Deb and Stacey went home that evening without her, but couldn’t stop thinking about her all week. Sell and her husband Stacey got to the pet fair that night, they saw one cute little white dog quietly watching everyone and became intrigued by her calm nature. “We already had a 1½- year-old Aussie mix, Hawi (pronounced Ha-Vee it’s Hawaiian), and really hadn’t planned on getting a second dog.”īut when Dr. “We got our first deaf dog when going to a pet fair ‘just to look’ at the cute dogs,” says Deb Sell, an animal chiropractor in Prunedale, California, and the proud guardian of four dogs.

But the people who really know deaf dogs – those who live with and love them – tell a very different story. Well-meaning but misinformed breeders and other “experts” commonly perpetuate myths about deaf dogs – that they are difficult to live with, hard to train, aggressive, and that they are only suitable dogs for a few “special” people.

Unfortunately, given the number of hearing-impaired canines, there is a lot of misinformation promulgated about deaf dogs, even among dog lovers. If you find that your dog is licking you obsessively, especially if it’s a new behaviour, or if it becomes a problem and makes you feel uncomfortable, always speak to a behaviourist or your vet for advice.– Owners of elderly dogs should consider teaching their dogs hand signals hearing loss is common in very old dogs.Įach year, as many as tens of thousands of dogs are born or become deaf. Be consistent and clear about what you want them to do and what you don’t

If you give your dog mixed messages then it will be confusing to them. Be consistent - Make sure you’re consistent.Positive attention - Give your dog lots of praise and attention when they’re doing what you want them to, rather than giving them negative attention when they’re not.Stay clean - If licking is a particular problem after you’ve been exercising, take a shower.Exercise - Keep your dog stimulated and give them plenty of exercise to help reduce any stress or burn up any excess energy that might be directed towards licking you.Training - Try training them to sit, or teach them to do something that redirects their licking and is rewarded by your affection and attention, such as giving you their paw or rolling over.Distract them - Try giving them something else to do that stops them licking, such as a chew toy or a food puzzle.Over time this should give them the message that it’s not something you enjoy

If this doesn’t work, try moving away from your dog, or leave the room entirely. Don’t say anything or make eye contact, but remain neutral.

Move away - Instead of giving either positive or negative attention, try moving the part of your body that’s being licked away from your dog.

If your dog’s licking becomes too much, then below are some suggestions to help you: If you have a licker it’s important that you try to understand why your dog is licking you, as this may help you to help your dog to stop. However, not all dogs are the same and some may not lick often if at all. Expecting your dog to stop licking you completely is similar to someone expecting you to never stroke your dog again – it’s never going to happen. Remember that licking is a perfectly natural behaviour and is a useful way for dogs to express themselves.

Dog training hand signal in kennel