Deaf Mute Dog Trainer
You love dogs and you have always wanted one. So you pick up little Mikey from the shelter. He’s an adorable and lovable little terrier who puts a smile on your face. You get him home and find out that Mikey is less a little angel and more a troublesome terror. He rips up the toilet paper, gets into the garbage, and pulls like mad on his leash when you go for walks. You love your new little guy, but his habits are a real pain. It’s time to learn to train your new buddy, but you are deaf and mute and you’ve been told that you will be unable to teach him commands. What if you want to try anyway? Little Mikey isn’t aggressive; he just needs some obedience. Can you do it? The answer is an emphatic yes!
There are many qualities that a good dog trainer should have and none of them are the ability to hear or speak. Many a deaf dog has learned obedience through the use of hand signals and other kinds of body language. There is no reason you can’t use the same techniques with Mikey.
Qualities of a Good Trainer
Deafness in no way should prevent anyone from training their dog. A good dog trainer is someone who is patient. Dogs don’t learn in an instant. It takes time, consistency, and patience to teach a dog tricks or obedience. A good trainer is also someone who is calm. It can be very frustrating when little Mikey refuses to acknowledge your sign for sit. You must remain calm. Throwing a tantrum will only disrupt and set back the training process.
A good trainer has knowledge and skills. You can’t expect to train Mikey successfully simply because you think you know how to do it. You need to go out and do some research. Read books about training techniques, watch shows about training, or take a class with a professional dog trainer. However you learn about training, take those lessons home and use them on Mikey.
Using Hand Signals
Even dogs and people who can hear can learn obedience by hand signals. Using hand signals works just as well as using vocal commands. In fact, many trainers combine spoken commands with hand signals when training dogs. You and Mikey can learn some signals and will be able to communicate with each other with ease.
Introduce Mikey to a hand signal and the behavior that goes with it using basic positive reinforcement training. The trick is to catch Mike doing what you want him to do and to give him your signal and a reward, such as a treat. For example, your signal for sit could be pointing at the floor. Get Mikey’s attention and point at the floor. Wait for him to sit and when he does, give him a treat. It could take a long time when you first introduce a new signal and behavior, but eventually he will begin to associate a pointed finger with sitting and getting a treat. This is basically what trainers who use vocal commands do to introduce a new behavior. The only difference is the signal.
You and Mikey have the potential to have a great relationship with each other. The more you train him, the more you will bond and communicate. He will understand what you expect of him and that makes dogs very happy. A happy Mikey means no more trash on the floor or chewed up shoes. When Mikey is happy, you’re happy. Be patient, consistent, and calm and you and Mikey will be successful.