It always works like that. Our middl-aged cat is learning a couple of new tricks right now (nothing too difficult: She’s kind of slow): I hide her super-preferred special kibbles and she goes to get them. After 6 weeks or so, she’s figured out how to get them off the hand-towel rack in the kitchen.
It wouldn’t have worked at all for “lie down” or “kennel up” or even “come here” (though “come get breakfast” works very well indeed)
I adopted a 6.5 year old champion hunter who immediately let me know that she was tired of having puppies and just wanted to be with me. She knew no words, and just didn’t get the concept of them. We communicate pretty well with hand signals and such that we made up as the need arose. The neighbors love her and I can trust her with anyone or any pet. Happy Mother’s Day to all!
Went thru it myself with my late best friend. She knew all the verbal commands (which she considered requests) before losing her hearing late in life. Realizing what was happening, I began associating hand motions with the words. She picked them up quickly. When she was finally completely deaf, I had to first get her attention by hand clapping – then a hand signal. She understood all of them but, still obeyed only when it suited her (no change from prior behavior). I still miss her.
My last dog was a rescue. A 90 lb. APBT, who thought he was a lap dog. He was almost completely white except for a tan ring around one eye ( think Petey in the Our Gang comedies ). One of the reasons I rescued him was that he’d been born deaf and the owners refused to listen to the breeder when she told them of that possibility. They refused to believe he was hearing impaired and just thought he was being willful and stubborn.
They gave him to me to train – he was about 1 1/2 years old that the time – and it only took me 5 minutes to discover he couldn’t hear. We bonded immediately, and I refused to give him back to the owners who’d mistreated him. ( When they found out from me that the dog really was deaf, they didn’t want him, anyway. Nice folks! )
He quickly picked up hand commands and became one of the best behaved and loving dogs I’ve ever had. We were great pals for over 10-years
Living with a pet with disabilities can be challenging but well worth it!
When I accompanied a girlfriend and her Irish Setter to obedience class I noticed that all the commands included a hand signal. After while either one would suffice. Sometimes we’d even use those signals between ourselves, either to communicate silently, or to tease each other.
I got my 4 year old dog from a shelter when she was about 1. It took her several weeks of recovery before we could go for a walk in the woods together (I lived in the country). There was a herd of feral goats living off the land, some of them probably 250 to 300 pounds, hair down to the ground, and horns spanning 4 to 5 feet. When we first encountered them together at the end of the road we were walking, she saw them and looked at me. I gave her a hand signal kind of like roughing the passer, and she proceeded down the hill along the vegetation line, worked her way behind them and started moving them up the hill. The goats panicked and there I was at the top of the hill facing the herd moving my way. I have no experience with livestock and it took me a couple of very long seconds to repeat my hand signal, only directing her to move them off the road into the woods on the other side. Her native intelligence amazed me. As far as I know, she had no herding experience either, but her DNA test said she was 1/8 Australian Shepherd.
My 13-year-old dog is almost completely deaf. I use sign language with him but the only sign I don’t have to use is “dinnertime”. I think he can tell time! Lol.
Dogs (like kids) learn what you teach them. If the dog learns that nothing happens when it doesn’t follow a command, it won’t ever follow that command. I often see fools telling their dogs to do something over and over with no results – and it’s obvious who’s smarter.
Concretionist almost 3 years ago
It always works like that. Our middl-aged cat is learning a couple of new tricks right now (nothing too difficult: She’s kind of slow): I hide her super-preferred special kibbles and she goes to get them. After 6 weeks or so, she’s figured out how to get them off the hand-towel rack in the kitchen.
It wouldn’t have worked at all for “lie down” or “kennel up” or even “come here” (though “come get breakfast” works very well indeed)
Templo S.U.D. almost 3 years ago
and they say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks
Straker UFO almost 3 years ago
Opal should try that with Earl. His hearing isn’t much better.
gbars70 almost 3 years ago
If he can do panel 5, he ain’t that old!
iggyman almost 3 years ago
Old dogs sometimes are the best, all the puppy energy is gone and they are already trained!
iggyman almost 3 years ago
Love today’s strip!
