Question:
: I am taking my deaf JR puppy, 'Molly' to training classes at the end of the month with normal hearing dogs and i am not sure how the classes will work for Molly and myself?
: I know , from having 3 hearing dogs of my own that alot of the training consists of using different tones in the voice to teach/train your puppy to respond in the correct way, but obviously, this will not work for Molly.
: Molly is now 5 months old and is doing well with 'sit', 'no', 'good girl!', but i would like to teach her the 'stay' and 'come' command too. What should i expect from the classes and is there anything i need to do to prepare for them? Should i tale lots of her favourite treats??I must admit i am a little nervous about them!! Thanks for reading this post......
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Hi Natasha,
There is no reason Molly would not have the same results or success in training class as any other dog. What you can achieve in tone of voice with a hearing dog you can achieve in body language, facial expression and intensity and speed of signals in a deaf dog. Please remember that dogs do not know English from birth, and they are not verbally oriented creatures; they are visual. You have taught your hearing dogs that different voice patterns mean different things; Molly just speaks a different language.
The other questions and concerns you have should be addresssed to your trainer. Not knowing the trainer, no one here will know what materials you need to bring to class. I would also check on the trainer's methods, and look for a positive reinforcement (aka operant conditioning or clicker training-- use a thumbs up or simple sign instead of a click, NOT A FLASHLIGHT).
I'd say you are more than a little nervous, and I wouldn't start a class until you feel comfortable with the trainer, their methods and their experience. Ask them about their past experiences with deaf dogs. Finding a good trainer who is experienced in working with deaf dogs shouldn't be hard. You won't succeed with any dog in a situation in which you are comfortable. Training is supposed to be a fun and positive experience. Each dog will progress at a different rate, so absolutely no comparing Molly to the other dogs (unless of course, she's the stand-out, which she probably will be, and then you can say, "My dog is the class STAR!").
Honestly, the only thing that will hold Molly back from learning is you. If your attitude is "we're gonna fail," you will. If your attitude is "we're gonna learn all we can and have fun doing it," you'll learn more than you ever imagined.
HAVE FUN!!
Heather
(mom to Robin AD, NAC, NJC, NAG, AGII, AGI-- deaf and definitely trainable!)
