Is your dog blind or deaf? Tips on Living, Communicating & Caring for a handicapped pet

As humans we all can agree that with aging comes loss of sight & hearing and our pets are not immune. Like us, it is typical with doggy years that our canine paw pals can start to lose their keen sense of sight and hearing. But vision & hearing loss is not only common among senior dogs, but often times puppies with hereditary conditions or viral infections may be predisposed to hearing and sight loss even at a very young age.

Besides unconditional love & support, it is important as primary care giver that you learn how to care & communicate with your blind and/or deaf dog. Here are a few steps to make your vision and hearing impaired dog's life much easier and help you transition to be your dogs eyes & ears.

Some tips for working with blind dogs include:

1. Don't do any unnecessary re-decorating or rearranging. Its important that your home be a safe haven and familiar territory. So, try to avoid moving furniture or household belonging in the home or yard. As long, as your dog knows what to expect at every turn or maneuver inside and outside the home they won't have a huge problem with mobility.

2. Doggy Proof your home to prevent injuries. Place baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent the dog from trying to use the stairs without supervision.

3. Don't play Hide & Seek with food and water bowl. Dogs love routine, so always keep water and food dishes in the same location.

4. Leash them up. Always keep the dog on a leash when outside of familiar settings. Just because your dog has an vision impairment does not mean the urge to chase is gone. Blind dogs may still try to chase other animals that they can smell, which can be dangerous & deadly if they venture into roads & on coming traffic.

5. Let them sniff first & hear your sweet voice. With a loss of sight, hearing & sense of smell is heightened and this will be how your blind dog will relate to the world. Allow a blind dog to hear and smell you before you pet them. They may naturally be more startled if someone simply touches them, so try to give the dog enough time to be aware of your presence before petting. Talk to the dog as you approach to help them understand that you are there.

6. Be slow to punish & anger but quick to be patient & loving. Never punish a blind dog for accidents in the house. He or she may have become disoriented looking for the doggy door or may simply be aging and loosing control of his or her bladder or bowels. Doggy diapers or more frequent trips out to the yard are usually all that is required.

7. Help build their confidence. Although your dog has a physical handicap does not mean that he or she is incapable of living a normal life. Treat your dog as normal as possible. Building their confidence is key and ensure him or her of your unconditional love and that they can still do things. It is important that your blind dog knows that he or she is the same dog in your eyes, even with their vision impairment. For a blind pup it can be the basis for what type of personality they will developed.

8. The Little Engine that Could. Coax, encourage and praise them to do the same things they did before. However, understand and still praise them if they "can't".

9. Mark their territory with scents. Be creative with different safe scents to mark areas for your blind pup so they can distinguish between different rooms in in the home. Use all natural flavored extracts, hanging a car air freshener or potpourri sachet on a door.

10. Use textured materials to guide the way. Throw rugs, decorative pillows, indoor/outdoor carpeting, wind chimes, cedar chips, decorative bricks or blocks can help guide them along their way inside and outside.

11. Purchase a tabletop fountain to quench your dog's thirst. A tabletop fountain is a great alternative to a water bowl, if your thirsty blind pup is having a hard time finding his way. The sound of running water helps to orient, find his water bowl and know his surroundings.

12. Be a vocal coach. Be very vocal with your dog, this will keep him or her out of harms way.

Working with dogs that are deaf:

1. Safety first, so leash up! Always keep the dog on a leash when outside of a fenced area. Deaf dogs cannot hear your voice, traffic, or any noises to alert them to danger.

***Go the extra mile with your dogs collar and consider engraving “I’m deaf” on your dog’s tag so that other dog walkers & pedestrians will know his or her special needs. This is will also help passer-byers if your dog becomes lost & disoriented.

2. Learn canine sign language. Start adapting & pairing hand signs, with facial expressions & voice commands as soon as hearing loss is noted. Basic hand signs for sit, come and down are usually all that is required. Sit can be a stop motion of the palm at the chest, down can be a downward motion of the hand from the chest to the waist and come can be a sideways arching motion from straight out in towards the chest.

3. Let your dog greet you first before petting. Always be sure a deaf dog can see and smell you before you pet it to prevent it from snapping or startling from you.

**Alert friends, family, newcomers, and any strangers you might encounter on walks who want to pet your dog, that he is deaf and to approach him from UNDER his chin palm up and let him smell their hand first.

