(This is the third part in a three-part series focusing on living a deaf dog. Parts one and two ran on consecutive days – April 3 and April 4 – if you’d like to go back to the beginning.)
Even Buzz has noticed that something’s different about Ryan. The timid younger brother always deferred to his elder, but is now beginning to become his older brother’s keeper. Looking out for him and leading the way out the door in an almost protective manner.
The two have always been close, but these days they tend to sleep and stay in the same room together during the day.
Ryan now sleeps next to me in bed and there is no waking him up. So Buzz and I go about our usual morning routine and when Ryan wakes up, we just do it all over again. For him.
All my friends are now super vigilant that Ryan doesn’t slip out a door because that could be the death of him. All of us make solid eye contact with Ryan and we smile at him a lot more to get his attention. And yes, we talk to him as we always have because it’s possible that he understands what we’re saying by lip reading.
He needs to know he’s a very good boy – even if he can’t actually hear us tell him that.
Toys and balls are thrown where he can see them.
And, instead of telling him he can wait a minute when he goes to the basement door to tell me he wants to go out, I now jump up and head down the stairs to let him out. Then go with him just in case there’s a wild creature or a danger present that he might not hear before he sees it.
And as for his obedience training and future show career?
Remember, this is a dog that loves to show. That training continues with some modifications. One of my friends, Nancy, who lost her older dog to cancer this winter, has been working with him and has started showing him in rally while I concentrate on showing Buzz.
Deaf dogs are allowed to show in performance events in United Kennel Club (UKC) events but not in American Kennel Club (AKC) events, so as long as he’s still having fun, he’ll get to travel to new places, make new friends, and strut his stuff along with his younger brother.
And, I’ll keep you posted on both of their future show adventures.
If all continues to progress with Ryan as planned, he’ll be entered again in June.
I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has experience in living with a deaf dog and entertain any of their suggestions for making Ryan’s final years as happy, healthy and fulfilling as possible. Please email me at [email protected].
