I Can't Hear Your Warning

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Postby maberi » August 5th, 2010, 10:11 am

One interesting thing I didn't give any thought to was that Emma (Heidi named the foster) cannot hear a warning growl from another dog. Earl is getting crabby with other dogs in his old age, so when Emma climbs on top of him to play, he gives her a warning growl to back off. Because Earl is older and I know he doesn't want to deal with a puppy climbing all over him, I move her off of him and she usually saunters off.

Kayden has been VERY patient with her but she plays very rough (as many puppies do) and he has had to correct her a few times.

It would be interesting to know if she can pick up on the vibrations of the growl prior to the correction and whether or not the pairing of the two will help her to learn to back off when she picks up on these. I think it probably makes things confusing for her because most dogs are vocal and play growl when they are playing. Then again, the body language is usually quite different between the two. Then again, play can often quickly escalate into a fight...

Thoughts?
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Postby amalie79 » August 5th, 2010, 11:41 am

I know the deaf dogs I've been around respond to vibrations of other kinds, but they've been older. I knew a shitzu whose recall was through pounding on the hardwood floor. :-)

I would think that she might pick up on Earl stiffening just prior to the growl/vibrations. And if he air snaps or mouths to correct as well, all those signals might work together. I know River, who is generally a grumpy dog, stiffens first, growls next, and then either air snaps or lightly mouths while loudly bark/snarling when she's had enough. We don't generally let it escalate quite to that point, but when it does, I think her message is definitely clear (and safe-- she's very good about not hurting the other dog)-- with AND without the noise.
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Postby Malli » August 5th, 2010, 12:19 pm

she'll be able to feel the vibrations for sure, particularly if her feet were on him. A few of the senior dogs at work are deaf, or close behind, and there are some things that they figure out and we're just not sure how, either sight or smell or feel. I know one of the truly deaf dogs will start barking when the others start, and he can't see them (cinder blocks 1/2 way up his kennel wall), so we figure he's gotta feel it...
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Postby iluvk9 » August 5th, 2010, 3:10 pm

I thought you were going to tell us Heidi can't hear you sometimes.....that is called marriage. :neener:
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Postby TheRedQueen » August 5th, 2010, 8:50 pm

Interesting...I had never thought about that at all either. Dogs are so visual, I'm sure she'll start to read his body language too, after a few more physical warnings.
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