4. Alert Neighbors of dogs impairment. Be sure your neighbors know your dog is deaf; tell them you never let him out alone. If they spot your dog wandering unattended, instruct them how to react (phone you, approach the dog and so on).

5. Fence in your yard. Invite friendly canine playmates over to socialize, rather than letting your dog off-leash at a park.

6. Teach young children a hand signal for greeting the dog. Although the dog might not need such a formal salutation, teaching kids to pause and sign, “Hello,____!” will result in a gentler approach by both parties.

7. Provide a doggy safe haven out of foot traffic. Set up food, bedding & water stations outside of family traffic patterns.

8. Develop a “visible doorbell”. This will inform your dog that guests are about to enter the house: flash a hall light or stomp your feet before you open the door.

9. Get their attention. Use a small key chain flashlight to catch get his attention through eyesight, stomp on the floor with your foot to create a vibration, or wave your arms in front of him for movement. Light, vibration, and movement is what your deaf dog will respond to.

10. Don't startle. You should never surprise a dog, even if his hearing is perfect. If your deaf dog is catching up on her beauty sleep, but needs to be awaken & your attention touch her gently on the shoulder or back. Use the same spot every time. Gently touch with your hand, but never pat her on the head because this might be interpreted as threatening.

11. Be a gentle giant! Be gentle and VERY patient with your deaf dog. During the training process praise, reward with treats & positive reinforcement. Remember your deaf dog can still see the expression on your face so smile when you are pleased with him.

Blindness & deafness doesn't have to mean that life is over for your dog. With a few simple life changes and adjustments your dog can live a productive, active, healthy and happy life.

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Introducing a New Dog into the Household: How to Tips on Aquainting Your Resident Dog With a New Dog

Households can get tricky when you add another dog, a forever house-guest to the equation. Especially when you already have a family dog defending their territory and vying for dominance & hierarchy as top dog in the furry pack. Our friends at the Humane Society have some simple new dog introduction techniques to make your new dogs transition into the household and pack easier for the entire family and resident dog. These tips will help to keep the peace and prevent squabbles among your furry family members.

But before we get started with reviewing these helpful techniques. It is important that you first establish the pack leader position and mentality. Since dogs have a tendency to want to assume the lead of the pack. With those adorable not so innocent eyes they prey on our weakness, so take charge and stand firm. In the wild, the Alpha, or the leader of the pack is strong, stable, well adjusted, and confident. They make all necessary decisions for the rest of the pack. Seeing as they are no longer in the wild ( backyard does not count) it is crucial that you assume that role.

Dogs yearn to be part of a pack and want to be lead. This all starts by understanding your role as pack leader, which is to discipline & correct in love. Setting limitations, boundaries and letting your dogs know whose boss is vital to your dogs health and well being and the key to raising well adjusted pups. But don't forget that your role is to reward your dogs with praise, belly rubs & treats when they follow the rules.

Now on to the topic of the hour....how to introduce a new dog into the household when you already have a dog.

1. Choose a Neutral Location: Introduce the dogs in a neutral location so that your resident dog is less likely to view the newcomer as a territorial intruder. Each dog should be handled by a separate person. With both dogs on a leash, take them to an area with which neither is familiar, such as a park or a neighbor’s yard. If you frequently walk your resident dog in a park near your house, she may view that park as her territory, so choose another site that’s unfamiliar to her. We recommend bringing your resident dog with you to the shelter and introducing the dogs before adopting the new dog.

2. Use Positive Reinforcement: From the first meeting, you want both dogs to expect "good things" to happen when they’re in each other's presence. Let them sniff each other, which is normal canine greeting behavior. As they do, talk to them in a happy, friendly tone of voice - never use a threatening tone of voice. Don’t allow them to investigate and sniff each other for a prolonged time, as this may escalate to an aggressive response. After a short time, get both dogs' attention, and give each dog a treat in return for obeying a simple command, such as "sit" or “stay.” Take the dogs for a walk and let them sniff and investigate each other at intervals. Continue with the "happy talk," food rewards and simple commands.

