Dogs grow old too. What to do when a dog can no longer hear

Until death do you part: whoever adopts a pet, such as a dog, takes responsibility for it until the end. When that end comes depends on breed and size: in general, large dogs die earlier because they age more quickly, as Cornelia Kraus of the University of Göttingen has discovered. In 2013, her study involving data from more than 50,000 dogs and 74 different breeds was published in The American Naturalist. Dogs live on average between eight and 14 years.

Sometimes caring for your pet at the end of its life is a challenge: what do you do, for example, when your dog goes deaf? He no longer hears your commands and, with his eyes becoming increasingly misty, he can no longer see very well the gestures you make to him. So how do you communicate with a deaf and possibly blind dog?

Your dog is going to get old: you need to prepare for it

Thankfully, there are solutions. I asked two people who know their stuff: André Vogt, dog trainer and owner of the Hundeschule Vogt, and Karin Führer, dog trainer at Conny Sporrer - Martin Rütter Dogs Wien. Both train dogs of all ages; from puppy to senior; and have also accompanied their own dogs in their old age.

1. What are the signs that tell the master and mistress that something is changing in their ageing dog?

"It happens insidiously and not overnight. So you don't immediately change the way you communicate with your dog," explains Karin Führer. "At first, you don't really realise it. In one of my dogs, aged 15, I noticed selective deafness: she couldn't hear when I put on my shoes, but she could hear very well when I opened the fridge door. You need to carry out tests, for example by taking a walk in an unstimulating environment. Call your dog a few times to find out if he's simply ignoring you or if he really can't hear anything. When dogs lose their sight, they become less sure of themselves in the dark, for example, or bump into rubbish bins that are not normally in their path. Owners will gradually notice that their dog is changing."

2. How should you react when you notice that your dog can't hear as well as he used to?

The most important reaction is yours, not your dog's, explains André Vogt based on his own experience. "If you've had your dog for many years and your daily routine was well settled, the first thing to do is to get used to the change yourself. In this case, you will have to look after your dog differently: walks will be shorter, it will no longer be possible to do sport with your dog and you will probably need the lead more often."

The fact remains that even a deaf or blind dog can still be kept busy by his nose and brain; after all, old dogs deserve it. You can condition your dog to a smell like coconut soap, get him used to thinking the soap is interesting, and hide it on walks. "This way, the dog can sniff out the scent on certain stretches during the walk, which keeps him mentally occupied."

3. How do dog owners replace their pet's ears?

If you notice your dog hearing less well, you should get him used to the whistle in time, advises Karin Führer. Because even an ageing dog should be able to be reliably reminded: "as long as the dog can still hear a little and is enjoying learning, you can use the Acme dog whistle. This is much louder than your voice: the dog hears it against the wind and at a distance. It makes up for a certain period of deafness."

However, at a certain point, nothing works any more, the dog really can't hear anything. "That's why, beforehand, the dog should be accustomed to gestures. He then knows that he should regularly turn towards his master or mistress," explains dog trainer André Vogt. "In any case, visual signs are always clearer than verbal ones: "You can establish a fairly important visual sign, such as raising your arms to the sky. Even the eyes of the oldest dogs still see it. Trainer Karin Führer adds: "Regardless of age, one rule should apply to the dog: on walks, I'm the most important. I hide things, biscuits, smells." This forces the dog to pay attention to his reference person on his own and check in regularly..

4. What are the risk situations with an ageing dog?

"It can become dangerous very quickly if, in addition to the ears, the eyes no longer work properly either," explains André Vogt. "The dog then has no bearings and is likely to panic if its owner is further ahead. Maybe he runs away or goes in the opposite direction. And as he can't hear anything, there's no point in calling him to come back. That's why, when in doubt, I recommend using a lead. Not a short lead, but a training lead or lanyard. The dog won't see any harm in it."

Safety comes first, confirms Karin Führer, who also argues in favour of a long lead. "With an old dog, I have to be much more far-sighted than with a younger dog. If, for example, I see another dog running towards me on a walk and my dog, whose sight or hearing has deteriorated, doesn't notice, I stand in front of him to protect him, a bit like a bodyguard. I'm my dog's Kevin Costner; even more so than I already should be."

In fact, the same applies when older dogs develop cognitive dysfunction, i.e. they become demented and lose their bearings. "It usually starts with small things," says Karin Führer: "they want to get into another car, find themselves at the wrong flat door, no longer know where their food bowl is. It then takes a lot of patience on the part of the master or mistress."

5. Are there any aids for deaf dogs?

Without a visual sign, Acme whistle and lanyard, nothing is therefore possible with an ageing dog. "One idea might be to adopt a second dog," says André Vogt. "The younger dog can act as a guide for the older dog. He could even learn to fetch the deaf dog himself on a short lead and bring him back to his owner."

Some dog fans opt for a GPS tracker from an early age, like the one from Tractive: attached to the harness, it locates the dog via an app. "In principle, GPS trackers are a good thing," says Karin Führer, dog trainer. But she adds: "Of course, this only applies as long as the dog is wearing the harness. Sometimes panicked dogs take it off by themselves. And even a tracking device can't stop a dog running away. It does you no good to know he's at a dangerous crossroads: you can't help him from a distance."

Trainer André Vogt agrees: "The tracker gives the owner a very good feeling. If in doubt, the app helps you locate the dog quickly. But I wouldn't recommend them outright, and I wouldn't rely on them alone. Better to adapt, as explained, to the new daily life with the old dog."

6. Are vibrating collars a good idea?

Another technology for deaf dogs is the vibrating collar. Using the collar's remote control, you trigger a vibration to which the dog must react instead of a visible or verbal signal. The dog is conditioned to wear the collar with food to develop recall.

For dogs born deaf or deafened at a young age, assistance can be a good complement. What about older dogs? Here again, there is no general recommendation from specialists. "Do all dogs get used to the vibrating collar? That depends very much on how accustomed they are," says André Vogt. "In principle, every dog is capable of learning to the end. It's likely that most dogs will have no problem with the vibrating collar. Of course, you shouldn't put it on and make it vibrate suddenly. That will frighten the dog."

The motto is to get used to it in small steps: first hold the collar in your hand and vibrate it on the coat, let the dog sniff it and reward it. If you don't feel up to it, it's best to train him to get used to it at a dog school.

"I'm not a fan of vibrating collars for older dogs," says Karin Führer. "Some accept it easily, others are unsettled; and then it becomes difficult to get them used to the collar. In any case, it depends on their character. But if you use it, the vibrating collar should also be designed to condition the dog to look: at every street corner - click - he should stop and look at you. Every time a dog approaches you - click - he must stop and look at you. "The vibrating collar can therefore only be used to best effect as long as the dog can still see well enough.