I've been approached by someone who has a blind Staffy and they wish to train her correctly.
They did go online and purchased something which was recommended to them which ended up being a shock collar, they are not wanting to use this now they've had a good look at it.

I've looked on the APDT site and nothing jumps out for someone who has good training skills for this type of dog. They wish to go down the reward base training if possible but don't know where to start and clearly don't wish to mess this type of training up.

I don't know of anyone personally who has this type of qualification, so came on here for hopeful recommendations.

I imagine any good dog trainer would be able to train a blind dog, as it can still hear I imagine clicker training would be ok.  My parents dog is deaf and whilst we did seek advice of someone experienced in deaf dogs we took her to normal training classes and trained with hand signals.  I suppose with a blind dog you would have to gently place it in the position you want ?

Sue, I have PM ed you :0)
Angela

Is this a blind pup?

Or have they rehomed an older dog?

One of my Toy Poodles many moons ago, went blind at 3 years of age.  I did normal training with him.  I purposely walked him up and down pavements so that I could use the word "care-ful" and always split it into 2 syllables.  He learned very quickly that he approached steps carefully, and he would lean forward, checking height with his nose.

I used to take him running in fields that he didn't know, talking to him.  Until I realised he could hear where I was running perfectly well.  I used to get quite cross when folk said, but he can't possibly be blind, as he runs straight to you!  He had one eye removed when he was 3, and the remaining eye never had sight from birth.

I moved house when he was 12 years old, and a neighbour told me how cruel I was, moving from a 40ft garden that he knew, to a much wider area, and 200 feet in length.  I took him into the new garden, and waited with bated breath.  He found the fence, and worked his way around the perimeter and must have made his own map in his head.  I never knew how he did it.  I only know that his blindness worried me far more than it did him.

> Is this a blind pup?
>
> Or have they rehomed an older dog?

I have no idea, i'd just come off a night shift and was walking the dogs when this guy came up to me. I think it's a pup. Will go and find the guy later and double check again, I probably wasn't at my best with my listening skills.

pm'd you Sue with a recommendation certainly someone to talk to if nothing else.

pm lurchergirl she is  an adpt trainer and ibelieve has experience in this area

Clearly my listening skills weren't at their best. The puppy is not blind but deaf :-( Doh!!!!
They got a white Staff and by all accounts clearly have no idea about dog ownership :-(

Anyway at least they are willing to learn.. So now finding a trainer for a DEAF dog!!!!!

My old dog went blind with diabetes at 11/12 yrs old. She adapted really well and was very happy with the remaining years of her life!

She was already train though. What we found great was sit! Just sit and stay still until told to do anything else/release command. If the dog gets stuck/lost/confused/tangled in wire/stuck on a rock in a river ect, just say sit and go and get it!

Btw I would look at using a target stick for heeling ect.

That's was a good one . Still pm lurchergirl she has trained deaf dogs to