It’s ok! We’re here to help. We speak a little dog and can help translate for both of you. It’s probably just a miscommunication! And we are here to help get you both speaking the same language! Woof!
Connect with the PAWpundance training team and other members of the dog community to discuss better ways to communicate with your furry house guest.
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This puppy is Domino. He was a special bear to work with because he is deaf. He’s actually pretty famous on Instagram now. I have been at people's homes and seen him on a magnet and thought "hehehe... I trained him." His owner has pretty good training chops herself. She was just busy during the day. So we grabbed Domino and took him for a good walk and got him walking nice.
I read some different things about how different it is to train a deaf dog. And since Domino was my first (but not by far my last) we did lots of homework and worked very closely with his mama. As it turns out, it’s not that different. The only major difference is that you can’t whistle to get his attention and such. He was in his adolescence phase when we got to him and he was going from baby boy to very big boy. He took the deafness as... well - I don’t have to listen. Thus he chose not to pay attention. And remember - attention is a currency. If he didn't want it/notice its absence - it's hard to use it.
There were times he just ignored the hand gestures. We really had to practice without distractions. Then we slowly began working with more and more distractions. The "sit" hand gesture was a fist (not my decision, initially but it had to be very clear), he followed my point (take it), he learned body blocks (leave it), down was pointing at the ground (since he followed where I pointed) and good boy was the sign language gesture for "thank you". I also loaded a light as a clicker. It was a little bright and distracting so I kept it behind me. In the end, light worked as nice as the clicker. It was hard to mash the button in then click it off again so not as smooth but functional.
He watched my mouth, as I continued to speak. My body language changed when I tried not to speak. When I tried not to speak, I became more rigid in my gestures trying to hold back my speech. It was unnatural to be quiet, so I continued to speak and not force myself to be quiet. Even though, I know he can't hear, it wasn't about the sound. It was about being relaxed and natural.
With this guy was no joke. He is a smart boy. He was very reactive. He was quick to react to touch and we had to really work on his communication skills. In the end, we all agreed it was time for him to get more socialization with dogs before his "puppy" window closed. He did doggy daycare during the day and since he came from a home that was committed to training/relationships during nights/weekends - we know this is one lucky/happy pup!
We learned a lot from working with Domino. Watching him learn and grow really inspired our whole team. It was a very cool experience. I saw this pup at a dog event almost a year later and he was gigantic! He's a sweet boy and doing very well. Great Job Domino! Keep it up!!
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We want to see your furbabies!
We’re here to assist with any questions you may have about training, behavior, and more. At PAWpundance, we believe in blending knowledge with a bit of fun—expect plenty of paws, puns, and maybe even a dance or two! Together, let’s enjoy some laughs and build stronger relationships with our pups.
Our Philosophy:
We’ve invited another species to live in our homes, and our dogs are much more than accessories; they’re our guests. They don’t speak our language, and like in the movie E.T., we don’t want to be the intimidating figures trying to coerce a scared, confused being. Instead, we want to be like ...
Eye Contact, Eye Contact, Eye Contact!
Reward every glance. Start by reinforcing brief glances, then encourage your pup to hold your gaze a bit longer. Gradually phase out your part of the eye contact—your pup will learn to watch you and adapt to your movements naturally. This approach helps them learn to walk with you without relying on leash cues.
Remember, the leash is purely for safety—not for communication.
Take a look at this video with Meghan and Buckee. Buckee is watching Meghan closely, and she rewards him by making eye contact, smiling, and offering treats. Meghan also looks forward occasionally, teaching Buckee to walk with her in sync.
Notice that Buckee is a reactive pup, so the leash is essential for safety, especially if he responds to something unexpectedly. However, it’s only used for physical control when necessary. When Buckee refocuses, Meghan reestablishes instructional control, and they continue their walk together. She does a fantastic job of engaging with him! In ...
Loose-Leash Walking Tip:
Where you reward makes a big difference! Try using the hand on the same side as your dog when giving treats or praise.
When you reach across your body to reward with the opposite hand, it draws your dog’s nose in front of you, encouraging them to move ahead and potentially start pulling.
In the video of Meghan and Domino, Meghan holds the leash with her left hand while Domino walks on her right. She rewards him by petting and giving treats with her right hand. This keeps Domino walking by her side on a loose leash, rather than in front, pulling her along.
Next time you’re out walking with your pup, try rewarding with the hand on the same side as your dog.
https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1295508215740932098?s=21
How to teach you pup to be a good dining companion! What a great skill!
https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1292609106637987840?s=21
This is about counter-surfers, but I love the description of trying to shame dogs. This author, Pat Miller helped me understand this concept in her book the Power of Positive Dog Training.
If you’re still on Twitter, the Whole Dog Journal is a great group to follow. Lots of fantastic info!
