Kelso's Gr8 Danes

Well, our foster Lyra was just adoped this weekend (yay!) after about a year with us. Now we are getting a new (temporary) foster this week who is a deaf dane. She is about a year and a half old and her previous foster home has been working with a trainer to help her learn hand signals.

I was just looking for suggestions on how to introduce her to Aberdeen, and if there was anything I need to know to help her feel comfortable with the transition to our home, and then to her adoptive home.

Any suggestions, comments or info on training a deaf dane would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

The transition should be rather easy, as Aberdeen should do most of the work for you! A deaf Dane will learn by following hearring dogs. Do you know if your new foster also has sight problems as well? As for training either a deaf or a deaf/vision impearred Dane call me and I will be glad to give you pointers!

well, it has been a couple of weeks now, and ana is settling into our home well. you were right, aberdeen did help her get comfortable here. they get along very well, and enjoy playing with each other. she doesnt have any vision impairment, and her being deaf does not seem to phase her at all.

as far as training goes, her previous fosters had started working with hand signals, but we have not had much luck getting her to respond to any of them. its funny that when i am working with her to follow the hand signals, aberdeen seems to be trying to set an example for her by responding immediately to them (or he just wants the treat for himself!) But even with him following the commands, she doesnt really seem to be catching on at all.