Loss of Hearing

[Bunch]

Anyone had any experiences with Lhasas who have lost their hearing gradually or whose Lhasas have been deaf from the onset? How did you cope with this and more importantly, how did your beloved Lhasa cope? xx

[MITCHELLA]

miss emerald and blue have erm selective hearing, they never seem to hear me calling them when its raining outside :roll: :lol: but it clears up when i call them for supper :roll: :lol: funny that eh?
seriously though ive not had this with any of mine but theyre all still young blue is the oldest at 6yrs so maybe when theyre older it might change xxx

[Bunch]

miss emerald and blue have erm selective hearing, they never seem to hear me calling them when its raining outside :roll: :lol: but it clears up when i call them for supper :roll: :lol: funny that eh?
seriously though ive not had this with any of mine but theyre all still young blue is the oldest at 6yrs so maybe when theyre older it might change xxx
:lol: :lol: I know what you mean about the selective hearing :roll: :roll: I do know there is someone in the next village who have an aged Lhasa who is deaf but its 'hit and miss' as to when I see them..........Im hoping to bump into them soon so that I can have a chat with them xxx

[dieselsmummy]

For hundreds of years Lhasa Apsos were bred to be interior watchdogs in the palace of the Dalai Lama and in the homes of other dignitaries in Tibet. This is their heritage. As a result, Lhasas are very discriminating in their hearing, and are often used as hearing-assisted dogs for the deaf.
As Lhasas mature, and with the assistance of their owners, they learn to distinguish between normal, day-to-day sounds and those noises which are out of the ordinary.

Therefore, unlike many other breeds of dogs, Lhasas tend to bark only when there is a legitimate reason to do so. It is typical that the Lhasa does not join in when it hears other dogs in the neighbourhood barking.

[kimpossible]

It true they don't join in but when my two start barking the rest of the neigbourhood join in with them! They can hear noises that I can't. A slight creak for the pipes that is unusual and its 5 mins of trying to get them to shut up! And it's a 10 minute job when someone knocks on the door!

[dieselsmummy]

I read that Lhasas can actually distinguish between footsteps...
That explains why Diesel barks when my Mum is on her way up from her house (7 doors away) and she hasnt even step foot into my garden...he obviously knows her walk!!
He also knows the sound of Stewarts van and my car...and if the rabbit is thumping he will run out to check on her too!!

[kimpossible]

I know this sounds daft, but my two can distinguish between car engines. My dad drives a 406 diesel and so does a guy who lives 4 doors down from us. When they hear my dad's engine they start barking and get excited but they never do it when the other guy drives past. They can also tell chris's engine (although I always say hey hear his radio coming!). I think it's amazing. They tell me who's coming to the house before I even get to a window or door!

[dieselsmummy]

Thats so true. Diesels groomer has a gravel drive like us, and her husband also drives a transit...and when he came home one day while we were there Diesel was frantic cos he thought it was Stewart!!

[Bunch]

All this is very true. All my three know when its me thats either walking or driving into the driveway. None of them bark and I can hear Lexi scratching at the door. When they have barked and Im in with them, I look out of the hatch door in the kitchen and yes, its someone who does not live in our home. They know when its a member of the family and when it is not and how they know this is beyond me! xxx

[dieselsmummy]

They really are remarkable.
There are two girls who walk up the alleyway with their Mum to school each day, and when they are at the very bottom of the paths, away from the house, Diesel runs to the bottom of the garden and waits! Then, as they get to the bit alongside my house they call out "Deeeee---sel" and he starts frantically jumping up and down and woofing!! Usually theres a little moment of silence as they spy through the gap in the fence at him lol lol its so sweet and he thinks they are his friends xxx

[Bunch]

They really are remarkable.
There are two girls who walk up the alleyway with their Mum to school each day, and when they are at the very bottom of the paths, away from the house, Diesel runs to the bottom of the garden and waits! Then, as they get to the bit alongside my house they call out "Deeeee---sel" and he starts frantically jumping up and down and woofing!! Usually theres a little moment of silence as they spy through the gap in the fence at him lol lol its so sweet and he thinks they are his friends xxx

Its really amazing because its like he knows the exact time when they will be arriving!!!

Mind you, my three know when its time for hubby to wake up because on the dot, Lexi's off scratching at the door more or less around 6.30am lol lol lol How strange!!! lol xxx