I have an opportunity to adopt a 9wk deaf OES pup
My husband has told me to do what I want, ha ha, and I'm torn. I can meet the gal today and see the puppy, but I know myself and I can't trust my emotions when it comes to a puppy. The reason I'm seriously considering this pup is because I'm already in the midst of training my 10 wk old and I'm learning fastly how great this breed is and that there is a great likelihood that we will want another one later, but I thought it might be easier to raise the two boys together rather than start all over at another time. Advice for or against will be truly appreciated and soon please because I can go see the pup this afternoon if I want. |
|
|
| If you're prepared for the work (esp. grooming) and the added costs (food, vet, training classes, etc.) I say go for it!
Part of the reason I say this is that from the sounds of it, you would be giving this pup a wonderful, loving home. Since the pup is listed on Craigslist and the adoption fee is only $50, I would be worried that pup might end up in the wrong hands (i.e. bait for training fighting dogs). Also, your 10 week old pup will be a wonderful companion to him, and show him the ropes and also look out for him/help him out since he is deaf. Please let us know how your visit goes. I have a feeling you will be going to visit this boy. |
While I appreciate your love of the breed and desire for more  are you sure you're ready for this? Since your pup is only ten weeks, you have a long way to go to get through the goofy, boisterous, stubborn puppy and adolescent stages of an OES' life.
To take on another puppy, even one with hearing, would be a handful. To take on one who is deaf is a totally different story. Do you have time for the intensive training required? Daily training and reinforcement is necessary, for your sanity and most importantly for the dog's safety. A deaf dog can't just be "called" back if it runs toward a road for example... Deaf dog's do require more in terms of training and supervision... it can be ultimately rewarding too, but something to think long and hard on IMO. I suppose in this situation you don't really have time to "think it over", and if you do get him I wish you the best of luck. It's horrible too that those people would breed their dogs knowing the sire is deaf  |
| I do realize how much work it would be. I don't work and I will never leave any of my animals at home alone for long periods of time; for their sake and mine. I'm taking a year off before I go to law school, so during this trying and special puppy time, my dogs will have all of my attention. I still have the 5 month old baby goat sleeping in the house and my standards of keeping a perfectly clean house have been lowered over the past year. During one day, I'll have about three small incidents that I used to consider catastrophies, but now, it's just another part of my day and I don't get frustrated or upset about it. We are outside most of the day with the dogs and goat, rain or shine. Well, not rain for the goat as he screamed the other day when he got rained on.
I'm going to go to the gal's house and meet both parents and the pup and make a decision. In addition to majoring for law, I took sign language too and I used to teach special needs kids; I'm thinking that I will be okay with this new pup and maybe someday I can get him into the therapy dog org. and take him out to the deaf academy here. |
| If I were in your postion I would go get him, then place him with an OES Rescue.
2 pups are very hard to raise at the same time, takes a LOT for even two hearing dogs. I know your heart is in the right place but I don't think you will be doing the deaf fellow justice, or your existing pup. The new fellow would be best in a home with another adult dog, that is already trained so full attention can be given to his special needs. An OES rescue will find that place for him. Good luck. |
| Hi Collie Mama!
Our sheepie, Oscar, is also bilaterally deaf. We brought him home when he was ten weeks old, and we have never regretted the decision. He is our only furbaby, so he did not have other dogs to model after, but it worked out fine for us. Since dogs are non-verbal, training him was much like training any dog.....hand signals in addition to verbal signals and LOTS of positive reinforcement when he did something we asked for. He knows about twenty five signs. The main concern with a deaf dog is the inability to recall the dog should he not be looking at you. Because of this, Oscar is NEVER off leash unless he is in a fenced in yard. We have trained him not to exit an open door unless given the sign, and we have also taught him that he cannot jump out of the car until we give the command. Cars, while dangerous to hearing dogs, are deadly for deaf ones. There is not much literature out there for dealing with a deaf dog, but I would highly recommend reading Living With a Deaf Dog by Susan C. Becker. I read it cover to cover before deciding whether or not to get Oscar, and found it very helpful. If you would like more info, please PM me and I would be happy to chat about my experiences with Oscar. Best of luck to you. Laurie |
| I think that Bosley's mom had a great suggestion: Get him and then place him with an OES rescue.
I am currently raising 2 OES puppies who are littermates. I won't do that again, at least not unless I am home full time with them. It is only working because we got the puppies in May and my husband and kids were home all the time with them through the summer. Now, at 6 1/2 months, they are much, much easier, but this summer, I really felt I had made a terrible mistake. Mind you, I had already raised 2 OES puppies, very successfully, so I wasn't inexperienced raising a pup. Some of the issues are that they are littermates--which means that they were already bonded to each other. Which means that if we call one and s/he (usually he) starts to to come, s/he might notice the other not responding as quickly and so, s/he'll decide, hey, Mom's calling but what s/he's doing really looks like fun. Guess which one wins? Although it's getting much, much better. House training was much, much more difficult. I think part of it is the fact that they are littermates, part of it is that my husband was doing most of the raising and not me (he's a great guy, but better at some things than at others), and perhaps part just that they are different individuals than my other two OES. I have had no experience raising a deaf dog. I know it takes special skills and lifelong commitment. In any case, please know that the forum is here to help and support you no matter what you decide. I |
| I agree with Bosley's mom. Excellent suggestion.
Get him and then place him with an OES rescue. You can even foster him until a good home can be found for him, one where he can be given all the one-on-one attention he needs. How did your visit go? |
| I got him. I'm keeping him and life is so much easier with two of them; for all three of us. I am home every day, all day; I don't work and I spend all of my day working and playing with my dogs. I spend one on one time with each dog and I thought I'd have to train my 12 wk old, Jammy, how to help the little deaf guy, whom I named Echo, but Jammy is doing it on his own. I would never have fostered him and then placed him because I just can't do that emotionally; even if I tried, I'd get so attached and want to keep him; that happened to me one time with my 3 year old male Border Collie, and $2500.00 later, he was mine.
Echo is not as handicapped as I thought a deaf puppy would be; he's a super fast learner and it's hard to tell that he can't hear. I will be taking him to puppy agility classes at my best friend's house when he gets older so that he will have that strong bond with me and my body language, but I won't do anything competitive or heavy impact obstacles. Jammy is a terrific herder at his young age, so the two will have equal, but different attention paid to them in their own special time. |
| okay well I at least have to see a pic!!! |
| Echo is the new pup on the left and that's Jammy on the right.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/3209 ... choos4.jpg |
| They look really cute together. |
| Congratulations!!!!! both your boys are cute, cute, cute,
I love the name Echo.. |
| I'm so glad that you adopted little Echo. The pictures are so cute!!! I also loved seeing the one w/your goat. Keep us posted and post some more pictures when you get a chance. I have still got to take the time to figure out how to do that, so I can post a few pictures of my adorable Daphne.
Beth |
Congratulations! I'm so glad to hear you adopted him and that Jammer is adjusting so well already. I bet they both just love having a playmate their own size.
 |
| The pictures of the boys are precious. I agree, I love Echo's name. Loved the pic with Jammer and goat. I am looking forward to seeing more pictures of your pets. |
| They are adorable and so glad to see that they have a playmate their size to play with. Glad you decided to adopt both.
|
| Congratulations, they are just adorable. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|