# Teach my dog to alert me to sounds?



## Prize (Feb 5, 2009)

She does this already for the front door by running back and forth between me and the door and barking. How can I carry it over for things like the phone and teapots, etc? She gets excited when she hears these things but I am unsure how to direct that energy. 
Thanks in advance!


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Grimm signals the phone and front door. I am hard of hearing, and my hearing aids aren't effective.

This will sound bizarre, but here is how it worked for us: Phone rang, my hubby RAN to answer it, Grimm got caught up in the thrill of the stampede each time. Same with the doorbell.

My hubby recently passed away. I cannot hear the phone or door. Now, Grimm will suddenly shoot up off the floor, race to the phone, back to me, the phone, back to me, etc.. until I join the stampede. Each time, it turnes out someone is in fact on the phone, telephoning me.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

What a good boy Grimm


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## Prize (Feb 5, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your husband. 
Grimm sounds awesome. 
I am in the same boat as you, also HOH, and if I can't see it, I can't hear it. Plus, I have a terrible memory, so remembering I have the kettle on is difficult, I stay in the room with it now since I murdered one in my college apt., wasn't pretty. 
I'll have to see if that will work with Minerva. Thanks.


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

Oh there was a movie on animal planet about a lady that was deaf and she bought a dog called a hearing dog. Like a seeing eye dog. But the dog would alert her at sounds like the phone. I'm not sure how you would train a dog to do it though.


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## spoil9 (Mar 4, 2009)

Could you train the dog the same way you would other things?
IE: Alerting to the phone ringing.
1. Bring your dog by the phone and have some one call it. Maybe someone else in the next room with a cell phone or you with a cell phone out of site.

2. When the dog reacts, reward with praise.

3. Take a couple steps back and repeat until you are not near the phone and your dog still comes to find you when the phone rings. Reward with praise.

Although I am not a trainer, and I have only been working with my GSD since March I am noticing a common trend when it comes to training. Hope this helps and if I am wrong, please someone correct me and teach us both.


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## Prize (Feb 5, 2009)

I like that idea, I'm still trying to direct her reaction though. I am having trouble figuring out if she's running for the phone or she wants food, since they are so close together lol. I am going to try and integrate "target" into this, so that she will push me with her nose; but it's been slow going on my part because I've been distracted and it's something that seems a bit tricky. 
Thanks for the suggestion.


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

some great suggestions here.Just to add if you have land line and cell you can call yourself from cell to land to make things easy and to also control the time when you want to train.I taught jake to alert by talking happy talk to phone -praising him and giving small food treat.It is really much easier than it seems.


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