#Deaf dog hand signals how to#
#Deaf dog hand signals series#

(4) They don't hear other dogs barking in the neighborhood, so they don't chime in. (3) They watch body language more acutely than hearing dogs. (2) They sleep soundly - most noises will not wake them, but the VIBRATIONS from others might. I do involve owners in the handling of their pets, both in studio and on location, but for reinforcement purposes, I like to understand how they 'speak' to their dog.ĭeaf dogs bring certain advantages to the table: You can also choose your own hand signals. Some deaf dog owners use American Sign Language or simplified versions of the signs for commands such as sit, stay, and come. I will ask a client to show me the nuances of their own signals, when working with their dog to capture a great photograph. Once your dog learns to pay attention to you, you can teach them basic commands using visual signals.

#Deaf dog hand signals series#

I have found that clients who have deaf dogs, often have a series of hand signals they use, much like ours, to make requests.

Using their signs, and body language, they have no problem complying with STAY STILL requests for portraits. I rarely have a problem photographing our deaf dogs. He is showing her the reward she will receive when she completes the task.

Stanton is asking Talley to STAY, and has already started to back up. Lacy shows Talley that sign, above, when she has met the command requested. In our house, thumbs up means 'good' or 'okay' to our deaf dogs.

#Deaf dog hand signals how to#

Pets and children also have to be taught how to respect each other. The video below is a good representation of most of the signs we use, and I like that a child is involved in the process, because I firmly believe kids need to be taught early how to help care for a pet. Some common hand signals to use with a deaf dog include: Come: Hold your hand out, palm facing down, and. The most important thing is to be consistent with the signs that you use, and to make sure that everyone in the household uses the same signs. We parlay some of these very same signs into our deaf-dog vocabulary, as well as American Sign Language and things we just made up to suit our own dogs. There are a few different hand signals that you can use to communicate with your deaf dog. Hand signals are often used in dog training, even for hearing dogs. Signs for quiet, sit, stay, down, wait, outside, eat, finished/no more, no, leave it/drop it, walkies.all of these and more are a part of our daily lives.īut signs aren't so far fetched. It has not only helped us to move forward with our two additional deafies (our Border Collie, Piper, and our recent addition, Talley, an English Setter), but has given us a lot of insight into the importance of routine, schedules, and body language. Burton is credited with being our first bilaterally deaf adoption, and he taught us so much of what we needed to know. Two are still with us, but we lost one (Burton, pictured near the end of this blog) a bit over a year ago at age 11.