It is no secret that Bull Terrier's (of any color- NOT just White's!)
are Genetically prone to Deafness.
It Is something many breeders are working hard to breed out-
But while responsible breeders get their Bull Terrier's hearing tested and never breeds from a deaf dog,
It is still not UN common for a deaf puppy to be born in a Litter.
It is not always the fault of the breeder, considering they are responsible ones.
All a breeder wants is a good home for there puppies, deaf or not.
And while it seems like a nice gesture on your part to adopt a Deaf Puppy or adult
BE WARNED!
Owning and training a Deaf Bully has is fair share of difficulties, We as a species do not realize just how vocal we truly are until we are put in a situation where our voices are useless.
Which is the case when it comes to training and owning deaf Bullies.
But, Though it is difficult, it is not impossible!
Many deaf dogs are very aware and pick up on commands/ signals Quicker then bullies who can hear.
They are so used to using their eyes to watch and pay close attention, that they tend to keep a closer eye on you then a normal hearing bully They had to in order to know where mom was growing up.
The training concept is still the same with a deaf bully, the only changes you make are using hand and facial signals instead of verbal commands.
Things like raising of an eye brow to replace the verbal command “STAY”
or holding up your thumb of your right hand to replace the verbal command for “ JUMP”
pointing to the ground as the command for “DOWN”
Just remember:
NEVER USE THE SAME SIGNAL FOR DIFFERENT COMMANDS!
You have to be very aware of your signals- a thumbs up with your right hand then switching to your left hand confuses your dog
accidentally raising your eye brows when your happy may send the wrong signal to your dog while you are working.
You can choose any hand or body signal you want to use.
I know someone who uses there left foot as the command to “Lie Down”
You can also use a “secret weapon” for your deaf bully- A Vibration collar”
it vibrates just like a cell phone- no pain, and can be caused like a clicker as a positive reinforcement
OR as a correction for when they are being naughty.
Choose just one- and stick with it!
Some times Deaf dogs can be more prone to resource guarding, mostly due to not being able to hear, some times it causes them to be a bit UN easy about meal time and if they cannot hear you walking up behind them when you reach to pet them or take something you could get a nasty surprise.
For deaf dogs with resources- always let your presence be known BEFORE you attempt taking something from them or reach near them while they eat or chew.
You can do this simply by stomping a little on the floor to alert your self- you do not need to STOMP insanely loud- just enough to get her attention to let her know you are close.
I also suggest investing in a light-weight vest that says “I am deaf- approach slowly please”
or something along those lines so when you are out in public people do not rush your bully and startle them.
The biggest problem most deaf puppy owns have is the “nipping and mouthing”
They just do not know how to get a handle on it, and for Bull Terrier's mouthing is a problem of itself without the added difficulty of a deaf puppy.
I personally swear by a single method- when the puppy mouths you you take her lips and (GENTLY)
tuck them inside her mouth and cover her teeth- you DO NOT need to squeeze or be rough to convey the message, just tuck the lips- when the puppy bites down he bites down on his own lips, feels the pain and lets go.
You do not need to say a word, just tuck the lips every time your puppy put his or her mouth on you (and expect to do it 100 times a day for the next 3 months)
and be consistent!
Before long your puppy will understand that it is no fun mouthing your skin or clothes or shoes.
And trust me-the message gets across MUCH faster then yelling, shouting or screaming.
Raising any Bull Terrier is hard work.
Raising a deaf Bull Terrier is triple the work.
They NEED to be contained properly when out in public or when you leave the house or while you are busy doing chores.
A good sturdy crate is best, a long lead and a normal training lead.
A harness or collar.
Do not feel obligated to adopt or buy a Deaf puppy, while it is a noble thought, be HONEST with YOURSELF
about the person you are-
your lifestyle-
your family-
your job-
Can you HONESTLY deal with 6+ hours of training for a deaf puppy daily?
Can you deal with the extra training involved?
If you are not sure, join some forums, ask breeders on FaceBook, join the BTCA and ask questions!
Because, if you can't physically or mentally handle a deaf dog, then I does neither of you any good to buy or adopt only to give up several weeks or months later- that’s only bouncing the poor thing around from home to home.
Otherwise, deaf Bull Terrier's are no different then any other Bull Terrier, The STILL love to Cuddle, they STILL love to make new friends, and they STILL will follow you around the house as though glued to your knee.
are Genetically prone to Deafness.
