Rain
| BACK | |
Rain |
|
 "Uh oh... I know that signal! I'd better find someplace else to explore." |
Rain is like any other border collie puppy, getting into and out of all sorts of trouble as she explores her world. Her deafness is an obstacle only to those around her sometimes, as we adapt to a dog who relies solely on visual cues. We can't interrupt undesirable behavior with hand-clapping or calling her name. If she's heading for something off-limits, I pick up her leash, give the "drop it" signal and hand her a substitute (toy), which she readily accepts. Rain, in turn, has learned to watch us and the dogs around her to see what's going to happen next. She likes to be wherever the family is and, even if playing with a toy, frequently "checks in" to make sure she isn't missing something. She is always observing, ready to imitate or follow. When our BC Fae came in from the rain and shook off, little Rain shook too -- and she hadn't even been outside! She is out-of-control CUTE! But don't let that cuteness fool you -- this little girl is ALL BC!
|
|
Rain will require a handler committed to reinforcement-based training who has the patience, compassion, and commitment to train a deaf dog. The rewards are endless since Rain has, by far, the most stable temperament of any dog I've ever fostered. Rain is treat-motivated and a quick & eager learner. She knows signs for sit, drop-it!, and watch me. She eagerly plops herself in front of me, trying to catch my eye, in hopes of playing the eye contact game and getting a treat. Rain has strong drive and needs consistent daily activity. She finds walks and training games far more interesting than playing in the yard; her ears perk up and her tail wags at the prospect of greeting a new person. She's never shown a bit of anxiety or over-stimulation when away from home, so her ideal adopter would continue this socialization. Rain gets along wonderfully with our other dogs, and with every other dogs she's met. She happily trots them, inviting play, nibbling at their legs, and generally game for whatever they want to do. She enjoys rousing play with my 3-year-old Border Collie; when my 9-year-old BC lets her know he's not interested, Rain flattens her ears and turns away. She doesn't persist or pester, and will happily turn her attention to something else. |
|
Rain is well on her way to being housebroken and no longer needs potty breaks in the middle of the night. As with any dog in the early stages of training, Rain is never left unsupervised. We are careful to give her potty breaks before & after each activity. We simply don't give her the opportunity to have accidents or chew unacceptable things; if we cannot supervise her, she's crated with a toy. Rain's adopter should plan to be equally diligent so Rain may grow into a well-behaved adult Border Collie. If properly exercised, Rain settles nicely in her crate. We almost always give her a food-stuffed kong to help her settle down. Like any puppy who's still learning to find her "off button", Rain will occasionally bark for a few minutes, but soon settles into a deep sleep. Though Rain is still learning which toys are acceptable and which are not, she is not destructive. Like every pup, she likes to teethe and chew on things, but she's happy to play with whatever we give her. We can easily take toys and food away, and she's shown no signs whatsoever of resource guarding with other dogs.
|
Please visit these sites for some more information about training a deaf dog: Deaf Dog Education Action Fund Examples of Hand Signals to Use with Deaf Dogs |
|
Because of her deafness, Rain sleeps very soundly... and because of her silliness, she picks some pretty funny sleeping positions. |
|
|
.jpg)