How to Train a Deaf Dog

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Deaf dogs might require a little extra training time because they aren't able to hear verbal cues and markers from you (or respond to auditory stimuli in the world around you). But there’s no reason to think hearing-impaired dogs can’t be trained just as well as any other dog! All their deafness means means is that you might use different forms of communication than you would with a pup who has perfect hearing.

Here's what you need to know about training a deaf dog. Soon you'll be mastering basic obedience cues, enjoying loose-leash walks, and maybe even dabbling in a dog sport or two.

First: What causes deafness in dogs?

Canine deafness can be caused by any number of things. Some puppies are born deaf — this is called congenital deafness — while others experience an event that causes deafness later in life.

Some dogs are born deaf

Certain breeds are also more likely than others to experience congenital deafness. For example, a dalmation puppy or English setter might be more likely to experience congenital hearing loss than other breeds — but please don’t let that deter you from adopting them! Breed does not guarantee hearing one way or the other, and even deaf dogs make wonderful companion animals. (Some rescue organizations actually specialize in rehoming deaf dogs, spreading the word about how they're often overlooked at other adoption services.)

Deafness in dogs is also often associated with breeding two merle parents (making the puppies double merle) and is one reason ethical breeding practices that don't solely breed for physical appearance/color are imperative.

Other dogs lose their hearing over time

Sometimes an acute event makes a dog go deaf: Anything from infection to exposure to incredibly loud noises can cause hearing loss and even full deafness. Sadly, so can injury and abuse.

Other times dogs, like people, just become deaf over time. Geriatric deafness occurs naturally as dogs get older. Where’s not much you can do to prevent the hearing loss in the first place, you can teach an older dog who’s going deaf to respond to hand signals instead of verbal cues. (This is especially true if they already have a training foundation from their younger years. Turns out you can teach old dogs new tricks!)

Are deaf dogs more aggressive?

Have you heard that dogs who are hard of hearing are more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors? Good news: You can forget that myth.

While there are certain deaf dog issues that might need to be addressed — especially depending on your individual lifestyle and home environment — with some extra training and attention, you can absolutely help your dog feel comfortable. And when they're comfortable, they'll be able to respond to your cues and exhibit the correct behavior you want.

In short: There really is no correlation between deafness and aggression issues. It's crucial to pay attention to any dog's body language. When you bring home a new dog — whether an adult with full hearing, a deaf puppy, or truly any companion at all — your breeder or adoption organization should work with you to help you understand your individual dog's temperament.

Training a deaf dog is a lot like training a hearing dog

Training a deaf dog is entirely doable. Most general dog training concepts — like those outlined in our Dog Training 101 guide — apply perfectly to deaf dogs. Learning theory remains the same, as does the importance of biological fulfillment (enrichment) and positive reinforcement.

The only real difference is how you communicate with your deaf dog. You might need to make a little extra effort and time for training to lessen the verbal communication gap created by your dog’s hearing loss. But remember: All effective training hinges on patience and time!

Dogs who have hearing issues can also develop other more acute senses. For example, their peripheral vision might become incredibly strong — so while deaf dogs lack the ability to hear you clearly, they sometimes make up for it by excelling in their ability to see you well.

What can you train your deaf dog to do?

You can help your deaf dog with everything from behavior modification (like food aggression or dog reactivity) to basic obedience skills. The sky's the limit the same way it is with a hearing dog: Incompatible behaviors to prevent household problems, impulse-control training work, and more. (Tip: A quick social media search for "deaf dog training videos" will have you feeling inspired in no time.)

How to train a deaf dog

The main difference in training sessions with a deaf dog is that you’re going to use hand signals instead of verbal commands. You’ll also probably rely on eye contact, facial expressions, and even sign language (which can be an advanced form of hand signals) more than you would with a hearing dog. Other than that? As mentioned above, the basic training techniques are very similar!

Some quick tips to start training:

• As with any training scheme, we recommend you have plenty of food for training treats and take things slowly.
• Hours and hours or even days and days of training in a row are a good way to wear your dog out. This can be helpful when they have energy to burn — but you want to be careful not to overdo it and exhaust them!
• Your dog may not even be able to get through an entire training class when they first start.
• To really achieve a happy training experience, keep things simple and short, especially at the beginning.
• Don't rush all your goals at once. There’s always time for additional training later! Deaf dogs these days even go through agility training and other dog sports competitions.

Now for more details on training a deaf dog.

Key point: Visual cues become more important than sounds

When training deaf dogs or puppies, handlers need to rely on the dog’s visual sense and therefore need to use a visual marker (like a thumbs up sign) where you would ordinarily use a verbal marker (like a clicker or "yes"). That means that all your hand and body movements and body postures are crucial because they’ll mean something to the dog so try to pay attention to your body language as you train your dog. 