It Is something many breeders are working hard to breed out-
But while responsible breeders get their Bull Terrier's hearing tested and never breeds from a deaf dog,
It is still not UN common for a deaf puppy to be born in a Litter.
It is not always the fault of the breeder, considering they are responsible ones.
All a breeder wants is a good home for there puppies, deaf or not.
And while it seems like a nice gesture on your part to adopt a Deaf Puppy or adult
BE WARNED!
Owning and training a Deaf Bully has is fair share of difficulties, We as a species do not realize just how vocal we truly are until we are put in a situation where our voices are useless.
Which is the case when it comes to training and owning deaf Bullies.
But, Though it is difficult, it is not impossible!
Many deaf dogs are very aware and pick up on commands/ signals Quicker then bullies who can hear.
They are so used to using their eyes to watch and pay close attention, that they tend to keep a closer eye on you then a normal hearing bully They had to in order to know where mom was growing up.
The training concept is still the same with a deaf bully, the only changes you make are using hand and facial signals instead of verbal commands.
Things like raising of an eye brow to replace the verbal command “STAY”
or holding up your thumb of your right hand to replace the verbal command for “ JUMP”
pointing to the ground as the command for “DOWN”
Just remember:
NEVER USE THE SAME SIGNAL FOR DIFFERENT COMMANDS!
You have to be very aware of your signals- a thumbs up with your right hand then switching to your left hand confuses your dog
accidentally raising your eye brows when your happy may send the wrong signal to your dog while you are working.
You can choose any hand or body signal you want to use.
I know someone who uses there left foot as the command to “Lie Down”
You can also use a “secret weapon” for your deaf bully- A Vibration collar”
it vibrates just like a cell phone- no pain, and can be caused like a clicker as a positive reinforcement
OR as a correction for when they are being naughty.
Choose just one- and stick with it!
Some times Deaf dogs can be more prone to resource guarding, mostly due to not being able to hear, some times it causes them to be a bit UN easy about meal time and if they cannot hear you walking up behind them when you reach to pet them or take something you could get a nasty surprise.
For deaf dogs with resources- always let your presence be known BEFORE you attempt taking something from them or reach near them while they eat or chew.
You can do this simply by stomping a little on the floor to alert your self- you do not need to STOMP insanely loud- just enough to get her attention to let her know you are close.
I also suggest investing in a light-weight vest that says “I am deaf- approach slowly please”
or something along those lines so when you are out in public people do not rush your bully and startle them.
The biggest problem most deaf puppy owns have is the “nipping and mouthing”
They just do not know how to get a handle on it, and for Bull Terrier's mouthing is a problem of itself without the added difficulty of a deaf puppy.
I personally swear by a single method- when the puppy mouths you you take her lips and (GENTLY)
tuck them inside her mouth and cover her teeth- you DO NOT need to squeeze or be rough to convey the message, just tuck the lips- when the puppy bites down he bites down on his own lips, feels the pain and lets go.
You do not need to say a word, just tuck the lips every time your puppy put his or her mouth on you (and expect to do it 100 times a day for the next 3 months)
and be consistent!
Before long your puppy will understand that it is no fun mouthing your skin or clothes or shoes.
And trust me-the message gets across MUCH faster then yelling, shouting or screaming.
Raising any Bull Terrier is hard work.
Raising a deaf Bull Terrier is triple the work.
They NEED to be contained properly when out in public or when you leave the house or while you are busy doing chores.
A good sturdy crate is best, a long lead and a normal training lead.
A harness or collar.
Do not feel obligated to adopt or buy a Deaf puppy, while it is a noble thought, be HONEST with YOURSELF
about the person you are-
your lifestyle-
your family-
your job-
Can you HONESTLY deal with 6+ hours of training for a deaf puppy daily?
Can you deal with the extra training involved?
If you are not sure, join some forums, ask breeders on FaceBook, join the BTCA and ask questions!
Because, if you can't physically or mentally handle a deaf dog, then I does neither of you any good to buy or adopt only to give up several weeks or months later- that’s only bouncing the poor thing around from home to home.
Otherwise, deaf Bull Terrier's are no different then any other Bull Terrier, The STILL love to Cuddle, they STILL love to make new friends, and they STILL will follow you around the house as though glued to your knee.