How do I know if my dog is deaf?

Question

I have a bull mastiff/rottweiler mix and i'm trying to train it to sit and stay.But he doesnt respond to me.I make noises behind him to see if he hears them,but it seems like he doesn't know where the noise is coming from.How do i know if he's deaf? He's only 8.5 weeks.

Answer 1

Dogs instinctively turn their heads to unusual noise. While he is looking elsewhere, drop something or make some loud noise. If he looks that way, then he hears it. Sometimes they just choose to ignore some noises like a mom giving commands.

Answer 2

I found a website that deals with the issue:
1) The only way to know for sure if your dog is deaf is with a BAER test
2) Some of the early signs (while the pup is still in the litter) may include the deaf pup that plays more aggressively or bites too hard because it is not deterred by the other puppy's yelp of pain. Once weaned, a deaf puppy may not wake up at feeding times unless it feels vibrations, or is bumped by a littermate.
3) In the home, you may notice that it doesn't respond to being called (or other noises), when sleeping, too far away, or not looking at you. Sometimes it bites too hard when playing with the family.

Tests You Can Do At Home
- Jangle keys, a rattle, or a can of coins
- Squeak a toy (be sure that air from the toy doesn't hit the dog - try it behind your back)
- Call your dog in a normal voice - try yelling
- Clap your hands (you should be far enough away so that he doesn't feel air movement)
- Whistle or (if you're musically challenged) blow a whistle
- Turn on a vacuum cleaner (be sure it's far enough away from the dog so that the vibrations or airflow don't reach him)
- Bang two pots together (be careful of air vibrations reaching your dog)
- Ring a bell or have someone ring your telephone or doorbell

Answer 3

I won't tell you that you are worrying unnecessarily as I honor the fact that you are trying to find out !
Your dog is very young and at 8.5 weeks he has the attention span of a knat! By the time he identifies that here is a noise, he is distracted by something other than you.
With him being so young , I would go slow but persist in your training.
I expect that your pup is due for more shots shortly ,so the possibility of deafness should be discussed with your vet then.
If your pup isn't responding to such things as his food rattling in his dish, then I would advise you to take your dog to a vet asap.
Large breeds are slower to develope than smaller breeds so the acuteness of hearing might be slower as well. that is another question you could ask your Vet.
Best of luck ,and keep on asking questions that add your dog knowledge!

Answer 4

He is a puppy and is easily distracted. Take a squeaky toy and don't let him see it and place it in your pocket. When he is not paying attention to you squeak it-if he responds with a turned head and looks in the direction of the toy he isn't deaf just a pup. The vet can do an exam for hearing and also tell you what's going on. Try training him in a more secluded room with little to no distractions at first until he is getting most of it then slowly add distractions.

Answer 5

The only 100% way to tell if a dog is deaf is a BAER test.
At 8.5 weeks, he may just not be mature enough to work on any serious training and not mentally ready to take a command.
If there is no one to BAER test near you, jostle his food bowl while he's in the other room or not looking.

Answer 6

I once took in a deaf cat. I knew because I could clap behind his ears & get no response. Judging by his age, you will be making an appointment soon to get him wormed, right? So while you're at the vet, ask him if he can determine if your dog is deaf or not.

Answer 7

8.5 weeks is way to early to train a dog!!! Wait until 3 or 4 months. Most breeders don't even give you their dogs until 3 months!!!! Go to the vet to see if it's deaf. They would know!

Answer 8

http://www.fielddog.com/ftm/deafdogs.htm

Check out this site; third paragraph from the bottom has some exercises to help tell if a dog is deaf. First indicator is generally your suspicion due to observation.
That being said...
Neither of those breeds is particularly prone to deafness; it is usually linked to an albino gene and large areas of white on the dog. (Think Dalmations, boxers, double-dapple dachshunds, australian shepherds.)
Not knowing where the noise is coming from could just be due to his being young and inexperienced, or it could be that he is deaf in one ear; that makes it harder for them to determine direction.
Take the animal to a vet and have him checked, it's time for a checkup and IZ's anyway. Could be he's just an easily-distractible puppy with "selective hearing"
(I hope...)

Answer 9

The dog isn't very old as eight weeks isn't too long. Maybe he's just not paying attention. Give it another couple of weeks and if it's a concern call a vet and see what he thinks. He might want to check the dog. Good luck. bettyk

Answer 10

There is no "scientific" test for deaf dogs, but we use this technique. When the dog is sleeping, we go near it and bang its metal food dishes together. If it doesn't respond, we know it's deaf.

Some dogs may be deaf in one ear, but hearing in another; or may hear loud sounds but not soft sounds.