How to get your deaf dog's attention 

One of the challenges of deaf dog training is getting their attention. Unlike our canine hearing companions, we can’t use audio or verbal cues or signals as a means of communication. Here are few easy ways to get your deaf dog’s attention:

Vibrations

One easy way to get their attention is via vibrations. For example, stomp or tap on the floor a few times and see if your dog responds. At this stage of training, when they look at you or turn their body towards you, use a little positive reinforcement to show that’s what you wanted them to do and reward them with a treat. Instead of offering verbal praise, use affection to show they’ve done what you wanted them to do. This “check-in” behavior is critical in the training process so it’s clear the dog is engaged in the process. 

Light

You can also use light as a visual signal to get your dog’s attention. Use a small flashlight (like a laser pointer — though be aware of possible laser point syndrome depending on your dog's personality) or just flicker your lights gently. Just remember not to shine anything in your dog’s eyes directly!

Many people use this style of training as they would clicker training. The light becomes the reward marker. When the dog exhibits correct behavior, the light is flashed (in this case, giving you attention), offer a little reward to show they’ve done what you wanted them to do.  

Other visual signals

Another way to get your deaf dog’s attention and make contact with them is with visual signals. That can be as simple as just waving your arms or hands in front of him or her. Again, when they show a response, acknowledge it with food treats or even a little hug if your dog finds hugging reinforcing. When they exhibit a correct response, you can also use a finger flash where you just open and close your hand from a fist to “jazz hands” over and over again. In time, they’ll come to recognize that this kind of visual hand flash marker means they’ve done something right. 

Avoid startling your deaf dog!

Whatever you do, try not to startle them. Approaching a deaf dog from behind to get their attention can feel very threatening to a dog who can’t hear you coming. For this reason, it’s a good idea to practice tapping them on the shoulder or even giving them a little pet on the tushy and then offering a treat when they turn around. Over time, they’ll learn that a tap on the shoulder isn’t such a bad thing. 

Tether training can also help avoid startling your dog. In this approach, you keep your deaf dog attached to you via a leash for the initial training period, which allows you to communicate quickly regarding behaviors you do and do not like — and for them to get used to your natural range of movements. You can build a stronger relationship based on positive association through training like this!

Use vibration collars with care

If all else fails, you can always try using a vibrating collar — not a shock collar that hurts the dog when it’s done something wrong. Instead of using any electrical impulse, a vibrating collar tells the dog you need their attention. All you need to do is make the collar vibrate when you want the dog’s attention and then offer a treat when the dog turns their head your way. Some pet parents choose to condition these collars like clicker training tools where the vibration functions as the reward marker.

Hand signals and sign language

A great technique when it comes to deaf dog training is to use hand signals. With hearing dogs, we usually use verbal communication to get them to learn “sit,” “stay,” “heel,” etc., but with dogs who have experienced hearing loss, we need to figure out another way to get them to exhibit the behavior we’re looking for. One way to do that is with hand signals. You can create your own hand signals to use when you want the dog to respond to a certain command and you can use gestures with voice commands so that it feels natural for you. It really doesn’t matter that the dog can’t hear you. 

You can learn more about using hand signals with your dog in this article.

Use sign language 

As we said above, you can create your own “vocabulary” of obedience hand signals for these and other commands, or you can use the hand signals used in human sign language (otherwise known as American Sign Language or ASL) for these commands. Sign language is actually a great communication tool in general for deaf dogs, in part because it standardizes their training so someone other than you who knows those signals can lead the dog. 

The importance of eye contact

A key point when you’re training a dog who has been affected by deafness, is to make sure your dog is making eye contact with you. Since you can’t use verbal or audio cues, it’s crucial that your dog is paying attention to your visual cues and hand signals, so whenever your deaf dog makes direct eye contact, make sure you acknowledge it.

Safety tips to keep in mind

Always keep your deaf dog on a leash while training 

Make sure you keep your deaf dog on a leash while training. Unlike hearing dogs, deaf dogs cannot respond to a verbal command emergency recall. For that reason, it’s crucial you have a way to pull them back if they suddenly run away from you or worse, start to run out into the street. Also, if their back is to you, there is no way to give obedience hand signals or use another form of communication to alert them to danger. 

Deaf dogs can become training superstars!

The bond between people and their dogs is a strong one and deafness does nothing to diminish that. A deaf dog’s daily life can be just as rewarding and happy as any other dog. Don’t be intimidated by the task in front of you!

With positive reinforcement training involving few hand signals, great eye contact, and a little patience, your deaf dog will be just as well trained as any hearing dog.

Need more resources? Deaf Dogs Rock is a non-profit organization dedicated to showing the world how incredible deaf dogs can be — and making it easier for pet parents to work with their hearing-impaired companions. Other public charities supporting deaf dogs include Deaf Dog Rescue of America and various local organizations; don't be shy about reaching out to shelters and reward-based training centers in your area!

Trainer Review of this Article

There is so much misinformation out there, we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have all of our articles reviewed by qualified, positive-only trainers.  

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Shannon Finch
AnimalKind Training
M.Ed. Humane Education
Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
Certified Tellington TTouch and TTEAM Practitioner