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A DEAF dog is learning sign language to try to win over a new owner.
Loving bull terrier Cindy ended up alone after being picked up by a dog warden.
It is not known whether she was found wandering the streets or had been abandoned.
But now the two-year-old is determined to show her playful nature can make her an excellent pet and is being taught hand signals by a behavioural adviser.
Cindy has been trained to sit, lay down and recall using hand signals from trainer and behavioural advisor Michelle Roughley.
Michelle said: "Although Cindy can be a little over- enthusiastic, she does have a strong sense of smell and responds well to treats, which makes the training easier.
"We use a flicker training technique, which replaces the sound of a clicker, with a light to mark a command, which is then followed by a reward."
Experts say deaf dogs are not at too much of a disadvantage in most situations, as dogs with perfect hearing find it easier to learn tricks using hand signals rather than vocal commands.
It means deaf dogs can have a perfectly normal life and can be trained fairly easily once basic principles are understood.
Read more: Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...help-new-owner-100252-33277532/#ixzz2SIfrOB4a
Loving bull terrier Cindy ended up alone after being picked up by a dog warden.
It is not known whether she was found wandering the streets or had been abandoned.
But now the two-year-old is determined to show her playful nature can make her an excellent pet and is being taught hand signals by a behavioural adviser.
Cindy has been trained to sit, lay down and recall using hand signals from trainer and behavioural advisor Michelle Roughley.
Michelle said: "Although Cindy can be a little over- enthusiastic, she does have a strong sense of smell and responds well to treats, which makes the training easier.
"We use a flicker training technique, which replaces the sound of a clicker, with a light to mark a command, which is then followed by a reward."
Experts say deaf dogs are not at too much of a disadvantage in most situations, as dogs with perfect hearing find it easier to learn tricks using hand signals rather than vocal commands.
It means deaf dogs can have a perfectly normal life and can be trained fairly easily once basic principles are understood.
Read more: Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...help-new-owner-100252-33277532/#ixzz2SIfrOB4a