Puppy Training Classes+pennsylvania Article

If Felix the dalmatian could use his paws for sign language, he would say, "Thank you, Stephanie." Since he can't, the deaf dog communicates with the hug of his body next to hers and his rapt focus on her face. They tell Stephanie Foust, his trainer and companion, just how much he loves her.

Felix was flown to Iowa as a feisty 7-month-old. Other than his hearing impairment, he wasn't much different from other pooches his age: a lolling, sprawling, awkward fella--a blizzard of spots, a rainstorm of slobbering kisses, and a wiggle of energy. Stephanie, an Animal Lifeline volunteer, was quickly drawn to this sweet-tempered yet often undisciplined adolescent, who proved to be a challenge.

Even though she is an experienced dog trainer, Stephanie was challenged as she tried to get the easily distracted dog to focus his attention on her. It took months of patience and persistence to make even a little headway with this busy boy. He was more interested in bugs on the ground, itchy hindquarters, or a passing critter than in paying attention to the hand signals his human companion learned from a book on sign language.

Then, encouraged by another dog trainer, Stephanie enrolled Felix in a basic obedience class, along with other canine participants and their owners. Stephanie coaxed and encouraged, wondering if he would respond to this attempt at mainstreaming. He did. By the second set of classes, the still-growing dalmatian was well on his way to learning good canine manners.

But here's the punch line: No one in the class even knew he was deaf, says Stephanie, radiating pride.

Felix went on to learn agility training, which takes dogs through a series of challenges and performance maneuvers in a test of skill for both animal and master. At the command from Stephanie's hands, he dashes through a course. He sails over obstacles with athletic grace, crawls hurriedly on his belly through tubes, and bolts for the finish line. All he wants is a thumbs-up sign of approval--along with a hug, of course. Good dog, Felix!

This deaf canine compensates for his hearing loss by fine-tuning his other senses. While most dogs point their ears to assess their surroundings, Felix constantly looks around and twitches his nose to take in all the local stimuli. And his sense of touch is critical--he always has at least one part of his body in contact with Stephanie to read her next move. The two work as a team.

These days, Felix enjoys trotting out his remarkable talents for appreciative fans at fund-raisers and promotions connected with Animal Lifeline. His presence is testimony to the successful work done to aid many homeless and special-needs animals.

And Felix would just love to say to all who offer help, "Thank you.... Oh, and, got a biscuit?"

Q&A

Felix likes to pal around with Ava Bothe (left), founder of Animal Lifeline of Iowa, a shelter dedicated to taking care of and finding homes for animals that are sick, abandoned, orphaned, injured, pregnant, or abused. Though Ava desires to see all animals find homes, she stresses that it takes a high level of commitment to adopt a special-needs pet.

Q. Who adopts and trains animals like Felix?

A. We look for a home where the family has the time to go through basic obedience training with a deaf dog. If the family can provide the dog continued training and/or agility work, that's an ideal placement.

Q. How long does training take?

A. It depends on the age when the training begins. If you start with a young puppy, the amount of time isn't usually too much more than what would be needed to train a hearing dog: about 30 to 45 minutes a day, plus one hour a week when you are in an obedience class. If you begin training with an older deaf dog, you'll probably need to spend more time getting the dog's attention before moving onto the basic obedience commands, such as "sit" or "stay."

Q. Is it possible to train a blind dog?

A. Like deaf dogs, blind dogs can be trained. Blind dogs respond to voices, just as deaf dogs respond to hand signals. A blind dog can learn various commands, such as "stop" and "step," to alert them to potential dangers or obstacles.

Q. How trainable is a deaf or blind cat?

A. Blind or deaf cats usually adjust fairly well on their own. They need to be kept as inside-only pets. An owner can certainly use his or her voice to alert a blind cat to any danger or obstacle, as is done with a blind dog.

Special-needs animals are available to be adopted by people who can provide for their unique requirements. Search these Web sites for helpful tips about caring for pets: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (.org and .com); Humane Society of the United States (.org); Animal Lifeline of Iowa (.com), and Willing Hearts Dalmatian Rescue (.org/willinghearts).