A hearing defect in one or both ears.
The only way to know for sure if your dog is deaf is with a BAER test. If you are unable (or unwilling) to have this test done, it is usually possible to make an accurate determination by observing the dog or talking to your vet and other "dog professionals." Most of us never have any doubts.
Some of the early signs (while the pup is still in the litter) may include the deaf pup that plays more aggressively or bites too hard because it is not deterred by the other puppy's yelp of pain. Once weaned, a deaf puppy may not wake up at feeding times unless it feels vibrations, or is bumped by a littermate.
In the home, you may notice that it doesn't respond to being called (or other noises), when sleeping, too far away, or not looking at you. Sometimes it bites too hard when playing with the family. (Yes, it is possible to teach a deaf dog to have a soft mouth.) Just as in the litter, if you own another dog, it can be difficult to immediately determine if the pup is deaf as it will notice what the other dog does and tag along. The following are some simple tests you can try at home if you suspect that your dog is deaf. Remember that it is almost impossible to test a unilaterally deaf (deaf in one ear) dog at home with any certainty.
Keep in mind that when doing these tests, the louder the sound, the stronger the vibration. (Remember how a stereo can rattle the house?) Any vibration or air current that the dog detects can, and probably will, get a response that makes you think that the dog can hear. A unilaterally deaf dog should hear the sounds, but not be able to tell where they originated. It may look around (even looking away from the source) to see where the sound came from. While trying these tests, be sure your dog is not looking in your direction, or in the direction of the distraction. You can also try a test when your dog is asleep. If necessary, have someone hold the dog facing away from you.
Genetic defects can cause a dog to be born deaf; this is known as congenital deafness. A dog can also lose its hearing due to an ear infection, injury to the ear, or may experience gradual (or sudden) hearing loss due to old age. Exposure to loud noise can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss, as can certain drugs.
The most common cause of congenital deafness is pigment related. (There is some talk about a recessive gene as well, but most researchers do not believe this is the case.) Some dogs have white coats, but still have pigmented skin (Samoyeds, West Highland Terriers, and White German Shepherds fall into this category). Although they have white fur, they have black noses and eye rims (their fur is actually not pure white, but a very light buff color). Other dogs normally have colored coats, and white trim (this includes Dalmatians; the white is actually not their real coat color, the "spots" are). The "trim" comes from areas of unpigmented (pink) skin, which produces white hair. If there is unpigmented skin in the inner ear, the nerve endings atrophy and die off in the first few weeks of the puppy's life, resulting in deafness. Please note that you cannot tell the color of hairs in the inner ear by looking at any visible part of the dog's ears (including the hair around the ear canal). Although many dogs with white hair on their ears will be deaf, many deaf dogs have colored ears as well.
Hearing loss affecting both ears is called Bilateral Deafness. A bilaterally deaf dog is completely (or mostly) deaf in both ears. Hearing loss occurring in, or affecting only one ear, is called Unilateral Deafness. A unilaterally deaf dog has hearing loss in only one ear and has full hearing in the other ear.
There is no effective treatment for heriditary or acquired deafness.
