• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Call us on 03000 125 125 Email us at enquiries@foreverhoundstrust.org

FHT Logo

Helping greyhounds and lurchers into homes

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Vision, Mission & Values
    • Position on Greyhound Racing
    • Our Founder’s Story
    • Annual Review and Accounts
  • Events
  • News
    • Headline News
    • Social Feed
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Vision, Mission & Values
    • Position on Greyhound Racing
    • Our Founder’s Story
    • Annual Review and Accounts
  • Events
  • News
    • Headline News
    • Social Feed
  • Contact
  • Meet The Hounds
    • Hounds for Adoption
    • Sighthound Info
    • Adopting An Ex Racing Greyhound
    • Register to Home a Hound
    • Why Adopt from Us?
    • Happy Homing Stories
  • Hound Advice
    • Advice and Support
    • Help With Homing Your Dog
  • Help the Hounds
    • Big Give 2022
    • Become a Friend or Sponsor
      • Sponsor a Dog
      • Sponsor a kennel space
      • Become a Friend
    • In Memory
      • In Memory of Your Loved One
      • In Memory of Your Hound
      • Your Legacy – Their Future
    • Other Ways to Support Us
      • Fundraise for Us
      • Payroll Giving
      • Support the Dogs Whilst you Shop
      • Recycle for Donations
      • 50-50 Club
      • Celebrate your dog’s Gotcha Day!
    • Donate Items
    • Volunteer
      • Become a Volunteer
    • Fostering
    • Our Corporate Friends
      • Our Corporate Supporters – Burns Pet Nutrition
      • Directory of Supporters
  • Shop
    • For Your Hound
    • For You
    • For Our Hounds
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • DONATE NOW
  • Meet The Hounds
    • Hounds for Adoption
    • Sighthound Info
    • Adopting An Ex Racing Greyhound
    • Register to Home a Hound
    • Why Adopt from Us?
    • Happy Homing Stories
  • Hound Advice
    • Advice and Support
    • Help With Homing Your Dog
  • Help the Hounds
    • Big Give 2022
    • Become a Friend or Sponsor
      • Sponsor a Dog
      • Sponsor a kennel space
      • Become a Friend
    • In Memory
      • In Memory of Your Loved One
      • In Memory of Your Hound
      • Your Legacy – Their Future
    • Other Ways to Support Us
      • Fundraise for Us
      • Payroll Giving
      • Support the Dogs Whilst you Shop
      • Recycle for Donations
      • 50-50 Club
      • Celebrate your dog’s Gotcha Day!
    • Donate Items
    • Volunteer
      • Become a Volunteer
    • Fostering
    • Our Corporate Friends
      • Our Corporate Supporters – Burns Pet Nutrition
      • Directory of Supporters
  • Shop
    • For Your Hound
    • For You
    • For Our Hounds
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • DONATE NOW

Deaf Awareness Week, 4th – 10th May. Adopting and living with a deaf dog

07/05/2020

It’s Deaf Awareness week, and dogs can be deaf too…

Meet Bella, who was found as a pup wandering the streets in her silent little world. Even after being rescued, the homing process was very confusing for her, and it quickly became apparent that adopter and adoptee needed to help each other adapt to the situation. Her lovely mum tells us:

It wasn’t easy at first, but we quickly noticed she would follow and copy our other two dogs, especially Lexie who she developed a strong bond with from the start. She would also watch our facial expressions and respond to them. It soon became clear we needed to use these expressions, combined with hand signals to communicate with her, much like British Sign Language. She learnt ‘thumbs up’ for being good and a flat hand to stop her.

One of the most important things about having a deaf dog is having the confidence that they will come back when off lead. We were really impressed when she learnt recall – holding my hand above my head then bringing it down to my side. Now, Bella will keep an eye on someone most of the time, but if she gets distracted, Lexie will get her and bring her back. As her confidence has grown, she is more comfortable walking on her own.

Bella can be nervous around people and dogs, as would we when meeting a silent stranger – no cheery hello to put you at ease. She can sometimes bark at them, as this is the only form of communication she knows, but she can’t hear herself, so doesn’t understand what she is doing wrong. She does however, respond well to a finger in front of her face asking her to be quiet. Failing that, we remove her from the situation.

The main thing for Bella is when we need her attention and she is not looking at us or is asleep, we have to gently touch her, as she can get startled easily – a silent world can be a scary one sometimes.

Being deaf does not affect her character at all – she is one of the most loving and loyal dogs you could wish to meet. We just wouldn’t be without her.”

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on E-mail

Category: News, Our Blog

Previous Post: « New dogs settling in
Next Post: Happy VE Day from all the hounds and humans Dog with cake and UK flags»

Above Footer

I am searching for:

Search by product or keyword.

Footer

Contact

Tel: 03000 125 125
enquiries@foreverhoundstrust.org
Forever Hounds Trust
Chave Lane,
Brithem Bottom,
Cullompton
EX15 1NE
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Get involved

  • Become a Volunteer
  • Fostering
  • Virtual Fostering
  • Jobs

Charity Information

  • Accessibility
  • Privacy and Cookies
  • Ethical Fundraising Statement
  • Terms & Conditions

Keep in Touch

Forever Hounds Trust would love to contact you by post or email, to keep you up-to-date with our news, events, fundraising and ways you can support us.

Sign Up

Site Footer

Forever Hounds Trust dog Illustration

Copyright © 2023 Forever Hounds Trust
Calls to our 03000 helpline number cost the same as calling any UK 01 or 02 landline number; please check with your provider for further details.
Forever Hounds Trust is a registered charity number 1131399 (England & Wales) and a company limited by guarantee number 06985367 (England & Wales).
Website by Callia Web

Copyright © 2023 Forever Hounds Trust · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme