PATCHES

Our rescued dog is profoundly deaf.
Did we know that before we adopted him? YES
Did we know that he had been abused? All rescued dogs carry baggage.
Did we have any experience with the deaf, human or canine? NO
7 months of age Border Collie Rescue
Patches is what is commonly called a Blue Merle. In fact, he is a Double Merle(Le Merle Blanc).
If you see Le Merle Blanc, have the breeder BAER Test it BEFORE purchase. Most are DEAF.

Our previous two dogs were acquired to change the dynamics of a pack 'in mourning' over the loss of the alpha leader, and so was Patches. We no longer wanted the total puppy experience. Toilet training wasn't all that appealing at our age. Patches came from Border Collie Rescue, people who care about dogs, and who try to prepare them for new lifestyles. In other words, Patches came to us with
'some basic training' at the ripe old age of eight months.

The dog that Patches would be subbing for was also a rescued dog. Conway, half Lab/half Chow, came from a country pound one cold winter's day. Every window was cranked down, but he was so rank that our eyes still teared. He was so dehydrated that he wolfed down his soapy bath water. Named after a terrific vet, Conway turned out to be that once-in-a-lifetime companion. We've had very good luck with rescued dogs. And Conway had been a young puppy; we had to do all of the training. Our major obstacle with Patches would be communication.

So, how did we prepare for his homecoming?
We checked the internet, which is a valuable resource. We bought the highly recommended book, 'Living With The Deaf Dog' by Susan C. Becker. It was a major disappointment. We met with a breeder/trainer, who took her deaf dog to an obedience championship. An excellent move. Her advice was to speak to him as if he were a hearing dog, exaggerate our signals, let him see how pleased we are by our smiles. Obedience sign was all that we would need. And that is the only advice that we disagree with. Think of your dog's vocabulary, which probably runs into hundreds of words. Even if you don't learn American Sign, and we haven't, the more recognizable signals that you develop, the greater the lines of communication becomes, the closer the relationship becomes.
Note - the responsible breeder, who was consulted, has all of her puppies
BAER tested.

We again were lucky in that we used a lot of sign with Tory while teaching tricks. Patches as we said had begun his training. But a woman, who rescues Pit Bulls in our area told me that she had difficulty getting a deaf Pit to look at her. We use a V signal with the right index finger and right ring finger under the right eye, but how to get junior to look at you in the first place? A woman, on deaf dogs group, advised quiet time and treats. Great idea, treats will illicit a positive response with almost all dogs. Use the treat to get Junior to look at you, make a watch me signal and treat, often, at first, until it becomes normal behaviour.
The WATCH ME trick (command) is so basic that we often forget how very important it is.

Is it all peaches and cream? Definitely Not.
Deaf dogs do have unique quirks, understandably. Key words may well be

bark-aholics - easily startled - a little aggressive - insecure

Patches is constantly under foot, forcing himself on you. His driving need for love and attention can be a distraction. By the same token, he has a driving need to please. Yes, he had a sit, a basic come, a down.
He had little concept of human play. Fetch with a tennis ball has taken months.
He loves hoop play, which facilitates his training.
Commands that Tory easily absorbs are more difficult with Patches, even though we use a lot of sign with Tory. The verbal reinforcement plays a major role. However, once Patches figures out what his dumb trainer is attempting to say, he is quick... such a brilliant dog, such an inadequate trainer. Gradually, we are making real progress.

We have noted that when Patches is playing and/or training, he gets over excited. He has a tendency to nip Tory's legs, which naturally draws a response, which is why we are easing into periods of training together, simple things, like sit together, down together, down/head down, sit and glance at each other (to stare at a person is impolite, to stare at a dog is threatening, in their language), walk back-together. Still, on our last rain day (inside activities), they jumped through a single hoop, Patches following Tory, several times, and twice, they successfully managed a larger hoop, side by side, and the squabbling was minimal, progress, looks hopeful.

Apart from sit stay, down stay, stand stay, come and come to heel, Patches has learned sleep,down head down, spin right, spin left, roll over, jump through a single hoop, jump over a single hoop, broad jump over a hoop,
jump through two hoops, spin in a hoop, and circle in and out between the human's legs, and continues to learn at a reasonable rate. Before Patches sets the world on fire a behaviour modification is required here and there. For instance, he loves to push a ball around with his nose, a behaviour that we do not want to discourage, but he does not want to deliver the ball directly to our hands; he is ball crazy, and can not be distracted with offers of treats.
The problem lies in human inadequacy, but we will overcome.

Yesterday Patches invented a new game. When you sit down to the computer, he is usually all over you. Now he has decided that when you do reach down to pet him, he will put his paw in your hand. He will do it while in the down position as well, and has responded while sitting. A major breakthrough, we hope.
Today, Patches managed a pray, once, meaning that he obviously has shake and the concept of touch.Oct.21/06. These are truely amazing dogs.
7 months Border Collie Rescue
At some point, Deaf Dog Owners usually ask "Is my dog completely deaf?".
The simple fact is that deaf dogs can be so attuned to changes in atmospheric pressure, vibrations, our body language, and so on, that they can fool us. If we were as aware of our surroundings as a deaf dog, we would soon be super-humans.
Border Collie Rescue 7 months
One very real problem, is Patches determination to get in front of you, searching for clues, what are we going to do? Naturally, almost everytime you move, he wants to know if you're going to do something with him. It isn't all bad news.
It is his determination to 'read' you that helps with his training.

We have never had a dog bump into us so often, nor one that bumped into objects that we are carrying, such as a chunk of stovewood or a bottle. What it really means is that we have to be more aware of his presence. Do not turn suddenly in response to a noise for instance. So far he has not interpreted his misadventures with objects that we are carrying as punishment, thank goodness.
That we believe would surely set us back.

And yes, deaf dogs can be fearful of thunder storms. They can see the lightening flashes, feel the vibrations of violent storms.
Even we humans have more acute senses, during thunder storms.

Deaf dogs tend to sleep the sleep of the dead. Disturb with caution. They are easily startled. Patches often looks like road kill, the positions that he assumes while sleeping. He does not like to awaken, and find himself alone. In fact, he searches the house for who ever was in the room when he fell asleep. It may have something to do with being 'rescued', but we believe it is a trait of deaf dogs.

An extension of this apparent insecurity can be seen at night when he likes to sleep pressed up against you, or his tendency to lie at your feet with a portion of his body making physical contact. He does this so that he knows when you move. And this is a trait of deaf dogs. Touch is very important.

What Deaf Dog Owners need is patience, common sense and ideas, not really another book. We believe that it is us, who are the real handicap.

Name: Rex---- Born: 13 Feb. 2005 Male
Registration# CBCA B 5000352
Breeder:
Tattoo: SM104R
Micro Chip: 135663564A
blue merle
current owner:
contact:
CERF Tested: no
BAER Tested: no
-OFA Tested: no
aka: Neige - Border Collie Rescue
aka: Patches

Sire: Ranger CBCA 2611 Dam: La Meute Maggy7 CBCA 5000178

GS: Bud ABC 90989 * Beesting Willie Make It CBCA B500088
GD: Montana ABC 78890 * LaMeute Top Secret ABC 116110

GGS: Mick ABC 21370 * Black Magic ABC 27695 * ?????? * ??????
GGD: Bess ABC 35219 * Black Shadow ABC 53498 * ?????? * ??????

GGGS: Jac ISDS 167412 * Moss ABC 27634 * Strange Brew ABC 6019 * Hank * NASD 36228
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GGGD: Waifer ABC 7387 * Clarkshome Winji ABC 19592 * Lady ABC 13455 * Tammy NASD 45543
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GGGGS: Dryden Joe ISD 104626 * Borderline Moat AIBC ???? * Cap ISDS 109820 * Mirk ABC 1349
----------Mirk ABC 1349 * Ben NASD 26373 * Lad NASD 26586 * Captain NASD 25224
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GGGGD: ???? ISDS ?33675 * Meg AIBC 31504 * Nell ISDS ?3674? * Meg ISDS 163???
-----------Brandy AIBC 631?? * Meg NASD 42622 * Meg NASD 23495 * Suze NASD 41436
-----------?????? * ?????? * ?????? * ??????

Cap ISDS 109820 Sire: Ben ISDS 59446 Dam: Dryden Bud ISDS 94291
GS: Ken II ISDS ???? * Mirk ISDS 52844
GD: Meg ISDS 17910 * Dryden Queen ISDS 70345