[CorkyMax]

From the 'net.'
You may not notice unusual behavior in your dog in the beginning. It was quite by accident that we noticed our aging friend couldn't hear us very well anymore. Here are a few helpful hints, ideas, and tips to help you communicate with your own companion.
.Difficulty: Moderately EasyInstructions.Things You'll Need:
•Abundance of Love
•Patience
•Kindness
•Be willing to try whatever works for your dog.
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1. If you suspect your dog may not be hearing well anymore, a trip to your Vet will confirm you suspicions. Here is something you can try before the trip to your Vet. With your dog facing away from you, either clap your hands hard, or, drop a book on the floor to see if your companion reacts, even a small reaction is better than none. The hints, tips, and ideas in the next few steps are for partially hearing impaired dogs.

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2. Along with the instructions of your Veterinarian, some of these things we have tried with our dog, may be helpful to you as well. What will work for one animal may not work for another. It is a good idea to have several things you can try and see what may work best for your dog. Have each family member participate with the same technique so your dog won't become confused.

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3. Your dog may want to follow you around more than before and you may find yourself tripping on your dog from time to time. We seem to check before we step back to make sure we don't accidently hurt him. A tip that worked for us without us realizing it, was how we trained our dog when he was a puppy that ended up helping us now. One command that we used when we wanted him to go to his bed, we not only verbalized it, we pointed toward his bed. Now, we just have to point without saying a word and he knows what to do.

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4. Your dog may be able to hear you if you whistle for him. I do whistle when the dog is out in the yard or in another room and can't seem to find us. If you can't whistle at all, another option would be to purchase a whistle for those times I've mentioned above. If your dog is sleeping and you want him to go elsewhere, a gentle tap on the back isn't so startling.

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5. On the positive side of this somewhat difficult issue, is the fact that our old friend, being afraid of, Fireworks, Blimps and Thunder, which was difficult because, (We can't change Mother Nature), now can we? He can't hear them as much anymore which makes for a less anxiety ridden animal.