February 24, 2025, 3:07 pm | Read time: 9 minutes
Most people associate dogs not only with a fine nose but also with good hearing, which can perceive even distant things. But what is everyday life like with a deaf dog? Petfluencer Luisa K. from Graz has taken in a deaf animal with her American Akita dog, Yuka. In the PETBOOK interview, she reveals how she copes with everyday life with the dog.
Luisa was astonished to learn that her American Akita, Yuka, was deaf. However, the resident of Graz was undeterred by the numerous negative comments. On the contrary, she sought solutions and trained her canine companion. She can now lead Yuka off-leash, and the recall command works flawlessly despite the handicap. Her videos, in which she talks about her everyday life with Yuka, have been clicked on millions of times on social media. Luisa spoke to PETBOOK about her daily challenges and adventures with a deaf dog.
“When I Got Yuka from the Breeder, I Didn’t Know She Was Deaf”
PETBOOK: Luisa, how did you find out your dog was deaf?
Luisa K.: “When I got Yuka from the breeder, I didn’t know that Yuka was deaf. The breeder supposedly knew nothing about it, and I didn’t notice anything during my first visits. I was in seventh heaven when I saw the cute puppy eyes. What’s more, Yuka naturally took her cue from her siblings. It also didn’t become apparent immediately at home since Yuka was still a puppy, busy exploring the world and, naturally, not yet familiar with her name.
I then slowly started to teach her her name and to practice simple commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘down.’ Sometimes, she would look at me at the right moment, but there was no real learning curve. Eventually, I became frustrated and thought it odd that she wasn’t learning at all. So, I took her to the veterinarian, who confirmed her deafness.”
“There Were Comments Like ‘What Do You Want with a Dog That Can’t Hear?'”
How has life changed with a deaf dog? What challenges did you face at the beginning, and how did you overcome them?
“The diagnosis at the vet was a shock at first. I didn’t know anyone who had a deaf dog before, and, unfortunately, the reactions from friends and other dog owners were all negative. There were comments like ‘What do you want with a dog that can’t hear?’ and ‘Give him away, you’ll never be happy with a dog like that’. So, I was a bit overwhelmed at first. But I already knew then that I had taken Yuka to my heart and that she belonged to me. Finally, knowing why our training had never worked out also brought me clarity and gave me the chance to adjust to the new situation and find new ways of communicating.
Initially, this posed the greatest challenge, as I could find scarcely any information on training a deaf dog. And that’s exactly why I started our social media channels: to encourage other people who were perhaps just as lost as we were at the beginning and to show them how you can train a deaf dog. In our case, I watched videos on how to teach a hearing dog certain things and then transferred this to Yuka. As time passed, our friendship deepened, and now we use more than 30 signs.”
What special training methods do you use for your dog?
“I don’t use any special training methods directly. With deaf dogs, it is possible to work with a vibrating collar and teach the dog to react to the vibration and condition it with a ‘come’ or ‘give me your attention.’ This is often mistaken for a shock collar, which it is not! Properly trained, it is a valuable aid. Unfortunately, Yuka doesn’t react to the vibrating collar because she has very thick fur on her neck. Thus, we train in a ‘normal’ fashion like with hearing dogs, but we replace verbal commands with hand signals.”
“We Mainly Communicate Using Hand Signals and Vibrations”
How do you communicate with your dog without sounds?
“Mainly via hand signals, but also via vibrations. For example, I wake her up by gently vibrating her bed or the floor. I can also capture her attention with signals like turning lights on and off.”
What hand signals do you use to give your dog commands?
“We have over 30 different hand signals. These include basic commands such as ‘sit,’ ‘down,’ and ‘come,’ as well as special signs for situations such as ‘visitors are coming,’ ‘I’ll go and come back,’ ‘watch out, a dog is approaching,’ but we also have lots of different signs to ensure a safe free run.”
What tips do you have for people who want to adopt a deaf dog?
