Good Stuff!

Good Stuff

A collection of some of my favorite web sites, books, and other sources of information on deaf dogs in general, and Australian Shepherds in particular. This list just keeps getting longer! I tend to favor positive training methods in almost all circumstances (as opposed to "traditional" training). Some of these books do not strictly fit that definition, but still contain good info. Just read with a critical point-of-view. Some of these books have gone out-of-print too, sadly.

Just About Deaf Dogs

Deaf Dogs List
a wonderful resource - GREAT people!
D2Care
Deaf Dog Connections, Advocacy, Resources and Education, Inc. - Brand new organization for deaf dogs
Deaf Dogs Atlas
The original, see where all the deaf dogs live!
Superdog Site
Stories & a bit of info on deaf dogs
The White Aussies Project
Yes, I am part of the group that put this site together, but if you want a thorough understanding of merle and white, check it out!

Books!

Living With A Deaf Dog
by Susan Cope-Becker - a MUST have! This is the book on deaf dogs. (more)
Hear, Hear! (A Guide to Training a Deaf Puppy)
by Barry Eaton - geared a little more towards puppies, the second edition contains much more info than the first. I would recommend this one to go with the above Living With A Deaf Dog. Check out his WebSite (more)
Amazing Gracie: a Dog's Tale
by Dan Dye & Mark Beckloff (from 3 Dog Bakery) - you MUST read this book, Gracie is deaf!
Caesar: On Deaf Ears
by Loren Spiotta-DiMare - children's picture book (may be out-of-print)
Muddy Four Paws
by Jean Ure - for slightly older children (also may be out-of-print)
Nose Books
by Charles Swan - picture books (and Nose is an Aussie!)
For Pete's Sake
by Linda Verville - another children's book about a deaf and blind Aussie

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Australian Shepherds

ASCA
Australian Shepherd Club of America, be sure to read the article on causes of deafness
ARPH
Aussie Rescue/Placement Helpline, not all reps take deaf dogs, but this is a wonderful group to adopt them from
ASHGI
Australian Shepherd Health and Genetics Institute, absolutely phenominal source of real information on Australian Shepherd health
Inheritance of Coat Color in Aussies
Aussies in all colors
Aussies in Shelters
Hurry!

Books!

All About Aussies
by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor - "professional" reference, does refer to double-merle dogs as "defective" (I don't think the author actually knows anything about deaf dogs). (more)
The Australian Shepherd, Champion of Versatility
by Liz Palika - I like this book in general, but it has VERY negative attitudes on deaf dogs (ignore that part). I doubt the author has ever met one. (more)
Tails of Tailless Dogs
subtitled "the Saga of Australian Shepherd Puppies," by Arthur Scott and Blue - Love this book, a must read, really funny & completely non-discriminatory (NO deaf dog bias)! Every Aussie owner should have it! Check out his WebSite
The Puppy Sister
by S. E. Hinton - Cute children's story about an Aussie puppy who decides to be a human girl instead (author's website)
Piper
by Natale Ghent - another children's story (author's website)

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Dog Sports

Read the rules for any organization before you enter your dog. Some specifically disallow deaf dogs, some specifically include them, some make no mention at all. Sometimes the same organization will have different rules for different competitions, so always check before entering!

Books!

Canine Adventures; Fun Things To Do With Your Dog
by Cynthia D. Miller
Beyond Fetch
by Caroline Coile (author's website) (more)
Canine Good Citizen
by Jack & Wendy Volhard - Deaf dogs (of any breed or mix) are allowed to try for a CGC award. (more)
Clicker Training For Obedience
by Morgan Spector - this is one of my favorite clicker training books, everything is explained so well (and he even mentions using a flashlight to clicker train deaf dogs)! WebSite! (more)
Playtraining Your Dog
by Patricia Gail Burnham - this book is really written for people interested in obedience competition. It contains a lot of good ideas, one bad (ear pinching) and a very amusing section on teaching hand signals. She suggests teaching the signals in order, so as not to confuse the dog by making them learn separate signs for each command.(more)
The Clicked Retriever
by Lana Mitchell - I really like this book too, good method for teaching dogs who aren't "natural" retrievers (more)
Open and Utility Training
by Jack & Wendy Volhard - for advanced obedience work
Purely Positive Training
by Sheila Booth (more)
Introduction to Dog Agility
by Margaret H. Bonham - good overall intro to Agility, but gives erroneous information on the eligibility of deaf dogs (just ignore that part) (more)
Agility Training
by Jane Simmons-Moake - basic explanation of dog agility (more)
Excelling at Dog Agility
also by Jane Simmons-Moake - more advanced agility book, part of a series of 3. I like this one (it talks a lot about proper body language), but the second one (and third) uses way too many "corrections" for my taste (more). See her WebSite
Flyball Racing
by Lonnie Olson - Flyball is a blast!!!! (more)
Dancing With Your Dog: The Book
by Sandra Davis - your dog doesn't depend on the music for the rhythm, he depends on you, so deaf dogs could do this (and it doesn't seem to have occurred to the people writing up the rules to say that they "can't"). She has a WebSite (more)
Frisbee Dogs
by Peter Bloeme - there are deaf dogs out there doing fantasic in frisbee competitions!
Peak Performance: Coaching the Canine Athlete
by M. Christine Zink (more)
Jumping from A to Z: Teach Your Dog to Soar
by M. Christine Zink - jump training (more)
The Clothier Natural Jumping Method
by Suzanne Clothier - another book on jump training (author's website) (more)

