as deafness is quite common in that breed and they may be able to put your lady in touch with a deaf dog trainer? just a thought? just hope all goes well for both of them

 

[Alfiewhippet]

We have a lady at our training club that has very successfully trained both her deaf dalmations from puppies, they have both passed their bronze award, she uses hand signals for both of them , i know they are not whippets but i am sure any deaf dog could be trained with the right methods IMO

 

[BeeJay]

You need to contact Barry Eaton Barry Eaton. He is an expert in training deaf dogs and was a very nice guy when I was on dog training lists with him. :thumbsup:

 

[»Tina«]

it's such a shame  sorry I got no advice, hope the little one finds a home soon  :luck:
but would like to add that Whippets arn't the best guard dogs in the world, infact, none of mine have EVER barked when someone has knocked the door etc........ if she wanted a guard dog, why a whippet?? they would proberly drowned the intruders with wet kisses  (w00t)

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Thats what I was thinking Tina I would be more worried about intruders stealing the whippets than anything else, mine bark if they hear something but I very much doubt they would back it up :b lick them to death more like (w00t) .

And like you say a whippet is the last dog on the list I would pick if I wanted a guard dog :lol:

Good luck to the dog :luck: :luck:

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(w00t) (w00t) so true! lick them to death and bounce around the place like a loony (w00t) (w00t)

 

[Rae]

Why dont they keep the whippie and get another dog to do the scary stuff?

 

[Joanna]

Both my whippets don't alert me if any-one comes to the door any-way.They have excellent hearing!

 

[dragonfly]

I have a very good friend who had deaf whippets. If you contact me I will give you her email address and phone number. They can live very happy fulfilled lives, some from her litter lived with deaf children and made perfect signing companions. It is important to rehome very sensitively. Good Luck with this far from insoluble problem.

Cathie

Bluestreak Whippets

 

[Strike Whippets]

Deaf dogs really arn't any different to train than dogs with full hearing .......It's all down to the dog wanting to obey you .......ALL dogs trained properly WILL watch their owners all of the time, body language, hand signals and expressions are sooo easy to master for any dog to pick up ....... :luck: :luck: to the little dog ......

 

[Seraphina]

it's such a shame  sorry I got no advice, hope the little one finds a home soon  :luck:
but would like to add that Whippets arn't the best guard dogs in the world, infact, none of mine have EVER barked when someone has knocked the door etc........ if she wanted a guard dog, why a whippet?? they would proberly drowned the intruders with wet kisses  (w00t)

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All my whippets bark when there is someone at the door, especially when I do not hear the door bell ( if I am far back in the garden). My first Whippet had a bark like a Dobe , I felt very safe with her in the house. My present girls act in very protective manner towards strangers behind the security screen, they are fine once I let people in though.

I have to admit I had seriously considered the possibility of Genevieve to be deaf, I could call her from only few feet distance and she would not respong ar show any sign she can hear me. Interestingly, she can hear the slightest rattle of the beef jerky bag or cling of the leash clasps even from other room.

About this pup; has the deafness been confirmed by the vet? Is the pup white? Where is this woman, I would be happy to go to see it.

Actually, one of my friends' grandson was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf soon after birth, they spent year doing all sort of tests and the family started to learn sign language, when at about 12 months he started to react to sounds ! He is about 5 now and his hearing is perfect.

 

[laurajasondh]

Thats what I was thinking Tina I would be more worried about intruders stealing the whippets than anything else, mine bark if they hear something but I very much doubt they would back it up :b   lick them to death more like (w00t) .
And like you say a whippet is the last dog on the list I would pick if I wanted a guard dog  :lol:

Good luck to the dog :luck:   :luck:

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None of our three bark when someone's at the door. They just to the door and get all excited hoping someone is going to come in and pet them!

I have seen them "perk up" when they hear a strange noise....but they choose to reserve barking solely for playing! :wub:

 

[OEH]

My lot are excellent guard dogs. I have seen someone running away (really running) due to the noise. It does sound genuinely scary - lots of snarling too. I really encourage it and they know the difference between friends' footsteps and strangers Makes me feel really safe.

 

[Tesa]

A sort of happy ending. I met Milly tonight, and she is the dearest little thing. She is now in foster care. Her foster mum is a local legend. Has been breeding and training professionally for 30-40 years, she's a bit of a dog whisperer. Best place for this little girl. And I know Helen (foster mum) won't settle for anything less than the right home.

BTW for Lynn-Alexandria , Helen had started training Milly with the flashlight. She has only had her since yesterday, but sit & drop are under control. The crate is now in use and recall is being worked on.

I think life is looking a whole lot better for Milly :thumbsup:

 

[kris]

thats great news.i love a happy ending :thumbsup:

 

[aslan]

Great news!

ALL of my whippets bark when -

(a) a strange car drives up the drive way

(b) when someone comes to the gate

© a dog or person walks across the front or back paddock

If they are loose in the yard when someone comes they will run up to the gate and bark at the person - keeping themselves just out of arm's reach of the stranger. If anyone dares to enter when the dogs are in the yard they will circle the person barking all the time. They are very wary of strangers on their own turf. I doubt very much though that they would bite ... unless they were physically threatened by the person.

I trust my dogs fully to keep "visitors" at bay at the front gate.

People they know and love, they allow to come and go as they please. )

 

[Janimal]

A sort of happy ending.  I met Milly tonight, and she is the dearest little thing.  She is now in foster care.  Her foster mum is a local legend.  Has been breeding and training professionally for 30-40 years, she's a bit of a dog whisperer.  Best place for this little girl.  And I know Helen (foster mum) won't settle for anything less than the right home.
BTW for Lynn-Alexandria , Helen had started training Milly with the flashlight. She has only had her since yesterday, but sit & drop are under control.  The crate is now in use and recall is being worked on.

I think life is looking a whole lot better for Milly :thumbsup:

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Good news for Milly Karen :thumbsup: and I hope a happy ending.

Just like to add my two bark when people come to my door also, especially the window cleaner with Oscar (w00t) I just have to make a squeeky noise on a window and he starts barking because he thinks its him (w00t) ..... :lol:

but also my last little lad Chip - never barked at all. suppose they are all different like us really)