blind AND deaf dane advice, please!

[schelmischekitty]

does anyone have a blind AND deaf dog, or know anyone who does?  unfortunately, one has landed in a humane society here and needs help, however i don't want to take more into my house than i can handle, even if it is temporary!

[schelmischekitty]

not sure, i'm talking to the place later today to see what the process of getting her out are.  she's solid white with only like 3 black spots on her nose, and solid blue eyes, really gorgeous, but they're saying she can't hear a thing and completely blind, also.

[sobe]

I am fostering a blind kitten right now and while it's not the same ( plus she can hear!), I find that touch goes a long way!  I would be inclined to put him on a leash and touch him a lot, have him explore the house beside you on his leash, put a bit of scent on all the furniture so he can recognize that smell with 'something is in the way' and make sure that everything remains in it's place.
It's amazing how these animals are able to adapt, as long as you have patience and love and treats

[schelmischekitty]

thanks!  i heard about the scents, although i'm not sure exactly where to put it... do i scent each room individually with a plug it in, or just spray something on the furniture?  also read to put carpet pads at the top and bottom of stairs.  does the kitten have problems finding the litter box?

[schelmischekitty]

ok, i'm REALLY confused now, waiting to hear from the people again, this is the last reply i had:

"She's definitely deaf, might hear very deep sounds sometimes, but can't locate the source. She doesn't have eyes, just pink remnants...
 
I haven't had her inside much, so I haven't tried the things you describe. Those websites do have a lot of info, though.
 
If you decide to try her out and it doesn't work out, I will take her back and refund all but $25 of the fee (to cover gas mostly)."

if she doesn't have eyes, she wouldn't be blind... it'd be a birth defect wouldn't it?  also later in the reply i got they state:

"Pamela is very happy outdoors, too, especially with another dog her size to bump into, so you wouldn't have to have her inside -- I know danes are sensitive to temperatures, but she's been outside her whole life, and is also used to freefeeding at my house, so I don't think bloat/torsion is as much of an issue that way."

i don't like outdoors dogs, how would you house train a dog that is both deaf AND blind...  body language and just watching her constantly?  the idea of a dog in this situation being outside is completely beyond me...  the people say they haven't tried the scents, or pine around trees, and fences, but what happens if she gets out...??

[mynameislola]

I have read about the scent thing.  They used a different scent in each room and only put a drop of the oil on one side of each doorway to show the dog where it was in the house.  Scent in more than one place in each area or room was said to confuse the dog.

I'd keep a leash on the dog for as long and as often as possible.  Barricade stairs with more than three or four risers until the dog can navigate the whole house, then let them use the stairs only while leashed for another few weeks.  Evaluate thier progress before allowing them access to the stairs.

If you can afford it, get the Disney phones and the plan for kids and attach one to the dogs collar or harness.  They have trackers, so if the dog gets loose, and nobody steals the phone, they can be tracked and located on the phone's website.

[schelmischekitty]

disney phones??  do you have a link to those?  thanks for the info on the scent, i'm glad you said that, i would have done the furniture!  we have a 1 story house, TG, so the only steps are the ones leading down into our yard.  i'm a a stay at home mom, so keeping her with me is no problem, either.  thanks for your input!  hopefully all will go well!

[sobe]

ahhh, the 'where to put the scent' has been answered already .It really works too!!
The kitten can find the litterbox just fine, I let her venture out of the room that the litterbox is in on her own so that she'd get a map in her head of where it is. When she has to go she'll make her way back to the litterbox. The only difference I noticed is when something scares her, she'll lie flat on the ground. She doesn't run away.It may be the same way with a dog. So it would be important that he's not around aggressive dogs who can hurt him.
I would put a harness on him, give him that security, and just help him explore his new digs, outside etc etc. His sense of smell will help him 'see' and figure things out before too long. I would not let him alone in the yard unless the yard is fenced and absolutely safe. Then I'd still be with him till he has the yard figured out and what's where so he knows how to come back inside again.

[schelmischekitty]

if you click the pic it enlarges the layout of our home.  i think it'd be easy for her to quickly learn the house, the yard is the only place with steps going down into it.  my dogs aren't aggressive or pushy at all, they pretty much accept everyone and everything.  all they do is lean, and apparently this girl leans on her doggie friends too!

[chaosndestruction]

This is the rescue that I think Tina was talking about. It's in Oakridge, OR and they take in Deaf Danes from all over the country. They found Washu and Ryoko new homes (They are Tenchi's sisters) and they came from the east coast I think.

http://gracieland.org/DaneRescue/index.html

Pink remnants? that sounds odd.

[schelmischekitty]

thanks!  i'm getting the feeling that it was a birth defect, as her eyes are not stitched shut, there is simply nothing there.

[chaosndestruction]

You're Welcome! I had to search on Petfinder to actually find the website Maybe I should remember to bookmark it!

I'm hoping to be able to adopt from them once i'm in my own place. There's just something about those deaf danes that steal my heart. (and Keela will need a sibling once we aren't here anymore)

[schelmischekitty]

i have always wanted one, too, but i wanted to get dane experience (had big dog, wanted dane though) before i got one.  this one is supposed to be very calm, which i find surprising since she has absolutely no way except touch and smell to know what's going on around her!

[brigid67]

Marc at the Deaf Dane Rescue is awesome.  I would contact him.  I met two of his Deaf Danes at Petaplooza last year.  The owner raved about Marc. I think it is great adopting her.  I am hoping to have my own deaf dane soon.  The smell thing is cool -  didn't even think about how they would know where the door is, etc etc.

Well I hope it works out

[schelmischekitty]

as of now we will only be "temporarily" fostering, until a decision is made.  we're still in the process of even finding out if we can do that much.  we'll see though!