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Good Places to Shop

Dogwise Books
THE place to order pet books, they carry books that you can't get anywhere else (and support small publishers)
Borders Stores
for all your other book needs (if Dogwise doesn't have it, Borders does)
Three Dog Bakery
Gracie (the Dane) is deaf
Drs. Foster & Smith
dog (and cat) supplies, lots of fun stuff
J-B Pet Supply
toys, supplies, more good stuff
Aussie Necessities
really neat Aussie T-shirts (and other similar things)

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More Favorite Dog Books!

DogRead Home Page
Website for the DogRead List, an Internet Book Club, just for dog books!
The Whole Dog Journal
actually a magazine, highly recommended!

General Training

Dog-Friendly Dog Training
by Andrea Arden, WebSite (more)
The Dog Whisperer
by Paul Owens (more)
Good Owners, Great Dogs
by Brian Kilcommons - One of the very few general dog books to even mention deaf dogs, even though it's only one page. (more)
Beyond Obedience
by April Frost - this is a very different style of training book. The first part has a lot of sort of "new age" stuff, that might not appeal to everyone. The second part uses a lot of corrections, which seems very jarring to me (more)
Communicating With Your Dog
by Ted Baer - this book was not written specifically for deaf dogs, but can easily be adapted (includes many hand signs!)
Culture Clash
by Jean Donaldson - Wonderful Book! Anyone living with any dog should read it. (more)
Dogs are From Neptune
also by Jean Donaldson, check out her WebSite (more)
The Third Way Articles
by Chris Bach - This is actually a binder that contains articles written for the magazine "Front & Finish." Some great training ideas, that easily transfer to deaf dogs, with NO adaptation! I hope that she writes a "real" book soon! (more)
How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks
by Ian Dunbar (more)
Before and After You Get Your Puppy
by Ian Dunbar - How to raise a puppy right (more)
Excel-Erated Learning: Explaining in Plain English How Dogs Learn and How Best to Teach Them
by Pamela J. Reid - Learning theory, explained very well (more)
25 Stupid Mistakes Dog Owners Make
by Janine Adams - and how not to make them
Puppy Training for Kids
by Sarah Whitehead - even mentions training deaf pups!
Positive Reinforcement: Training Dogs in the Real World
by Brenda Aloff - another excellent book on learning theory (more)
The Power of Positive Dog Training
by Pat Miller (more)
Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog
by Pat Miller (more)

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Clicker Training

Yes! You can clicker train a deaf dog! See my clicker page for more info.

Don't Shoot The Dog
by Karen Pryor - the book that got things started. A bit technical, but well worth reading. She also has a clicker training WebSite (more)
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs
also by Karen Pryor - bit less theory and more how-to (more)
Click For Success
by Lana Mitchell - wonderful book on clicker training! (This may be out-of-print.)
Clicking With Your Dog: Step-By-Step in Pictures
by Peggy Tillman - excellent beginning book (more)
Click for Joy!
by Melissa C. Alexander - another good starter book (more)
Clicker Cookbook
by M. Shirley Chong - step by step directions (more)
Clicker Fun
by Deborah Jones (more)
Quick Clicks, 40 Fast and Fun Behaviors to Train with a Clicker
by Mandy Book & Cheryl S. Smith (more)
Clicker Training
Actually a magazine, part of the "popular dogs" series put out by Dog Fancy magazine (includes an article on clicker training deaf dogs, and we were interviewed in it) (more)

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Tricks

The Trick Is In The Training
by Stephanie Taunton & Cheryl Smith (who has a WebSite) - I like this book, good directions with lots of pictures, and it includes hand signs. (more)
How To Teach Your Old Dog New Tricks
by Ted Baer - same author as Communicating With Your Dog (above), lots of hand signs included (more)
Dog Tricks
by Capt. Arthur Haggerty and Carol Lea Benjamin - 2 versions of this book, one larger with pictures, and one smaller, but with a flying disc
How to Teach Your Dog to Talk
also by Captain Haggerty - newer book, with lots of fun stuff to work on (more advanced than most of the other books listed here), see his WebSite for the "trick of the day" (more)
Fun Nosework for Dogs
by Roy Hunter - could be used as a starting point for Search & Rescue training or Tracking Titles (more)
How to Photograph Dogs
by Kerrin Winter & Dale Churchill - cool book that doesn't fit into any of my categories

