VA Dog Rescue: The Sound of Deaf Dogs

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Sound of Deaf Dogs

Diamond and Karma

The four white Danes we have at the moment vary in their hearing ability. Karma can hear quite well, I think, while Diamond seems to be stone cold deaf. The genes that govern hearing seem to be closely associated with those responsible for sight, with the result being that deaf dogs are also likely to be sight impaired. Those genes are completely independent of those responsible for vocalization, however. Just because they can't hear doesn't mean they can't talk. What they lack is any volume control. They just use their full voice all the time.

This was Della's first meeting with Chrome except
through the fence. She dogged him pretty constantly
in a way that she never did with the female Danes.

This is Chrome, blue collar, Max in the back, Diamond on left.

Della would not let up on Chrome for some
reason so I didn't let her out for the pasture
run on Monday.

The dog with the least hearing ability, Diamond, seems to have the most vocal ability, but they are all loud when they have something to say. They only thing that guarantees quiet evenings and nights is to tire them out, so we had another good, long pasture run today. I rode the mower, the four foster Danes followed me everywhere I went. "Followed" is maybe not the right word. They were often in front of me, to the side, and constantly changing positions. I don't think they have had any experience with moving vehicles and the dangers they represent. I wasn't cutting grass so the blades of my mower were not engaged so they were not in any danger, but I did roll over a few paws out there this afternoon because they didn't seem to understand the physics of moving objects.

Diamond was probably the most active of all four Danes, in spite of being the oldest. The carprofen we started her on has really made a difference in her movement. Some of these pictures were from Sunday, and Della was out with them that day but she would not leave the new guy, Chrome, alone, so I didn't let her join in on Monday afternoon. The Monday pictures show blue sky after the clouds finally broke up. There are also some pictures of Theo and Max in the mix. They were out there with the Danes and they shared the dog yard space most of the afternoon as well, but the two breeds didn't really mix it up very much. They had very disparate agendas. The Danes wanted to run and wanted to follow me. The shepherds aren't so interested in following the mower when I'm just going back and forth without doing anything interesting and there are no balls involved. The foster Danes have always lived together. They know each other and have their own pack. They've mostly been together around here as well.

There's a couple of good things about hearing and/or sight impaired dogs. Once they are asleep, they sleep soundly and don't get up and bark at every little noise. Those that can't see well really don't see well in the dark, so when the sun goes down they are ready for bed.

Della followed by Cinderella, Max in the background.

Cinderella actually has a lot of markings on the
inside of her right rear leg.

The Danes found this patch of green grass and spent some
time grazing on it. There will be more after the rain we had.

They tend to move as a pack, all four together.

Their pack-like movements lack the grace and perfection of
a flock or birds or a school of fish, however. They may slam
into one another, but no one minds.