reba went deaf!

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Postby babyreba » December 10th, 2006, 2:06 pm

I just discovered that my sweet, bitchy old lady dog Reba is deaf. She's been acting extra-bad lately, barking, howling, ignoring me when I ask her to do things, just making a nuisance of herself. I'd mentioned to Rob a couple of times, half in jest, that she might be going deaf.

Well we took them to Rob's studio yesterday to have some photos done, and I noticed Reba would watch me and respond to my hand gestures to "down" or "sit" or "stay," but she wasn't responding if I just spoke the commands or if I called her name.

Then we ordered a pizza last night, and the delivery guy came and knocked on the door and Reba, who barks any time a doorbell rings on TV or someone knocks on a table much less a door, sat next to me contentedly and didn't even acknowledge that the guy was there until Tucker ran up to greet him at the door. THEN she started barking her fool head off and wouldn't shut up till I could get her attention and make her sit with a hand signal.

I've been testing her out all day today--knocking, singing, whistling, calling her name, asking her if she wants to go for a ride, go to the park, go for a walk, have a biscuit, everything. Not a response unless Tucker responds first or she can figure out what I want through my body language.

I'll be damned, the dog is deaf as a stone. I wonder how long she's managed to mask this . . . not even the vet noticed when she went in for her last checkup. Crazy.

I wonder if she'll be up for learning more hand signals, even at 14.5 years old!
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Postby Marinepits » December 10th, 2006, 2:11 pm

Oh, poor Reba! Guess she has a reason for being a crotchety old lady. :wink:
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Postby iluvk9 » December 10th, 2006, 2:24 pm

I was going to say, "poor Reba" but now that I think about it, she is one smart cookie to have fooled everyone!
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Postby babyreba » December 10th, 2006, 2:27 pm

she's a tough old broad, i really can't believe it was so hard to figure out that she can't hear a damn thing! crazy old dog.
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Postby luvmyangels » December 10th, 2006, 2:29 pm

Sorry to hear this. But she is 14.5 and that is great!!
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Postby mnp13 » December 10th, 2006, 3:11 pm

WOW!!

14.5?

She may have learned to read lips, see if she follows commands if she is watching your lips.

I know there are a few people here who have deaf dogs, they may be able to offer some tips.

Does a clicker produce enough sound vibration to get her attention?
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Postby Hoyden » December 10th, 2006, 5:02 pm

We used a flash light to get the attention of a deaf dalmation we worked with.

At night he'd come in from the yard if you flicked the porch light on and off.
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Postby msvette2u » December 10th, 2006, 6:34 pm

I have two deafies, one born that way, and one who got that way surgically (Smitty the cocker). It's a challenge at times, and I have to laugh because we're always walking around doing these exaggerated hand signals (come, is a HUGE wave like you'd do to a person if you said "c'mere"). Stomp on the floor to get them to look at you. And the porch light flashing on and off is great at night :)
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Postby babyreba » December 10th, 2006, 8:28 pm

On Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:11 pm, mnp13 wrote:WOW!!

14.5?

She may have learned to read lips, see if she follows commands if she is watching your lips.

I know there are a few people here who have deaf dogs, they may be able to offer some tips.

Does a clicker produce enough sound vibration to get her attention?


Well, she hasn't been deaf all her life, I shoulda been clear on that. She heard normally probably until the last year or two. She had started to act like she was ignoring me and would act up and get really riled up when we'd do obedience or if we were playing and I had no clue why. I guess she's been slowly losing her hearing over time.

Now it's clear that she's deaf as a doornail. Blissfully so, I might add. I don't think I've seen her so happy in a long time.

I don't know if she'll sense vibrations in a clicker or not, but I guess I'll have to figure something out to get her attention when I need to. The past few months, I've been getting frustrated, going over to her, and taking her by the collar to get her to come with me or to move or whatever!
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Postby SisMorphine » December 10th, 2006, 9:18 pm

My cat can still hear/feel the vibrations when you clap loudly. Or if you pound on the floor it gets her attention.

But when they're deaf they LOVE to bark/meow since it's the only thing they can hear. Get ready for more talking :)
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Postby SpiritFngrz » December 10th, 2006, 9:28 pm

aww Reba is such a sweetie. Can't believe she fooled everyone!
My sister's old tabby cat is deaf. She has to be touched before she knows you're there if she's sleeping.
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Postby cheekymunkee » December 11th, 2006, 2:27 pm

I'm sorry Reba can't hear anymore. :( Glad she is getting around pretty well inspite of it though
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Postby JCleve86 » December 12th, 2006, 4:58 am

I remember researching deafies a while back and I found a vibrating collar that folks would use to get dog's attention, mostly for recalls but I don't see why you couldn't use it day to day. :|

(Note: NOT an e-collar...just a collar that *vibrates* when triggered by remote)

I would imagine introducing it would be a lot like introducing a clicker.
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