3. Be Aware of Body Postures: One body posture that indicates things are going well is a “playbow.”One dog will crouch with her front legs on the ground and her hind end in the air. This is an invitation to play that usually elicits friendly behavior from the other dog. Watch carefully for body postures that indicate an aggressive response, including hair standing up on the other dog's back, teeth-baring, deep growls, a stiff legged gait or a prolonged stare. If you see such postures, interrupt the interaction immediately by calmly and positively getting each dog interested in something else. For example, both handlers can call their dogs to them, have them sit or lie down and reward each with a treat. The dogs will become interested in the treats which will prevent the situation from escalating into aggression. Try letting the dogs interact again, but this time for a shorter time period and/or at a greater distance from each other.

4. Taking the Dogs Home: When the dogs seem to be tolerating each other's presence without fearful or aggressive responses, and the investigative greeting behaviors have tapered off, you can take them home. Whether you choose to take them in the same, or different vehicles, will depend on their size, how well they ride in the car, how trouble-free the initial introduction has been and how many dogs are involved.

If you have more than one resident dog in your household, it may be best to introduce the resident dogs to the new dog one at a time. Two or more resident dogs may have a tendency to "gang up" on the newcomer.

When to seek help?

If the introductions don't go smoothly, contact a professional animal behaviorist immediately. Dogs can be severely injured in fights, and the longer the problem continues, the harder it can be to resolve. Punishment won't work, and could make things worse. Fortunately, most conflicts between dogs in the same family can be resolved with professional guidance.

Here is some more food for thought!

Remember to stay calm during the new pups introduction. Dogs can sense and pick up on your nervousness and uneasiness, making the situation more awkward.

Another great trick is to use a Crate at home. At home, you can put the new dog into a crate and allow your current dog to sniff it. If your current dog shows signs of growling or other aggressive moves you need to step in as their leader and let them know it is not acceptable. To do this, have your current dog on leash with the leash dragging so that you may step in and get a hold of the leash to correct your dog for exhibiting signs of aggression. When the dogs are able to turn their attention off of each other and relax you may be able to introduce them in person without the crate.

Never pat a dog showing signs of aggression. If a dog is showing signs of aggression; growling, barking, etc don't be quick to pet to calm them. Doing so only encourages this aggressive behavior. Only pet or show praise towards your dog when they are calm, obedient and on best doggy behavior.

If you are struggling with introducing dogs to each other, and nothing seems to work don't get discouraged. Its important to realize that bond & friendship will grow in time, so be patient and give your dogs time to adjust to one another. Every situation is different. Don’t rush it. If you have a concern about your dogs initial meet and sniff perhaps consider muzzling your dogs to be safer. Keep your eyes alert, always observing your dogs interactions with each other. If your dogs are doing well together continue to observe for a period of time before leaving them alone.





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Avoid the Moving Blues: Tips for Calming an Anxious Pet

Pet anxiety can occur with a new move, changes in the household, stressors or traumatic events. Unfamiliar situations or disruptions in your pet's daily routine can cause your pet to feel uneasy, frightened, restless, whiny, finicky and squirmy.

Some pets may even cope by displaying destructive behavior such as chewing furniture, persistent barking or relieving themselves indoors on your beautiful hard wood floors. But don't worry we have some tips that will help calm your anxious pet naturally.

1. Turn your frown upside down. Although moving can be a stressful situation for you, imagine what your pet must be going through. Avoid showing stress around your pet. Pets have heightened senses and can infact sense when you are stressed out which can impact their well-being. Remember to stay calm, keep your pets daily routine, use your soothing voice and provide lots of cuddle time.

2. Reward your pet for good behavior. When your pet exhibits calm behavior in the place of anxiety, reward her. Give your pet treats or bully sticks to reinforce positive behavior.

3. Did you say fetch? Keep your pet busy with stimulating interactive toys as a distraction. Give your pet something to play with, such as a chew toy, bone or ball. If your pet is occupied, he is less likely to become anxious and go chew crazy.

4. Turn on the soothing tunes! Play soft music or leave a radio or TV on in the background.

5. Keep the routine consistent. As you settle into your new home try to keep the routine as regular as possible. Keep feeding, play time, walks, etc. at the same or similar times. Stick to your previous schedule as closely as you can. This will help keep your pet calm and help him to adapt more easily. Any break in routine can cause anxiety in your pet so being consistent in routine can help to keep your pet calm and content.

6. Give pet time to adapt. You may find that when you and your pet arrive at your new home he or she may go in hiding. Don't worry, just give your pet time & space to sniff, explore and adjust to the new surroundings. You will see your pet come out of hiding and finally become accustom to the new digs.


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