We have a group of over 30 differently abled dogs, some are deaf, some are blind, some are both deaf & blind. Each week we get together and learn 30 minutes of obedience commands, and 30 minutes of agility training. Yes, agility. That wonderfully fun sport where dogs run on 12 inch wide boards, set to be 3-4 feet off the ground. Poles to weave around, jumps to jump, A-frames to climb and tunnels to barrel through.

How and why do I do this, it is exciting and fun both the owner, myself and more importantly, the dog itself!  It is rewarding for all involved and a great way to socialize our dogs. We do not compete, we do not challenge one another, we get together and enjoy the moments that our dogs take their first steps on a dog walk or their first weave around a pole that they can only smell and feel. We watch as our dogs entire bodies wiggle from nose to toes because they just achieved this task and we gave them all the love we have inside, to show them how proud we are of them.

The first time I saw my “grandpup” Charlie (who is deaf and blind), challenging himself to climb on top of a chair during our basic obedience class while we taught the “up” command, I knew he wanted to do more. His little tail was wagging so fast when he achieved this task, why would I deny him of learning more. When his mom asked me about agility, I said “absolutely” lets do it!  That was July of 2012, and we have not looked back since.

We use scents, texture and touch to teach our deaf and blind dogs, sign to teach our deafies, verbal commands along with touch and scent for our blind pups. For years I have been teaching all dogs different tasks, getting them working and helping owners understand them. “Each dog has a different way of learning and a different motivator”, I tell my furparents in any class I do. This is the very same mind set I have and share with my differently abled class. Each dog learns differently, it is normal; just as children learn differently.   You have to find what excites your dog, and sometimes you have to wait for them to overcome a fear or anxiety in order to help them learn a new task.

Most humans want to see a change immediately, but overlook the subtle changes that happen everyday in our dogs because it is not an amazing transformation in one hour. We are always in such a hurry we do not enjoy the little changes, the little achievements, the little tail wags. I teach all my furparents (TDAWG or not) how to see every subtle change and achievement in their dogs. Maybe the one dog that used to spin constantly, has started walking 5-10 steps in a straight line. That is awesome! Maybe a dog you couldn’t touch at all, can be touched for 30 seconds without running away; fantastic! Maybe it’s a dog that used to bark constantly at other dogs, that can do one piece of equipment right next to another dog silently; that is huge!

Dogs celebrate every second of life! Seriously, they wag their tails because you simply smiled at them, or pet them. They enjoy every moment we share with them and every task we do together. This is why we do TDAWG. We smile with a tail wag, we beam with happiness with each weave pole, we jump with praise because our dogs jumped a jump! TDAWG doesn’t just teach the dogs, it teaches the furparents to recognize and enjoy everything in life, even the small things.

Stop and celebrate with us, enjoy everything your furbaby achieves- even just a tail wag. Celebrate every second that leads you to every year, you get to smile because your furbaby is at your side.

-Tara and the pack