Training a deaf Dachshund... hard?? not even slightly

[DeafDogs]

I have a deaf and somewhat visually impaired little girl. I was given the challenge to teach her to drop (lay down) a couple of weeks after I adopted her. Apparently, Dachshunds are quite stubborn and hard to train it took me some time to decide on how I'd teach her to lay down... she's very food motivated, to that made it easier. but the fact that she's deaf means that I have to use a hand signal instead of voice or click to catch the moment... I decided to go with the typical obedience "down" signal, with a twist. I'd use the sign to help teach the movement. I used a flat hand parallel to the floor, only a couple of inches off the floor, then using my other hand, I lured her with a treat underneath the "sign" hand. in order for her to get the treat, she would have to get underneath the sign hand, which means laying down... as soon as her elbows hit the floor, I'd "click" (in this case it's a thumbs' up) and she'd get the treat.

It took 10 mins to have her dropping to the sign, no luring needed.

I have found Mouse extremely easy to train... in some ways She's very stubborn in others but here's a couple of video's I put together of training and tricks that Mouse can do.

this one is the video I did to show proof to the challengers that I was able to teach Mouse to drop, amongst some other things. It's also got some of Oliver's tricks on it too. Mouse is 6 months old in this video
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nASHMtttFc]YouTube - Mouse and Oliver working for their breakfast[/ame]

This one is all Mouse, she's around 10 months old and is doing some other goofy tricks
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28TTxKwzjhg]YouTube - Mouse Tricks[/ame]

Mouse such a fun little dog to work with, and is so completely different from any other dog I've owned. But difficult to train... not even a little

 

[gpmum2]

WHat lovely video's and nice seeing Mouse enjoying the training.

I must admit I found it easy to train Bernie to sit, down & stay and his puppy class leader asked if they could include him in a video they were making..typically the filming day was my first day back at work

With Bernie picking up the basic trainig so easily I can't understand why he isn't picking up the potty training as well

 

[Susan]

I want to take Bella to a training lass but have no idea where to start looking to find one in my area, will search the internet and try find something.

WOW Sara, she is lovely and great video clips, your both an inspiration

 

[gpmum2]

I want to take Bella to a training lass but have no idea where to start looking to find one in my area, will search the internet and try find something.

WOW Sara, she is lovely and great video clips, your both an inspiration

Susan start with your vet, they often hold puppy classes and this is also where other groups advertise, as well as your local newspapers fingers crossed you will find one close to you x

 

[DeafDogs]

WHat lovely video's and nice seeing Mouse enjoying the training.

I must admit I found it easy to train Bernie to sit, down & stay and his puppy class leader asked if they could include him in a video they were making..typically the filming day was my first day back at work

With Bernie picking up the basic trainig so easily I can't understand why he isn't picking up the potty training as well

The potty training thing is just their innate stubborness, I think... Mouse wasn't fully housetrained until she was 9-10 months old. Mouse thoroughly enjoys getting treats, if that means she has to do some work for them, that's fine with her!

I want to take Bella to a training lass but have no idea where to start looking to find one in my area, will search the internet and try find something.

WOW Sara, she is lovely and great video clips, your both an inspiration

What we are constantly working toward is educating the public that they do not need to pass up a deaf dog, just because they're deaf. i have done several demo's on deaf dogs with Scout and Mouse, and have been joined a couple of times by Bosco, a deaf English Bulldog. The fact that 90% of deaf dog owners find them easier in most ways to live with and train, must make it true. My first deaf dog was 2 hours from being euth'd because people would look at her and say "poor dog, but I dont have time to put that much work into a dog" Scout and Mouse have been trained so that we can show people that they're just as good as hearing dogs. We often say: they're like chips, bet you cant have just one! I know I had to have another deafie after Scout... She is the perfect dog, and I wanted another to see if it's just Scout, or if they're all so awesome! Scout knows more than 50 signs, Mouse knows around 20.

Both Scout and Mouse will be appearing in a book. This book was started by a lady that rescued a little deaf puppy... she happened to be a photographer and after joining the deaf dog yahoo group I'm on, decided to help to educate people on our perfect pets.
www.thephotobooks.com