Breadboard almost 3 years ago
Love Panel 5 ! Most dogs love their Yummie !
walstib Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Precious! (Uh oh, wait, what’s happening to me?!)
Zebrastripes almost 3 years ago
Dogs always seem to know the word treat too!
e.groves almost 3 years ago
Happy Mother’s Day, Opal. And to the other Mothers here.
Moonkey Premium Member almost 3 years ago
I adopted a 6.5 year old champion hunter who immediately let me know that she was tired of having puppies and just wanted to be with me. She knew no words, and just didn’t get the concept of them. We communicate pretty well with hand signals and such that we made up as the need arose. The neighbors love her and I can trust her with anyone or any pet. Happy Mother’s Day to all!
garcoa almost 3 years ago
Works the same for husbands.
assrdood almost 3 years ago
Went thru it myself with my late best friend. She knew all the verbal commands (which she considered requests) before losing her hearing late in life. Realizing what was happening, I began associating hand motions with the words. She picked them up quickly. When she was finally completely deaf, I had to first get her attention by hand clapping – then a hand signal. She understood all of them but, still obeyed only when it suited her (no change from prior behavior). I still miss her.
Linguist almost 3 years ago
My last dog was a rescue. A 90 lb. APBT, who thought he was a lap dog. He was almost completely white except for a tan ring around one eye ( think Petey in the Our Gang comedies ). One of the reasons I rescued him was that he’d been born deaf and the owners refused to listen to the breeder when she told them of that possibility. They refused to believe he was hearing impaired and just thought he was being willful and stubborn.
They gave him to me to train – he was about 1 1/2 years old that the time – and it only took me 5 minutes to discover he couldn’t hear. We bonded immediately, and I refused to give him back to the owners who’d mistreated him. ( When they found out from me that the dog really was deaf, they didn’t want him, anyway. Nice folks! )
He quickly picked up hand commands and became one of the best behaved and loving dogs I’ve ever had. We were great pals for over 10-years
Living with a pet with disabilities can be challenging but well worth it!
zeexenon almost 3 years ago
And, he’s afraid of needles.
l3i7l almost 3 years ago
When I accompanied a girlfriend and her Irish Setter to obedience class I noticed that all the commands included a hand signal. After while either one would suffice. Sometimes we’d even use those signals between ourselves, either to communicate silently, or to tease each other.
Charlie Fogwhistle almost 3 years ago
I got my 4 year old dog from a shelter when she was about 1. It took her several weeks of recovery before we could go for a walk in the woods together (I lived in the country). There was a herd of feral goats living off the land, some of them probably 250 to 300 pounds, hair down to the ground, and horns spanning 4 to 5 feet. When we first encountered them together at the end of the road we were walking, she saw them and looked at me. I gave her a hand signal kind of like roughing the passer, and she proceeded down the hill along the vegetation line, worked her way behind them and started moving them up the hill. The goats panicked and there I was at the top of the hill facing the herd moving my way. I have no experience with livestock and it took me a couple of very long seconds to repeat my hand signal, only directing her to move them off the road into the woods on the other side. Her native intelligence amazed me. As far as I know, she had no herding experience either, but her DNA test said she was 1/8 Australian Shepherd.
Sailor46 USN 65-95 almost 3 years ago
Much like Earl.
jbcuster almost 3 years ago
My 13-year-old dog is almost completely deaf. I use sign language with him but the only sign I don’t have to use is “dinnertime”. I think he can tell time! Lol.
Cactus-Pete almost 3 years ago
Dogs (like kids) learn what you teach them. If the dog learns that nothing happens when it doesn’t follow a command, it won’t ever follow that command. I often see fools telling their dogs to do something over and over with no results – and it’s obvious who’s smarter.