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Dog Behavior

The Other End of the Leash
by Patricia McConnell - a must read (more)
Bones Would Rain From the Sky
by Suzanne Clothier - another must read - goes well with the above book (more)
Dominance: Fact or Fiction?
by Barry Eaton - easily read and understood explanation about the myth of canine dominance (by the author of the deaf puppy book) (more)
Dominance Theory and Dogs
by James O'Heare - more technical than above, also very good (more)
Dog Language: An Encyclopedia of Canine Behavior
by Roger Abrantes - lots of pictures and explanations of dogs' body language (more)
The Truth About Dogs
by Stephen Budiansky
Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolution
by Raymond & Lorna Coppinger - Excellent book! (more)
The Dog Who Loved Too Much
by Nicholas Dodman - Dr. Dodman does use drugs for a lot of these cases, but it's still fascinating reading (more)
Dogs Behaving Badly
also by Dodman - more info! (more)
If Only They Could Speak
another by Dodman - includes some cat stories (more)
Diary of a 'Dotty Dog' Doctor
by John Fisher (more)
Help! My Dog Has An Attitude
by Gwen Bohnenkamp (more)
Mine
by Jean Donaldson - resource guarding, what it is and how to fix it (more)
Help For Your Shy Dog
by Deborah Wood - this book is great, it contains a lot of the ideas that I used with Gwydion, and some others that I hadn't thought of. (more)
Cautious Canine
by Patricia B. McConnell - Another good book on helping dogs to overcome their fears. (more)
Aggression in Dogs
by Brenda Aloff - another really good book (and if you ever get the chance to see her speak - GO!) (more)
On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
by Turid Rugaas - wonderful book on canine body language, highly recommended! (more)
Tellington TTouch
by Linda Tellington-Jones - sort of a massage technique, but not exactly, well worth reading. (more) check out her WebSite
Getting in TTouch With Your Dog
also by Tellington - specifically for dogs (more)
Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs
by Cheryl S. Smith - how to have your dog and a garden too (more)
Animal Talk
by Penelope Smith - animal telepathy (more)
Dog Works The Meaning and Magic of Canine Constructions
by Vicki Mathison - artwork by dogs

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Health Care

Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook
by James M. Giffin, MD & Liisa D. Carlson, DVM - good, all-purpose, general vet reference (more)
Pills for Pets: The A to Z Guide to Drugs and Medications for Your Animal Companion
by Debra Eldredge (more)
The Nature of Animal Healing
by Martin Goldstein - great book, gives you a lot to think about concerning animal health care (more)
K9 Kitchen, Your Dog's Diet The Truth behind the Hype
by Monica Segal - really, really excellent book on feeding your dog, she has a website and a list (more)
Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative
by Donald R. Strombeck - dog diets written by a veterinarian (more)
Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats
by Richard & Susan Pitcairn - another natural health guide for pets (more)
Dog Health & Nutrition for Dummies
by M. Christine Zink (more)
The Holistic Dog Book
by Denise Flaim (more)
Holistic Guide For A Healthy Dog
by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown - a lot about diet (more)
The Natural Remedy Book for Dogs & Cats
by Diane Stein - This book is primarily an over-view. I generally use it as a first reference to find ideas, and then check more detailed references before actually trying anything (more)
Herbs For Pets
by Mary L. Wulff-Tilford & Gregory L. Tilford - choosing herbs for your dog's health (more)
Homeopathic Care for Cats & Dogs
by Don Hamilton - good information on how homeopathy should work, as well as information on specific treatments (more)
Dogs: Homeopathic Remedies
by George Macleod - more details on specific remedies, not too much general information (more)
Bach Flower Remedies For Animals
by Stefan Ball & Judy Howard - flower remedies were developed for human use, but work for animals too (more)
Food Pets Die For
by Ann N. Martin - don't read while you're eating, the stuff that can be put into pet food will scare and sicken you (more)
Protect Your Pet
by Ann N. Martin - sub-titled "more shocking facts" and I have no arguement with that! (more)
Dogs, Diet, & Disease: An Owner's Guide to Diabetes Mellitus, Pancreatitis, Cushing's Disease, & More
by Caroline D. Levin - decent book where it talks about the actual disease, but the dietary recommendations are vague at best, and the conclusions on the causes of the diseases is subject to dispute (more)

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