Has anyone trained a blind dog?? what do I do?? - Page 1

has anyone trained a blind dog?? I am getting a 10 mon rescue aussie mix that is blind and keeps getting returned..I've never trained a blind one?? how??

I would use a clicker to shape the obedience excersises. It is a long process but well worth the effort. They can get around the house once they learn where everything is but if you change something, move furniture then the dog may have problems navigating.

Good luck.

Melissa

I forgot to mention its deaf too basicly a Helen Keller,,should I use scent somehow??

Oh geeze.

You can use touch, basically Hellen Keller. You can use touch like the clicker. Pick an area of the body that will be your reward area. You load the reward area just as you would a clicker. Then when you are training you can guide the dog into position ( say for sit) with a treat, touch and then reward. To cue the dog for the sit I would have to say touch again.  You will have to see which cues work for the dog.

You could also use a vibrating collar as the clicker. Load it like you would a clicker and use that to signal the behaviors you would like to mark as good.

Best of luck

Melissa

yes I am going to use the pager I know how train deaf dogs but this is way beyond my expertise!  ,hopefully the little guy has food drive...I will post his before video...basicly I'm his last hope as he is becoming unadoptable everyone returns him..I will try the touch reward!! thanks Mellissa!

Good luck! Would really love to know how training goes and what works for him. Maybe you could make a video series to help those who may be in the same situation and contemplating returning a dog with the same problems. Never know, it could very well save others.

Melissa

oh yes we are going to document everything on youtube!!  hopefully that will help him get a new home too!

wow...and we though Sch obedience was tough! Kudos to you Lief for taking this dog on and giving it a chance!!!

yes hopefully I will be able come up with some new inovative techniques and then they will call me  the Ann Sullivan of dog training...yikes!!!     I really can;t imagine there are too many deaf blind dogs in the world. I had never heard of it in that young a dog..thanks to CERF and Optigen I am unfamiliar with dog blindness!!

Try various forms of vibration. A vibrating collar will help, I find that a deaf dog, when looking away, will respond if I stomp the floor. The vibration cues them to look at me, thus allowing me to make my hand signal for a command. I imagine with a dog that is blind as well you can teach the dog to associate the vibrations with a command, one stomp for sit, two fast stomps for down, maybe the vibrating collar for come? A sort of morse code. I use clapping to cue praise for a deaf dog, perhaps if you clap close to the dog they will feel the vibration of that as well, coupled with a air movement, then know their reward (petting/treat) is to immediately follow? You can use other physical cues, such as a jiggle of the lead for heel or a touch to the nose for stay. Get creative. I would love to be in your shoes right now, what a great opportunity for learning as a trainer!