Deaf dog lost: what to put on the poster and how to search
Put DEAF DOG at the top of the poster, tell people not to call or honk, and search by sight, since your dog cannot hear you or the traffic.
Put DEAF at the top of the poster
Write DEAF DOG in large letters right under the words LOST DOG, and say what that means for the person reading it: it cannot hear you, your car or a horn. That one line changes how strangers behave, and it is the main difference between this poster and any other. Then search by sight, not sound. Calling, whistling and honking will do nothing. Take a flashlight, strong food and someone who can act as a second pair of eyes. Your report to animal control, vets and shelters should say deaf in the first sentence, for the reasons below. The rest of your search can follow the usual steps for a lost dog.
Poster wording you can copy
Try this: LOST DOG. DEAF. Cannot hear you, cars or horns. Do not call or chase. Do not touch while asleep or from behind. Please slow down near this area. Call or text with the time and place. Then add the photo, cross streets, date and your number. Below that, add a line about hand signs if your dog knows any: Knows sit as a raised palm. Keep it short, and keep the big words big, because people read posters from cars. Leave out one detail, so that you can check callers. Our post on how to make a lost pet poster people can read from a car covers type size. Use the same wording in your Facebook and Nextdoor posts.
Why traffic is the main danger
A University of Illinois veterinary article says hearing-impaired dogs are vulnerable to undetected dangers such as motor vehicles and predators. So weigh your search toward roads. Put posters at intersections and on the busiest roads near the last-seen spot, and go to those first. Ask anyone who drives there regularly, such as bus drivers, delivery drivers and school crossing guards, to watch out and to slow down if they see the dog. Ask the local police non-emergency line whether patrol officers can be told. Tell people that the dog will not move for a horn, and they should not assume it is being stubborn. If it is near a highway, call 911 and do not try to catch it.
Search by sight, and be seen
Your dog cannot hear you, but it may be able to see you, smell you and feel you. Walk slowly in open places where you can be seen from a distance. Sit in view with food. Check along fences, under porches and at any place your dog might have stopped to rest, since it will not wake at the sound of your steps. Check dogs that seem to be asleep. Walk your usual route, wear what you normally wear and take your other dog if it is calm and on a leash. Return at the times you normally walk. At night, leave outdoor lights on at home. If your dog was trained to come in when a porch light flickers, flick it for short periods. The University of Illinois notes that blinking lights can signal a dog to come inside.
Light, vibration and collars
These only help if your dog already knows them. Best Friends Animal Society lists flicking a porch light, shining a flashlight across a yard and thumping the floor as ways to get a deaf dog’s attention at home. On a search, a flashlight pattern in the dusk may catch the eye of a dog that has learned to look for it. Vibration collars do work for some dogs at a distance, but only within range and only if the collar is on and charged. Use it gently, and only if your dog was trained to it, since Best Friends warns that some dogs find them frightening. Never use a shock setting. A bell on the collar can also help you pick out a dog at night.
What a finder should do
Print this on your flyers, or keep it for your phone calls. Approach from the front or side, where the dog can see you. Move slowly. Do not touch it from behind. If it is asleep, stamp on the ground a few feet away so that it can feel the vibration, and then wait. Best Friends says to always approach a deaf dog gently to avoid startling it. Louisiana State University’s deafness pages note that a risk of startle biting is one of the concerns raised about deaf dogs. Not every dog does this, but a stranger should know about it. Offer food on the ground, low and to the side. If the dog is not wearing a collar, loop a leash slowly. Do not chase it.
Tell shelters in plain words
A deaf dog in a shelter kennel may not turn when called, and it may startle when touched. Staff who do not know this could misread it. Tell them on the first call, and put it in writing on your report: My dog is deaf and may startle. Please approach from the front and let her see you first. Bring your photo and go in person, since a deaf dog will not bark back when you call down a row of kennels. Walk every row, and look at each dog. Ask whether staff can note on any matching dog that it does not react to sound. Tell them about breed and coat, too: LSU says hereditary deafness is linked with merle and piebald coat patterns and is most common in Dalmatians.
When your dog is home
AKC advises keeping dogs with hearing loss on a leash outdoors or in securely fenced areas, and Best Friends says it is generally not safe to allow a deaf dog off leash in an unfenced area. Have a vet check your dog after the time away. Best Friends suggests a tag that says deaf dog and writing I am deaf on the collar, harness or bandana, so that people know to approach carefully. Keep the chip record current. If your dog’s hearing loss is new, ask your vet about it, because the University of Illinois article notes that loss caused by ear infections can often be treated.
Sources
University of Illinois: news.illinois.edu/veterinarians-dogs-too-can-experience-hearing-loss. Best Friends Animal Society: bestfriends.org/node/547006. LSU School of Veterinary Medicine: lsu.edu/vetmed/deafness/genetics.php. AKC: akc.org/expert-advice/health/deafness-in-dogs.