“Be brave! Initially, communicating with hand signals rather than sounds may feel unfamiliar, but it quickly becomes second nature. In the beginning, it can also be helpful to ask a dog trainer for advice. Before you know it, you’ll have crystal-clear communication and a companion who remains utterly calm on New Year’s Eve and is unfazed by the vacuum cleaner. And if you have any questions or need tips, you can always contact me via my social media channels!”
How Other Dogs React to the Deaf Dog Yuka
How does your dog react to other animals or people?
“Yuka is a typical Akita, rather skeptical of strangers and dogs at first but generally friendly. Dogs communicate mainly through body language anyway and give many signals before they make any sounds. This means that well-socialized deaf dogs have no particular problems with other dogs. But depending on how much they are used to it or not, it can happen that they are startled when a dog suddenly appears ‘out of nowhere’ from behind. That’s why we have our ‘watch out dog’ sign when a fellow dog approaches Yuka unnoticed.”
What kind of games does Yuka prefer when she can’t hear sounds? Are there special toys for deaf dogs?
“Yuka loves to play like any other dog. Her deafness doesn’t affect her at all in this respect, and she plays with the same toys as any other dog.”
Are there any special precautions you need to take when walking or traveling with your dog?
“No, Yuka is permitted off-leash because we adhere to strict rules, like maintaining a specific radius she must not exceed and regularly ‘checking in’ with me for orientation. If I notice that she’s not paying full attention to me on any given day, I leave her on the lead.”
“Basically, I Think Being a Deaf Dog Has a Lot of Advantages”
What other safety precautions do you take for your dog in everyday life?
“The same as many other dog moms and dads. Yuka has a tag with my number, and it says that she is deaf. And she has a location tracker for when she goes out, which shows me exactly where she is on my phone in case something happens.”
How does your dog deal with unexpected situations that she can’t hear?
“Yuka is generally a very calm dog and rather difficult to upset. She likes to watch everything. Be it dogs, people, or situations. I like to give her time to do that. Basically, however, I think that being deaf has a lot of advantages because, in many situations that stress hearing dogs, Yuka is calm and quiet. Anything to do with noises doesn’t bother her. Yuka sleeps peacefully through New Year’s Eve and even thunderstorms don’t bother her, I can vacuum without any problems, Yuka doesn’t bark at the doorbell and when we walk past barking dogs, Yuka simply ignores them. I find life with Yuka super relaxed.”
“Yuka Has Shown Me That Anything Is Possible and That Dogs That May Seem Special Are Simply Special”
How has your dog’s deafness affected your bond?
“I had to rethink a lot of things, such as training with the dog. Now, I approach things with greater calm, and if an issue arises, instead of feeling frustrated, I’m inspired to discover a solution, and I relish celebrating and acknowledging even the smallest advancements.
Moreover, Yuka has demonstrated that anything is achievable and that dogs, which might appear unusual, are truly extraordinary and immensely enrich one’s life. I think our bond is also very deep as I communicate very clearly with Yuka through our hand signals, and she always knows where she stands and what I want from her. I have a deep understanding of Yuka and trust in her reliability.”
Do you feel that your dog relies more on visual stimuli or smells?
“Yuka relies a lot on her sense of sight and is also very interested in visual stimuli. Of course, she also perceives smells, but this sense is not as dominant in Yuka. Additionally, she is highly attuned to vibrations, air currents, and changes in light and shadow.”
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“Many People Think That a Deaf Dog Can’t Lead a Good Life”
How did it actually come about that you both became petfluencers?
“We started our channels to offer support to people who are in the same situation as we were back then. And also to show people that deaf dogs are just as great, loving, playful, and eager to learn as ‘normal’ dogs. I never thought that so many people would be interested in our life together and Yuka’s deafness, and I am all the happier about the inspiring messages we receive and when we learn that a deaf dog has been given the chance of a loving home through us.”
What misconceptions are there often about deaf dogs?
“Unfortunately, there are still many. Many people think that deaf dogs can’t lead a good life, don’t enjoy life, can’t learn anything, are skittish, and the list goes on and on. Regrettably, many deaf dogs do not receive an opportunity from the outset. As soon as you adjust to them, they are really great dogs who want to be part of everything and (almost) don’t notice their lack of sense.”