The principles of training a deaf dog are no different from those of training a dog that can hear. Deaf dogs, like other dogs, learn from the immediate consequences of their actions. For example, a deaf dog will learn that coming to the owner in the dog park results 96 per cent of the time in the leash being put on and the end of play.

Thus, the dog learns to avoid the owner when called at the park. But he can also learn that coming to the owner at the park results 85 per cent of the time in a small treat and being sent back for more play, 10 per cent of the time in nothing in particular and five per cent of the time in going home. In this case the dog will likely have a strong Recall. Dogs – including deaf dogs – do what works.

The difference with deaf dogs is that the communication system cannot depend on auditory signals. While any other sense can be exploited to set up a communication system, the two most often used are vision and touch.

The basic tools in any training system are:

• A conditioned reinforcer: a signal to tell the dog with precise timing when a behaviour has worked, i.e., has earned him reinforcement such as a treat, game, door-opening service, etc.
• A conditioned punisher: a signal to tell the dog with precise timing when a behaviour has made things worse for himself, i.e., has caused the termination of a game, withdrawal of a potential treat or a time out in the lonely laundry room.
• A set of cues for the behaviours you’ll be training, such as “watch,” a recall, sit, down and stay.

The priorities are to teach your dog to watch you and to have a sterling recall. The most efficient first exercise combines Watch with the establishment of a conditioned reinforcer. Before starting, decide what signal to use in order to mark correct responses. Most deaf-dog trainers use a thumbs-up gesture. Like all visual cues, make sure it’s clear and distinct from other hand movements you might use in everyday life. Get a supply of small, tasty treats and stand with him in a low-distraction environment (somewhere in your house is fine).

Stand still, wait and pay close attention. The instant he makes eye contact with you, even for a fleeting instant, give your thumbs-up sign and immediately deliver a treat. Then, stand and wait for the next one. If you’re crafty about catching every instance of eye contact and your timing is good, he will soon be “recycling” – trainer-speak for re-initiating eye contact immediately after being paid (treated) for the previous response. The behaviour that seemed to occur by chance now looks more deliberate.

When he is recycling eye contact as fast as you can pay him for it, delay your thumbs-up and payment for a second or two. The idea is to now gradually build the duration of eye contact. Work your way up to five or 10 seconds, increasing the duration only when he’s recycling immediately.

Now take your fledgling Watch on the road. Re-teach the exercise in different rooms of your house, in the yard, in front of your house, with you at a bit of a distance, etc. Every slight variation may initially throw him for a loop, so be patient. It is all well worth the effort if your goal is a nice, durable behaviour.

Once he is proficient in many low-distraction environments, practise around people and, finally, around dogs. Dog-training classes, outdoor coffee shops and parks are excellent spots. Usually the standard should be dropped back to that used in initial training (brief, fleeting Watches) when increasing the distraction. Once the behaviour is recycled quickly, build back to your five or 10 seconds.

Now you can add a cue to your Watch so your dog knows when to do it. A common choice is a finger point to your eyes. Decide what the cue will be and go back to training inside the house. First, give the cue, then wait for the behaviour and reinforce as usual.

Repeat several times. Then, do not give the cue for a minute or so. During this no-cue period, ignore any eye contact from Magic. Then, give the cue and commence rewarding again. The strong behaviour you’ve previously built should rebound nicely from the temporary wobbling it got when you stopped paying.

Alternate these two conditions – if no cue, no payment; if cue, payment – over and over again until Magic gets the message: the behaviour works only when the cue is on, like in the game Simon Says. This gives value to your cue.

To teach a Recall, first decide what the cue will be. Many trainers employ vibrating collars. Just like in the previous exercise, train in a variety of low-distraction environments before retraining around distractions.

Increase the distance or move to a new location only when the behaviour is performed with near-100-per-cent reliability. Start up close (a few feet away), using the following sequence:

1) vibrate the collar;

2) after the vibration (not during), encourage him to approach you (crouch down, run away, lure him with food or even piggyback on your thumbs-up signal);

3) as soon as he arrives, take him by the collar;

4) give a generous reward – recalls are incredibly important so don’t be stingy;

5) repeat.

One of the first signs of proficiency will be him not waiting for the prompt (2) but charging directly to you as soon as you vibrate the collar. When he’s reliable and no longer waiting for prompts, commence your distance-building and distraction-proofing exercises.