Is my dog deaf?

I've often wondered over the last few months but as daft as it seems it's been quite difficult to confirm. Now, loathed as I am to admit it - I'm afraid Fingal is as deaf as a door post.

The first signs - Sitting 'in' his window he was always the first to twig when the car pulled up wagging his tail and barking. Now I'll not only pull up in the car but I'll be half way down the path before Skye and Breagh's 'delayed' behaviour (not barking) give him the signs that I'm home.

Every evening at 6:00 the dogs will nag me for their dinner. I'll say "Din dins" - Fingal will woof with glee and Skye and Breagh spring into action. Now I say "Din dins" and nobody is any the wiser.

Don't get me wrong. When Skye and Breagh kick off (doorbell for example) Fingal will react but I've concluded it's because of their actions rather than what he hears.

Over the last few days I've tested him. You know all those little sounds/noises/instructions that you know fine well will get a response.........nothing.

A quick call would always be enough to get him in from the garden but not now. I wondered if he was just being stubborn but if wave my arms like a maniac he suddenly spots me and realises I want him in.

Dog walks are new ground for us now but fortunately he watches me like a hawk and stays close. I guess the big test comes when he goes off on a chase. I hope this is when Skye and Breagh help matters as they're pretty good and finding each other.

From a health point of view (being a Springer) we're used to ear problems and there's no evidence of smells or canker.

As I said I've been trying to figure it out but I guess we'll just have to see how we go....

Goes without saying - any advise on dealing with deaf dogs would be most welcome.

PS

Fear not - he's still in training for his 2009 flying pictures !

So sorry to hear this news, Phil. Is it worth a vet visit to see if anything can be done to increase Fingal's hearing again?

x0x0x

Aw bless him. During the last few years of his life my old boy Kudos was as deaf as a post. Apart from catching his eye as you are doing, I'm not sure what else can be done. I was always able to catch Kudos's attention and as soon as he realised I was calling him he would come straight away.

I have heard that you can get remote control collars that vibrate. The dog learns to look to his owner every time the collar vibrates or something like that

Aww, Phil, I've been there with Kip.

I knew his hearing was getting dodgey, but then one morning I got up as usual and he didn't move - my heart was in my mouth for a minute as I feared the worst, but it was simply that he hadn't heard me at all.

I do agree with Vicki, worth asking the vet...not that we had any luck on that score with Kip but you never know.

If you can encourage Skye and Breagh to help, it will make things easier; Hoki was a godsend for Kip, it meant he could continue to have complete freedom on walks because she was so good at finding him (not that he wondered that far, but sometimes he'd nip into the trees/bushes and I couldn't see him). She also saved me a lot of effort - if he was asleep upstairs and I wanted him, rather than having to go and get him myself, I'd just send Hoki.

The one thing I would just mention is for you all to be a bit careful if Fingal is asleep or if you are approaching him from behind. Being prodded awake or being touched unexpectedly from behind isn't a nice experience for them and even though with Fingal's temperament I doubt that he would react, it would be fairer on him to try to avoid this.

If you should need to wake him - vibration or air movement is best - if you have wooden floors, a stamp of your foot will usually work - failing that, touch his bed or what he is lying on rather than him.

I'm sure he'll continue to have a fantastic life with you and of course, unlike us, he won't even realise that there is a problem.

Aww bless him, we've had dogs go deaf as they've got old, but he's still relatively young, isn't he?

Maybe, as Vicki suggested, the vets may be able to help him.

Awww...bless him Phil. I certainly hope there is something that can be done for him.

Oh bless Fingal - how old is he? Might be worth a vet visit just to see if its something that can be sorted.

Give him a kiss from me.

Hi Phil the vet should be able to do a test to determine if Final is losing his ability to hear.
Some dogs lose the ability to hear certain pitches of sound but not all sound. Old dogs who develop Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (like senility in humans) seem unable to register the awareness of sounds although they are not actually deaf .

You may find a dog whistle works, it may be of a pitch that a dog with hearing loss has retained.
Also as Hali says vibration is a useful tool when trying to communicating with a dog with loss of hearing. Try stamping your feet/clapping your hands/I used to bang on the side of the stairs when I wanted my old dog Bunny to come to me

Aw sorry to hear the news, but I know you and Fingal will cope brilliantly with his deafness. Other than what the others suggested, I don't have any advice.

But maybe a vibrating collar would help, as mentioned above. Could you train him to come to you/look at you every time it vibrates? And then use hand signals to tell him what you would like him to do?

I hope its not permanent and something can be done. he's not that old is he??