Touch Cues for Blind & Deaf Dogs
A resource for blind/deaf dogs and their families - 24 daily and manners touch cues with printable reference charts and video demonstrations.
Communication beyond sight and sound.
Living with and caring for a blind and
deaf dog means discovering new ways to communicate.
Many families tell me they aren't sure which touch cues to use, how to teach them, or how to explain them to other people involved in their dog's care - vet staff, groomers, pet sitters, dog walkers, trainers, etc.
Sometimes, even well-meaning family members may all communicate differently, leaving dogs to guess what people expect from them.
Blind and deaf dogs deserve consistency. Consistency creates confidence, predictability, and trust - which are all things that we want for our dogs.
That's why I created the Training By Feel Touch Cue Cards.
For years I've been asked for an easy-to-follow guide to touch cues for blind and deaf dogs. There has been a need for this resource for a long time, so I decided to fill in that gap.
Training By Feel gives you a ready-to-use communication system that can travel with your dog wherever life takes them.
Many families tell me they aren't sure which touch cues to use, how to teach them, or how to explain them to other people involved in their dog's care - vet staff, groomers, pet sitters, dog walkers, trainers, etc.
Sometimes, even well-meaning family members may all communicate differently, leaving dogs to guess what people expect from them.
Blind and deaf dogs deserve consistency. Consistency creates confidence, predictability, and trust - which are all things that we want for our dogs.
That's why I created the Training By Feel Touch Cue Cards.
For years I've been asked for an easy-to-follow guide to touch cues for blind and deaf dogs. There has been a need for this resource for a long time, so I decided to fill in that gap.
Training By Feel gives you a ready-to-use communication system that can travel with your dog wherever life takes them.
Inside You'll Find:
- 24 clear demonstration videos showing how to give each touch cue
- Lesson on getting started with touch cues with your dog and some troubleshooting guidance
- Tips and use suggestions for each touch cue in daily life
- Printable touch cue reference charts to keep everyone on the same page
- Suggestions for using your printable guides in creative and useful ways
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What's included:
All of the cues shown on the Daily and Manners cards are included for you. These are common cues and behaviors that we might use with our blind/deaf dogs in the course of a day.
Each cue is demonstrated for you on video and is described in writing on the cue cards themselves. This allows you to read the description and then watch the video as you practice along with me.
With this practice, the cues will start to feel more natural and come easier to you, so you'll feel confident using them in real life.
I've included a lesson on how to introduce touch cues to your dog. This includes tips and tricks, along with a troubleshooting section.
You will also have a printable digital copy of each cue card - these are two sided and include all the written descriptions of the touch cues.
Each cue is demonstrated for you on video and is described in writing on the cue cards themselves. This allows you to read the description and then watch the video as you practice along with me.
With this practice, the cues will start to feel more natural and come easier to you, so you'll feel confident using them in real life.
I've included a lesson on how to introduce touch cues to your dog. This includes tips and tricks, along with a troubleshooting section.
You will also have a printable digital copy of each cue card - these are two sided and include all the written descriptions of the touch cues.
The Cues You'll Learn:
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Everyday Touch Cues
Outside • Home • No More • Car Ride • Picking Up • Step Up • Step Down • Mealtime • Do Your Business • Attention • Be Right Back • Good Dog
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Manners Touch Cues
Wait/Stay • Sit • Come • Off • Leave It • Let's Go • Spin • Quiet • Marker Signal • Lie Down • Release Cue • Shake Paw
Why use printable cards?
Consistency is important in using touch cues with our dogs. This is how they receive information about what's happening around them, and how we can ask them for different behaviors.
Learning a new way of communicating can take some practice for us the human, and it's easy to forget in the moment what a new touch cue is.
Having a printable version to hang on your refrigerator makes it easy to glance at and give ourselves a reminder. It's also great for keeping everyone in the family on the same page as far as what each cue is.
I also use cue cards in other ways - to provide an easy-to-understand guide for groomers, veterinarians, pet sitters and others, so they know how to communicate with my dog also. There are so many ways to use cue cards - all dependent on your creativity!
Cue cards are also super for rescues and shelters. Foster homes, volunteers and staff can teach these touch cues, and then the cards can be passed along to newly adopted homes as a reminder of what cues the dog knows, which can keep consistency and make transitions smoother.
Cards can also be printed to hang on a kennel for volunteers to refer to, and adopters to begin to become familiar with how they might communicate using touch.
Again - the uses are endless!
Learning a new way of communicating can take some practice for us the human, and it's easy to forget in the moment what a new touch cue is.
Having a printable version to hang on your refrigerator makes it easy to glance at and give ourselves a reminder. It's also great for keeping everyone in the family on the same page as far as what each cue is.
I also use cue cards in other ways - to provide an easy-to-understand guide for groomers, veterinarians, pet sitters and others, so they know how to communicate with my dog also. There are so many ways to use cue cards - all dependent on your creativity!
Cue cards are also super for rescues and shelters. Foster homes, volunteers and staff can teach these touch cues, and then the cards can be passed along to newly adopted homes as a reminder of what cues the dog knows, which can keep consistency and make transitions smoother.
Cards can also be printed to hang on a kennel for volunteers to refer to, and adopters to begin to become familiar with how they might communicate using touch.
Again - the uses are endless!
Created by
Deb Bauer
Whether your dog was born blind and deaf, is gradually losing vision or hearing, or is adjusting to a new way of understanding the world, these touch cues can help them feel safer, more confident, and better understood.
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