| Owning a dog can give one so much joy, as well | | | | communicate not through sound, but rather |
| as offer the canine a loving home that it has been | | | | through expressions and body language. With this |
| looking for. While most all prospective dog owners | | | | in mind, dogs who are unable to sense sound |
| opt for puppies, there are others who would | | | | need to be trained through the use of visual cues. |
| rather rescue a dog from a local shelter or | | | | Using hand signals to train a deaf dog is an |
| humane society. This gives dogs who have been | | | | extremely successful method of training. Because |
| surrendered for various reasons an opportunity to | | | | the dog is unable to hear, the owner is presented |
| placed into a loving home, rather than being | | | | with the challenge of getting the dog's attention in |
| euthanized. At times, shelters or humane societies | | | | another way. One way is to use a small object, |
| are presented with the challenge of placing dogs | | | | which is tossed at the dog. Once the object hits |
| with disabilities. | | | | the dog, or the dog notices it landing near it, the |
| One disability that many potential adoptive parents | | | | owner should make their attempt to gain the |
| might steer clear of is a deaf dog. Many think that | | | | dogs attention. Once the owner has the dog's |
| adopting such an animal would prove to be | | | | attention, it is time to reward the dog with a |
| impossible to work with in terms of training, but | | | | treat. This should be repeated until the dog is able |
| this most certainly is not the case. In fact, studies | | | | to respond to the touch of the object whenever |
| have shown that, when trained properly, dogs | | | | it is thrown. From here, the owner can begin |
| trained in the method deaf dogs are to be trained | | | | working on creating hand signals for different |
| are more responsive than those dogs trained with | | | | commands. |
| verbal cues. Dogs, when in a natural pack setting, | | | | |