Help please. Deaf dog driving my neighbours crazy
I sure could use any suggestions on this. I know you all have sheepdogs and this is a forum for OES's but Im hoping you can help me. I have a 2yr old Boarder Collie which is Deaf. She constantly barks while I am not home. She is locked outside with another Boarder Collie who is 4yrs old. She appears to be spooked by anyting that moves in the ground. She will wack her right paw on the ground, shove her nose onto the same spot, paw the ground a couple more times then bark at it. She will then run around the back yard barking and Pig Rooting (what horses do when spooked) and then will start over again by pawing the ground. I have no idea what she is doing or why. I have recently taken her to the vets and she is on Clomicalm (used to treat Anxiety, OCD's and other mental problems) I have also spent over $1000 on Bark Busters which dosent seem to have worked. I have tried a citronella collar but that also has not worked as the smell of the citronella dosent phase her. I havent tried any bark deterrant devices as she is deaf and they wont work. She is a perfect dog except for the barking. While I am home she dosent even bark when a stranger or another dog walk past. She dosent bark while playing or on walks. She is that well behaved that I walk her off the leash with the other dog everyday for 30mins to 1 hr. We occasionaly go to the beach where she swims and plays ball off the leash. She will come, sit, stay and do anything else when commanded. She wont even take food from a stranger. She has everything she needs in the back yard. And is sometime locked out even when I am home and she dosent bark. I really dont know what to do. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. |
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| I assume you mean a border collie, since this breed is still first and foremost a working dog who has to kept busy this could be because the mentioned dog is board and therefore letting out its excess energy and showing its dissatisfaction by barking. |
| I was thinking also that she may be bored. Have you thought about maybe hiring someone to come over during the day to play or walk her for a bit. Maybe she needs to get some more energy out earlier in the day while you are at work.... I am not sure.. just a thought.
Are there any doggy day cares in your area? Maybe going to a new fun 'play' place once or twice a week could help her also. Give her something to stimulate her mind... again~ Just ideas. I hope you find something to help. |
| I do not have any experience with a deaf dog, but I do have experience dealing with deaf children. While I was in school I did an internship at a school for deaf children. One of the first thing you notice is that while you are teaching many of the kids are making noises. Some of them its like a simple consistent hum and others its more pronounced knowledge.
The kids do not realize they are doing this because they can not hear it. I was told it was just a habit because they can feel the vibration. You would think a classroom full of deaf children would be a quiet place, but it is not. It was the loudest school setting I have evr been in. The dog realizes he is doing something, but he doesn't hear the sound. Since he can not hear the sound he may just be going through an action that he enjoys doing and helps him pass time. I have no real advice for you. Just thought I would throw that in there. |
| Well, this is just a stopgap suggestion, but what about bringing the dogs inside when you're away?
Perhaps she'll settle, and if not, the neighbours won't be bothered. It seems there'd be a lot fewer "scary" things for her to worry about safely in the house. And the house smells like you (comforting) and far fewer things will move indoors. |
Quote: but what about bringing the dogs inside when you're away?
This or some other similiar solution like the garage or a covered crate might be your best solution. We had a small dog who went deaf in old age some years ago. All was well till we moved and she started barking all night. My husband decided she was scared of the dark. I thought he was crazy. He was right!  As long as we left the light on so she could she she was quiet. If we turned it off, so effectively she was blind and deaf she was frightened and barked all night.
Obviously your girl isnt having a problem with the dark but maybe she's frightened when you're not home so is engaging in distractive behaviour. If she's in a smaller space where she cant see the big frightening world she may be able to settle and rest. |
| Curious Mim, that's a good thought.
Borders are sight dogs and without a chance to run, see and work, they tend to go NUTS. Anyway this girl could get into doggy day care? Being around other people, other dogs might give her enough stimulation to ease Border hyperactivity. One hour a day exercise is probably minimum of what this dog needs. Could you do agility or fly-ball with her?? Another dog, NOT A BORDER, may be in order to give this girl someone to keep her occupied. |
Our sheepie, Oscar, is deaf as well, but as we do not have a fenced in backyard, he is never alone outside. He is very focused on movement though, so he'll bark at anything that the wind blows by the door  When I am home, I tell him "good boy" and then "quiet" so he knows it's time to stop the fuss, and if he does it when I'm not home, it can't go on for too long as he is always sound asleep when I get back.
Would you consider bringing your dog in when you are not home? Maybe that would limit the visual stimuli enough to help control the barking. Laurie and Oscar |
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