Affenpinscher
Afghan Hound
Aidi
Airedale Terrier
Akbash
Akita
Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
Alaskan Klee Kai
Alaskan Malamute
American Eskimo Dog
American Foxhound
American Hairless Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Anatolian Shepherd
Appenzell Mountain Dog
Argentine Dogo
Aussiedoodle
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Kelpie
Australian Shepherd
Australian Terrier
Austrian Pinscher
Azawakh
Barbet
Basenji
Basset Artesien Normand
Basset Hound
Batard
Beagle
Beaglier
Bearded Collie
Beauceron
Bedlington Terrier
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Shepherd
Belgian Shepherd Laekenois
Belgian Tervuren
Bergamasco
Berger Picard
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bichon Frise
Bichpoo
Biewer
Black and Tan Coonhound
Black Mouth Cur
Black Russian Terrier
Bloodhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Bolognese
Border Collie
Border Terrier
Borzoi
Boston Terrier
Bouvier Des Flandres
Boxer
Boxerdoodle
Boykin Spaniel
Bracco Italiano
Braque Dupuy
Briard
Brittany
Bruno De Jura
Brussels Griffon
Bull Terrier
Bulldog
Bullmastiff
Cairn Terrier
Canaan Dog
Canadian Eskimo Dog
Cane Corso
Cane Corso Mastiff
Cao De Castro Laboreiro
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Carolina Dog
Catahoula Leopard Dog
Cattle Dog
Caucasian Mountain Dog
Caucasian Owtcharka
Cavachon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavapoo
Central Asian Ovtcharka
Cesky Terrier
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested Dog
Chinese Foo Dog
Chinook
Chipoo
Chow Chow
Cirneco dell Etna
Clumber Spaniel
Cockabichon
Cocker Spaniel
Collie
Coton De Tulear
Curly Coated Retriever
Dachshund
Dalmation
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Danish Broholmer
Doberman Pinscher
Dogo Argentino
Dogue de Bordeaux
Drever
Dutch Shepherd
English Cocker Spaniel
English Foxhound
English Setter
English Shepherd
English Springer Spaniel
English Toy Spaniel
English Toy Terrier
Entlebucher
Estrela Mountain Dog
Eurasier
Fauve De Bretagne
Field Spaniel
Fila Brasileiro
Finnish Lapphund
Finnish Spitz
Flat-Coated Retriever
Fox Terrier Smooth
Fox Terrier Wire
French Bulldog
French Spaniel
Galgo Español
German Hovawart
German Pinscher
German Shepherd Dog
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Spitz
German Wirehaired Pointer
Giant Schnauzer
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Goldador
Golden Retriever
Goldendoodle
Gordon Setter
Grand-Anglo Francais
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Greenland
Greyhound
Hamilton Hound
Hanoverian Schweisshund
Harrier
Havanese
Hellenic Hound
Hokkaido Ken
Hunt Terrier
Ibizan Hound
Illyrian Sheepdog
Irish Setter
Irish Terrier
Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Wolfhound
Italian Greyhound
Italian Spinone
Jack Russell Terrier
Jadgterrier
Japanese Chin
Jindo
Kai Dog
Kangal Dog
Karelian Bear Dog
Karelo-Finnish Laika
Karst Shepherd
Keeshond
Kerry Blue Terrier
King Shepherd
Kishu
Kishu Ken
Komondor
Kooikerhondje
Kuvasz
Kyi-Leo
Labradoodle
Labrador Retriever
Lagotto Romagnolo
Lakeland Terrier
Lancashire Heeler
Leonberger
Lhasa Apso
Lhasapoo
Lowchen
Magyar Agar
Malshi
Maltese
Maltipom
Maltipoo
Manchester Terrier
Maremma Sheepdog
McNab
Mexican Hairless Dog
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Mudi
Munsterlander
Neopolitan Mastiff
New Guinea Singing Dog
Newfoundland
Norfolk Terrier
Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund
Norwich Terrier
Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever
Old English Sheepdog
Otterhound
Papillon
Parson Russell Terrier
Patterdale Terrier
Peek-A-Pom
Pekepoo
Pekingese
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Perro de Presa Canario
Peruvian Inca Orchid
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Pharaoh Hound
Plott
Podengo Portugueso
Pointer
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Polish Owczarek Nizinny
Polish Tatra Sheepdog
Pomapoo
Pomchi
Pomeranian
Poodle
Portuguese Podengo
Portuguese Pointer
Portuguese Water Dog
Presa Canario
Pug
Puggle
Puli
Pumi
Pyrenean Mastiff
Pyrenean Shepherd
Queensland Heeler
Rafeiro do Alentejo
Rat Terrier
Redbone Coonhound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Russian Wolfhound
Saint Berdoodle
Saint Bernard
Saluki
Samoyed
Schapendoes
Schipperke
Schnoodle
Scottish Deerhound
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Shar-Pei
Shepadoodle
Shetland Sheepdog
Shiba Inu
Shih Tzu
Shih-Poo
Siberian Husky
Silky Terrier
Skye Terrier
Sloughi
Smooth Dachshund
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
South African Boerboel
Spinone Italiano
Stabyhoun
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Standard Schnauzer
Sussex Spaniel
Swedish Vallhund
Thai Ridgeback
Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Tosa
Toy Fox Terrier
Toy Manchester Terrier
Toy Poodle
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
Whippet
Wire Dachshund
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Xoloitzcuintli
Yorkiepoo
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorktese
[no information in our database]
