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What a delight!
In just eight weeks, Rafa, a 7-month-old deaf Spanish Water Dog, learned sign language and performed stunts in response to sign language directions.
In June 2022, owner Jo Lee Page discovered her dog was deaf after he failed to react to certain stimuli.
“Within a day of having him, he stopped responding to any sounds and didn’t wake up when we entered,” Page explained. He did not react to the loud drilling sounds or the smoke alarm.
Instead, the canine relied on his visual senses to detect clues.
“When other puppies heard noises, Rafael would swivel his head and follow them,” said Page. He was always adept in following other puppies’ suggestions.
According to Page, her family wanted to see other dogs, but when she investigated sign language for dogs, “a whole other world” opened up.
In June 2022, Rafa’s owner discovered that he was deaf and taught him sign language. Rafa is a 7-month-old Spanish Water dog.
“All training is conducted using hand signals. “A thumbs up is a sign of approval,” Page stated. “You cannot use your hands negatively, therefore demonstrating that something is inappropriate is tough.”
Despite being a “typical puppy,” according to Page, Rafa is less motivated by rewards than by toys.
Page added, “He is a regular puppy, but he has no consciousness.”
“Within a day of having him, he stopped responding to any sounds and didn’t wake up when we entered,” Page explained.
The dog has learnt a total of nine orders, including “sit,” “stand,” “watch me,” “spin,” “give paw,” “lay down,” “come,” “stay,” and “safe,” where he walks beneath Page’s knees, turns around, and stays there.
Page states that the event “has been a tremendous learning opportunity for the entire family.”
She stated, “This is merely the beginning of his journey, and we are taking it day by day.” Most individuals would not have bothered.
Despite being a “typical puppy,” according to Page, Rafa is less motivated by rewards than by toys.
“We initially believed it would be difficult or impossible to teach a deaf dog,” she added.
“We believed it would be difficult for him to lose his leash while walking. Education and training have dispelled all of our apprehensions.”
According to Page, the dog ensures that everyone is in his field of vision before resuming the stroll.
Page shouted, “We’ve been astounded by how frequently he observes us, checks on us, and trots beside or behind us!”
“If we are walking as a family, he makes sure everyone is there and in his line of sight, especially while walking on the road, and he often waits until the children are in front of him so he can keep an eye on them.”
»The owners of a deaf dog teach him sign language«