Author Topic: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?  (Read 3576 times)

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Offline Mari

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How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« on: November 11, 2019, 08:42:21 PM »
I've never had to wake up my dog. She would go from sleeping to bouncing around the room as soon as I even thought of getting up. It would frustrate me that I could never get a picture of her sleeping because she would wake up immediately if I tried to pick up a camera.
But her hearing is mostly gone now, and she is a much heavier sleeper So how do I wake her without scaring her?
I've tried petting her softly, but she jumps every time. It's not a nice feeling to wake up with a start like that so I am trying to figure out a softer way of waking her. Hoping someone has experience with deaf or elderly cockers and can give me some advise :003:

Offline Finvarra

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2019, 10:32:52 PM »
My Milo was deaf for his last few years, and you have to try not to startle them. Approaching from the front, and not touching them until they can see you. If I needed to wake him, I would hold something tasty by his nose, like a piece of cheese which he loved. The aroma wafting up the nostrils would gently wake him up and give him a pleasant awakening.

Sorry to hear Mari is deaf too, it's sad when they can't hear your voice.

Hope this helps.

Lesley and Dylan
Remembering All the dogs of my life, especially Milo

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2019, 06:57:53 AM »
So sorry to read that Mari, poor Laurie! Don’t have any experience of deafness (well I do, but in Humphrey‘s case it can usually be cured with a few magic words! >:( ) but I was about to suggest the same as Finverra, to  use her sense of smell to gently wake her.
I do hope she‘s otherwise fit and still enjoying her Grandpa‘s retirement!  :luv:
Sending  :bigarmhug:

Offline Mari

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2019, 08:27:57 AM »
Food, of course! Thank you Finvarra! Should have thought of that, food is always the solution when cockers are involved  :005:

It is sad when they get old. But she seems to be coping well with the hearing loss. She can't see very much either and that has made her insecure around new people. But she is otherwise healthy and happy. She is very active and loves to go for long walks still. I have to use a leash because she will run after scents and cannot hear me call or even see me if I am too far away. So she pulls me around the forrest, wagging her tail and occationally crashes into things. She is happy and that is all that matters  :luv:

I am slowly learning to use signs instead of my voice. She can still see well enough to see movement and recognise hand signs if we are close enough. I worry more about her eyesight than her hearing. She still likes it when I sing to her, she presses her head to my chest and "listens" to the vibrations. She was always better at signs than verbal commands anyway. So as long as she has some vision left, we'll be ok I think  :003:

Thanks! Yes she is still enjoying his retirement. They go on walks together whenever I am too busy. It's great! She was reluctant to go with him a few weeks back, but I found out her bad knee was acting up. Now she's had some medicine for the arthrosis and is happy to go with him again.

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2019, 11:11:25 AM »
Oh see how good the answers are....yep food should do it.  Ollie is coming up to 12 later this month and have noticed he sleeps deeper than he used to....Glad that otherwise Mari is enjoying herself.  Am sure she will be bouncing in the snow soon.

 :bigarmhug: from us
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline Ben's mum

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2019, 06:08:18 PM »
I'm glad food has been suggested thats exactly what I used to do for Ben, just a couple of biscuits near his nose and you would see it start to twitch and he would wake up and look all surprised to see the food there, it was lovely 💕

Like you I used hand signals when Ben went deaf and found he could still hear a whistle to get his attention long after he stopped being able to hear me calling. I would toot on the whistle, then wave and he would come running.

One thing I did find as Ben's sight went as well a couple of times when i was out he panicked and couldn't find me, so he just started to run in the wrong direction, he was still physically very fit and could run faster than me!  l started to use a long line to give him the freedom to potter and do his own thing, but I felt safer that he wasn't going to disappear over the horizon 🐶 Xx.

Offline Mari

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2019, 07:37:20 PM »
It worked, made me laugh, but it worked  :lol2: That nose though  :005:

https://youtu.be/W-S1tSgEGC8

Ben's mum that is where er are at now. She is fit enough to run and not realise she is leaving me behind. I lost her for several minutes earlier this year, found her running around in circles in a clearing in the wood. Scared me so badly! I tried a whistle, but she doesn't seem to hear it. I am using a flexi now. It's not as long as I'd like, but she seems content with it and I feel safe. I let her run zoomies if we come by an open area like a meadow or a football field, but keep her on the flexi when we walk.

Thanks everyone! So many great tips on here on how to make life easier for our geriatric furbabies  :005:
Love hearing about your dogs. It's so comforting to know other cockers and owners are going through similar things. The deep sleeping and the hearing loss and the poor eyesight and everything that comes with age. I see her bouncing around in the snow and I forget that she's an old lady. Charm of cockers I suppose, puppies at heart throughout life  :luv:


Offline Ben's mum

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2019, 09:17:33 PM »
 :luv: :luv: lovely video, that brought back some memories exactly how Ben used to be when he woke up to a biscuit. Every now and then we used a small piece of cheese and trust me the wake up time is a bit quicker  :005: xx

Offline IonaD

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2019, 09:24:34 PM »
What a lovely video!!

x

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2019, 06:49:29 AM »
LOVE the video - and the sleeping beauty could be Humph‘s twin brother!  :luv:

Offline Finvarra

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2019, 08:33:58 AM »
Aw bless, that's just how Milo used to wake up  :luv: :luv: :luv:

Lesley
Remembering All the dogs of my life, especially Milo

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: How do you wake up a sleeping cocker who cannot hear?
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2019, 10:55:23 AM »
Oh bless her....what a lovely girl she is  :luv:
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed