Shine-K9

19/06/2024

❤️

07/10/2023

Come meet this special little deaf boy at the Border Collie Rescue SA stand tomorrow morning at the Rescue Expo, and see all the hand cues he has learnt 🤩

This quirky boy is still waiting for a special person to adopt him

Come support many Rescue Orgs tomorrow morning at the Rescue Expo in Bryanston 🐶 (details in link below)
If you would like to meet the super clever little deaf dude, Oreo, he will be at the Border Collie Rescue stand from 9:30 - 11am. He is still looking for that special someone to adopt him

https://www.facebook.com/100083170848635/posts/299766502805709/?mibextid=cr9u03

05/09/2023

Our beginner skills class has had some tweaks and improvements, including the addition of another coach, Christelle from All About Dogs, to join me in making sure you get the best possible guidance during this FUNdamental Skills course 😃
This is the base course of many FUN courses that will soon be offer once you have completed this course.
Contact me for more details - Whatsapp: 082 625 8260 or
email: [email protected]

14/08/2023

Christelle offers a fabulous service to collect your dogs and take them for an hour run around, including some treat searching and tricks, at the secure dog park K9 at Play in Randburg.
I recently used this service while we were away to make sure our dogs had some enrichment with us not there, they are featured in this video 😁 Also a fabulous service for people who don't have the time to take their dogs on regular outings during the week

Contact Christelle to make a booking 082 760 6238

01/06/2023

This special little guy is still waiting for that special person to adopt him

21/02/2023

We have a new Beginner Skills training class starting this Saturday at K9 at play, Randburg 😃🐶
It's a 4 week course, teaching the dog and their human basic skills to make life enjoyable for both, and to bond while doing so. This course is ideal for young dogs with no training (min age is 5 months) and newly adopted dogs.
We still have 1-2 spaces so email ASAP if you would like to join
[email protected]

08/12/2022

Little Oreo’s Christmas wish is to find his forever home. 🙏🏻
Let us know if you have any questions about this little Dude or contact Border Collie Rescue SA for an adoption application

Special appeal - Paw please help us share little Oreo to find him his home for X-MAS and furever.

Oreo is a very intelligent, quirky, small (only 7kg), 2-year-old Borderline Collie 🤩 He needs a special person to adopt him as he is deaf. Deafness doesn't make him any less capable of leading a normal life and learning new things (he currently knows almost 20 hand cues), but his people need to learn to communicate with him via visual cues rather than voice and we teach you all the handsignals with the help of Abigail from Shine-K9.

Oreo mustn't have driveway access and can't live with kids or large dogs but can be playful with small/medium dogs and with his people once he trusts you.

Paw please help us share him to find a home, E-mail Border Collie Rescue [email protected] if you are interested in adopting him.

All little Oreo wants is a home for X-MAS, his own people, he has so much love to give. Dear Santa paw please ask people to share this post, so little Oreo can have a happy ending tail, he has waited so long already!

03/10/2022

Come and say hi to us and meet little Oreo, and the lovely ladies on the Border Collie Rescue stand on Saturday morning ☺️

05/08/2022

25/07/2022

Monday’s Musing....
This will transform your “come” cue!

06/06/2022

Oreo is a very intelligent, quirky, small (only 7kg), 2-year-old Borderline Collie who we have been fostering for Border Collie Rescue SA, to help teach him hand signals and work through his fear-based reactivity. We are VERY proud of the progress he has made, and he is now ready to find his forever home. 🤩 He needs a special person to adopt him as he is deaf. Deafness doesn't make him any less capable of leading a normal life and learning new things (he currently knows almost 20 hand cues), but people need to learn to communicate with him via visual cues rather than voice. He mustn't have driveway access and can't live with kids or large dogs but can be playful with small/medium dogs and with people once he trusts you. Oreo is in Joburg, MEET & GREET ESSENTIAL.
Please email Border Collie Rescue [email protected] if you are interested in adopting him.

Don't be put off adopting him just because he is deaf, here are some tips on living with a deaf dog 🙉:
* The first thing to do when you adopt a deaf dog is to teach him a hand signal for "Good boy”. I like to use a thumb up 👍 as it is the universal sign for approval or encouragement. Once you can communicate to him that he is doing something right, then it makes life much easier for you and your dog and you will see his face light up whenever you give him a thumbs up!
* Make sure you still speak when you communicate with him via hand signals, he cannot hear you, but deaf dogs are very good at reading our facial expressions and body language, and we tend to become more rigid if we don't chat to them the way we would a hearing dog.
* Leave a dim light on for him at night 💡 for the first few weeks until he has settled in. With not being able to hear things approach it can be quite scary to also not be able to see anything approach him when its dark
* Deaf dogs often fall into very deep sleep 😴 so wake him gently by either blowing softly on him or putting a nice smelly treat in front of his nose. Avoid touching when waking him as deaf dogs can be easily startled if they are touched when not expecting it.
* Encourage him to look at you regularly 👀 if he isn't looking at you then he can't see your hand signals! Also reward him every time he does voluntary check-ins with you.
*Don't worry, you don’t need to know sign language ☺️ You can use any hand signals/cues you like when training him, as long as each one is easily identifiable from each other, and you are consistent with the ones you use.
*Closely watch all interaction with your deaf dogs and any new dogs he meets as can’t hear warning growls
*One major advantage of a deaf dog is that he can't hear loud noises that often startle other dogs like fireworks & storms.

Contact us if you would like to know more about Oreo or about living with and training a deaf dog 💜

02/05/2022

25/04/2022

Don’t be stingy with treats when training ...

11/01/2022

Always be on your dog's side during training 💜

07/01/2022

How clever is Oreo, the little dog we are fostering and training for Border Collie Rescue SA 🤩 He has just received his Novice Trick Dog certificate 🏵 The video (in the comments) shows the 15 tricks he completed to get signed off.

🐶 Oreo is a small Border Collie mix, just under 2 years old and is deaf, but as you can see in the video deafness is not a disability and he is very eager to learn new things 😍 He would be fabulous for someone who is confident with dogs and who likes to teach new tricks or do fun activities with their dogs.
Contact Border Collie Rescue at [email protected] if you are interested in adopting him

20/11/2021

We need to say a huge thank you to Cosmic Pets for donating this raised bed for Oreo.

Oreo is a deaf dog who we are fostering for Border Collie Rescue SA and I have been training him some cues using hand signals that will make him calmer and more confident, to set him up for success when he gets adopted.

A very useful cue to teach a dog is to settle on a bed or a mat. The easiest way to teach this in on a raised bed, like this Cosmic Pets one, as it has clear edges which act as a boundary for the dog to stay inside of.

The benefits of teaching this is to help them stay out of trouble in normal home situations such as when guests arrive it stops them rushing out the gate or jumping up on guests. It is also useful during cooking and mealtimes as it stops them getting under foot or trying to steal food etc. and helps in many other situations where the dog needs to have some impulse control.

It gives them a safe place to just hang out and relax while things carry on around them, which is very important for anxious, excitable or reactive dogs.

Oreo loves his new bed and happily goes to settle on it when given his “settle” hand signal. We are still working on duration and in new places but he has only had the bed for 1 day so I am sure by the time he gets adopted he will be happily staying on it for long periods no matter where he is. The bed will be going with him to his new home and it will help him settle quicker.

Please contact Border Collie Rescue if you are interested in adopting this fun, playful young boy. [email protected]

05/11/2021

Little deaf boy Oreo is a fun boy to train & is eager to learn new things 🤩
I am talking in this video so that you see he is following the hand cues correctly but also because it’s important to act normal with deaf dogs and its not normal for us to be quiet when interacting with other dogs 😉

Oreo is available for adoption through Border Collie Rescue SA, see his ad for more details
https://www.facebook.com/collierescuesa/photos/a.700531700021685/6359546164120182/

14/10/2021

Introducing Oreo, our newest student and foster pup 🤩 He is deaf border collie mix and apart from learning hand signals we have also been working on his confidence and calmness to set him up for success when he gets adopted

09/09/2021

Having helped and trained many "difficult" and anxious dogs, this statement is very true for me 💜 Connecting with them and helping them with their issues is VERY rewarding for both the person and the dogs

Show them your patience and they will show you true love 🥰🥰🥰

17/08/2021

UPDATE: ADOPTED 😄

Bruce is a gorgeous deaf Aussie in need of a home (Gauteng only)

I am happy to give a free training session to whoever adopts him on how to train hand signals and how to make life easier for you and him 💜

Contact ASSARO if you are interested in adopting him

05/12/2020

We are very excited to announce we are now offering “Life Skills” classes on a Saturday afternoon at K9 at Play ☺️

20/08/2020

It is very important to know the signs that your dog, or any dog you are interacting with, is giving when they are anxious or afraid!
If you can remove your dog from a situation at the first signs then you can avoid conflict and a bite, and help him gain confidence.
Here is a great article by Susan Garrett that explains what to look for.
https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/08/your-dogs-temp/?utm_source=sg&utm_medium=email&utm_term=temp&utm_content=&utm_campaign=awareness-dog-training&cid=213922

04/05/2020

Yipppeee, my website is finished, have a look and let me know what you think
www.shine-k9.co.za 🐾🐾

TRAINING & EDUCATION LETS CHAT HOPE “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain LOVE “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller PASSION “Develop a passion ...

