Toys for Deaf Dogs
Some of the best toys for deaf dogs are already the same toys you'd give a hearing dog. They still appreciate squeakers, and chew toys and tugs. A few extra items can be particularly fun for a deaf dog though. Many deaf dogs love to chase laser pointer light. Just be very careful to not get it in your dog's eyes.
- Water bottle toys that have a lot of crunchy mouth feedback.
- A bumble ball vibrates.
- Toys that blink
- Toys that move on their own
- Chew toys with hidden treats
- Tugs
OCD Behavior in Dogs
An understimulated dog may engage in OCD behavior. OCD is by no means a common problem in deaf dogs and seems to show up most often in the more active, intelligent breeds (such as Australian Shepherds, Dalmatians, Jack Russell Terriers Border Collies) even if they can hear.Some dogs tend to shadow or light chase, fly chasing and digging. It can also be seen as spinning, tail chasing, pacing, or licking which can create sores called Lick Dermatitis on the feet and legs. While mild cases may go away on their own, more severe cases won't,to make sure the problem doesn't escalate do something about it now. With a dog that shows mild signs, don't encourage the behavior. I knew someone once that had a dog that was obscesive about chasing anything. At a party someone threw a tennis ball for the dog but it landed in the fire - the dog jumped in. OCD dogs seem to lack a common sense when it comes to basic dangers. So don't encourage this behavior.
Take your dog to your vet to make sure there is not a medical cause for the problem. If you end up needing prescription drugs, you will need to see your vet again. Don't ignore it and it's not funny. Your dog is indulging in OCD type behavior, stop him whenever he starts (you might want to consider tethering your dog to you, so you can catch the behavior before he has a chance to indulge). Interrupt the activity, and do something else.
OCD behavior is typicall caused by boredom or stress. Removing the stress often removes the OCD behavior. Also teaching an incompatible. Toys that create mental stimulation, walks, and other activities with you will make a huge difference. Enroll in an obedience class or take some agility lessons, learn new tricks. Increase his vocabulary and engage his brain with new places, people and explorations. Treat dispensing toys are excellent as they make his brain work as it should to 'find' food. Enough physical exeriise is also important. Fetching balls and biking or running with you is excellent. Make sure you don't reward the OCD behavior in any way.
