My mate in a shooting club I am in has just told me that his dog has gone deaf!
It’s a cocker and is 4 years old. I have heard and seen some older gundogs where they have gone deaf but thought that was very young...
Just how common is it? My mate does a lot of hide shooting and I said I reckon it’s from the dog being sat next to him in the hide all day long.
Gundogs going deaf
Re: Gundogs going deaf
My dogs get selective hearing. 
I think all dogs that are actually shot over suffer from increasing levels of hearing loss as they grow older. How fast this develops depends upon how often they are shot over and under what circumstances. Confined in a hedgerow hide is obviously going to amplify the sound and the damage to hearing. The questing breeds, in particular, often catch the muzzle blast when flushing out in front of the shooting handler. You have a bit more scope to manage events when with a pointing breed and I often walk in from the side or at an angle and ahead of the dog, partly because of the noise issue and partly because of getting better placement on the shot. I did once see a u tube clip of an American trainer who pointed out that you should try not to shoot directly over a dog on point but with spaniels you don’t always have that luxury. I don’t believe that the potential for hearing loss is as great in beating and, to a lesser extent, picking up dogs.
Naj
I think all dogs that are actually shot over suffer from increasing levels of hearing loss as they grow older. How fast this develops depends upon how often they are shot over and under what circumstances. Confined in a hedgerow hide is obviously going to amplify the sound and the damage to hearing. The questing breeds, in particular, often catch the muzzle blast when flushing out in front of the shooting handler. You have a bit more scope to manage events when with a pointing breed and I often walk in from the side or at an angle and ahead of the dog, partly because of the noise issue and partly because of getting better placement on the shot. I did once see a u tube clip of an American trainer who pointed out that you should try not to shoot directly over a dog on point but with spaniels you don’t always have that luxury. I don’t believe that the potential for hearing loss is as great in beating and, to a lesser extent, picking up dogs.
Naj
Re: Gundogs going deaf
My Mum used to say; "There's none so deaf as them who wont hear".
A friend of mine sent her youngster to a pro trainer, after a few months he sent him back as untrainable. We chatted about it and the owner said the dog was doing less than before he left for his very expensive holiday. Muggins took him on, took me three days to work out he was stone deaf. Back to the owner, off to the Vet, massively clagged up ears and a middle ear infection, poor little sod. Too late for him, his hearing had been destroyed so he went off as a pet and had a lovely life wearing a puffer collar - owner taught him to turn and look when it puffed and he responded to all hand signals, lovely benign dog ruined by an unobservant "trainer".
Another youngster was doing well in training then suddenly went off the boil and didn't respond to anything much, someone asked about her hearing, they checked, realised she had a problem, Vet's, anaesthetic and loads of wax removed, different dog, she was the lucky one.
A friend of mine sent her youngster to a pro trainer, after a few months he sent him back as untrainable. We chatted about it and the owner said the dog was doing less than before he left for his very expensive holiday. Muggins took him on, took me three days to work out he was stone deaf. Back to the owner, off to the Vet, massively clagged up ears and a middle ear infection, poor little sod. Too late for him, his hearing had been destroyed so he went off as a pet and had a lovely life wearing a puffer collar - owner taught him to turn and look when it puffed and he responded to all hand signals, lovely benign dog ruined by an unobservant "trainer".
Another youngster was doing well in training then suddenly went off the boil and didn't respond to anything much, someone asked about her hearing, they checked, realised she had a problem, Vet's, anaesthetic and loads of wax removed, different dog, she was the lucky one.
In life, it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
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CockerCanuck
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Re: Gundogs going deaf
It would seem to me that 4 is very young to be loosing hearing. However, sadly it seems like deteriorating hearing is very common in older dogs and I am not so sure how much it has to do with shooting. I have known lots of house pet dogs who were getting quite deaf around 9-10.
I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn't like a person. - Bill Murray
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PRH
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Re: Gundogs going deaf
My 10 year old is definitely going deaf. If she is at distance and I've not got the whistle, no chance of her hearing me call her. When she does hear me if she is closer it always seems to be a surprise to her and she comes bumbling along. She has done circa 10 days a year on the peg, some rough shooting at home and some picking up - nothing massive. I think she is just going a bit deaf with age, not shooting related.
Re: Gundogs going deaf
I have never had one go deaf at 4, I have one whose hearing has dramatically reduced this year, but he is 12 and was super responsive, now I have to really try to get his attention. Rather sad, especially as I watched him try to climb a very steep bank through thick cover last night that a couple of years ago he would have done easily but after the third attempt he admitted defeat and found an alternative route!! It comes to them all eventually and as I am beginning to find out to us as well! 