04/05/2020

20/04/2020

Blind dogs CAN and DO still enjoy life given the right environment. 🐾🐾
Most dogs rely on smell and hearing before vision so make the most of these senses with your blind dogs. Here are some pointers to make life as stress free as possible if your dog has recently lost its vision or you are planning to adopt a bling dog:

* He will use his hearing to know where you are so talk to him a lot, especially when moving around, or wear some bells on your wrist that will make a sound when you move.
* Make sure you always talk to him before touching him so he doesn’t get fright.
* Safeguard any hazards - put up some barriers or baby gates at any stairs and put rubber or some corner protectors on sharp edges at that are at his eye level etc.
* Mark steps with a different texture just before any level changes, such as a rubber mat on a carpeted floor, or a rug on tiles/ wood floor.
* Don’t move things around the house - once he has mapped out his surrounds he is likely to walk into any furniture that has been moved, and if you move water bowls he may get stressed if he can’t find it.
* Remember that the blind dog can’t read body language of other dogs so it is your responsibility to watch any interactions he has with other dogs and intervene if there is any tension.
*Blind dogs can be just as playful as sighted dogs, make it easier for them to find toys when playing by putting a strong scent on his toys (avoid essential oils as these can be dangerous for dogs) or giving him toys with bells in them or sound chips.
* Create a safe space for him with nice soft bedding, or introduce him to a crate, where you can leave him when you go out and for him to go to when he wants to rests. It will help to leave a TV or radio on when you are out so that he doesn’t feel so lonely.

25/02/2020

How often does your deaf dog look at you? 👀
It doesn't come as naturally to her as it does to dogs that can hear, who are drawn to look up at you by your voice. If your deaf dog doesn't look at you regularly you can't give her a hand signal cue so make sure you reinforce this every time you notice her looking at you when you first start training, and let her know how happy you are that she did! 😊 There are also games you can play to encourage her to look at you.
Once she is watching or looking at you regularly at home, then work on getting her to "check in" with you frequently when out walking too. If you can master that then you can eventually progress to letting her off lead at the park and the real fun can begin (provided it is a secure environment).
Contact me if you would like more advice on encouraging your dog to watch you more and to check in when you are walking.

14/02/2020

Are you new to training deaf dogs and don’t know where to start?
For me the most important hand signal to teach first is “good boy” / “good girl”! Once they understand that hand signal it will make it far easier to train other hand signals as you now have a way to communicate to him/her when they have done something right 👍🏻 Watching their faces light up when they get the “good” hand signals is so special 😍
You can use any hand signal as long as you, and everyone else in the family, are consistent with the same sign. I like to use a thumb up as everyone understands that as good job but use whatever comes most naturally to you.

Contact me if you would like to know more on how to train this or other hand signals ☺️🐾🐾

08/02/2020

No matter what the perceived disability, focus on the ABILITIES and then life can be enjoyed 🐾🐾 💜

06/02/2020

These are 5 myths about deaf dogs:
1. Deaf dogs startle easier and are more likely to bite
2. Deaf dogs must live life on a leash
3. Deaf dogs are hard to train
4. Deaf dogs don't bark
5. Deaf dogs don't have a good quality of life

Deaf dogs can startle so you should get them used to touch having a positive association, and always wake them slowly, but they are no more likely to bite than hearing dogs.
If trained to watch you and you train a good positive recall to a hand signal, deaf dogs can most definitely go off lead in areas where they can't access roads and traffic. 🐾🐾
Deaf dogs are as easy to train as hearing dogs, in fact I often find them easier to train as they are not distracted by noises in the environment ❤️
Most deaf dogs I know love to bark and bark a lot louder than normal!
Their quality of life is dependent on you and the time you put into training them and the freedom you allow them. Make sure you enlist the help of a good trainer that has experience with deaf dogs if you are unsure of where to start, or how to progress with your training so that you can build your own confidence as well as your dogs.

Here is a link to an article with more info on these myths
https://positively.com/contributors/5-myths-about-deaf-dogs/

If you're thinking about adding a deaf dog to the family, or you already have, you will find that there is very limited information on the internet for you. So what is true and what is false?