September is National Deaf Dogs Awareness Month

Did you know that the month of September holds a very special week? From September 23rd through September 29th, National Deaf Dogs Awareness is hosted! This week helps raise awareness and overall funds to support deaf dogs and educate others who may be thinking about housing a deaf dog.

Did you know that deaf dogs truly make amazing pets! There is a myth that deaf dogs are harder to train, but that is not true! Deaf dogs are not harder to train, they just are unique and learn in a different way. In fact, by raising a deaf dog, it truly will make you a far better dog owner!

Now, I bet you are wondering how can dogs become deaf? Well, actually a lot of the same things that cause hearing loss in humans. There can be genetic defects that can cause a dog to be born deaf. Overall, this is known as congenital deafness. A dog can also lose its hearing due to a really bad ear infection, an injury to the ear, or maybe an experience which gradual hearing loss could happen due to an old age of the dog. It's also very important to know that exposure to loud noise can cause a temporary or permanent hearing loss.

Curious to learn even more? Check out this "paw-some," tips on how to care for a dog who is deaf:

● Keep your deaf dog on a leash or in a fenced yard.
● Learn to communicate using hand signals with your fur baby.
● Buy a tag for your dog's collar that says (for example), "Fluffy is Deaf."
● Place a bell on your dog's collar so you can find him/her.
● Use a flashlight to signal to your dog that you want her attention.

At Forever Vets Animal Hospital, we believe that every dog should be cared for and loved no matter what! Celebrate with us with this month and let's hear it for the dogs!