It’s sad to see your dog getting old. So many things, just as with people, begin to quit working properly. Some dogs go blind; others lose their hearing. In fact, a friend of mine had a collie who went deaf and it was really hard for her to deal with it. She had the dog for many years and he had always run to be with her when she called. Sadly, age set in and he could no longer hear her when she spoke to him. Although there are now devices on the market, meant to help with a dog like this, they’re quite costly. Her husband came up with a temporary fix to the matter and created a collar addition to alert the dog. While you’re saving up for one of those expensive devices you can go ahead and start teaching your dog to use it now. When you make him a special collar he can begin to understand that, when it vibrates, you’re calling him.
Those vibrating collars are extremely expensive but you can make something similar to slide onto the dog’s existing collar. All you need is an old – or new – cell phone. The phone must be active in order to become an alert for your dog.
You’ll need a case for your phone; they’re sold in many different stores. The case should be one featuring slits or a fabric piece, for sliding it onto a belt. Put the cell phone in the case and snap the case shut.
Although you can slide the phone onto an ordinary dog collar, the phone will stand vertically, and can irritate the dog’s neck and/or jaw. Instead, cut two slits in the opposite direction, and use them to slide the cell phone case onto the collar.
When you turn the phone on vibrate you can then use it as an alert for your dog. From anywhere in the house – or outside, call the dog’s number and the phone will vibrate. Keep the number on speed dial and you’ll get a quicker response when you call the dog.
At first, the dog will be unsure about the vibrating collar. It can be helpful to vibrate the collar a few times while your dog can see you. When it vibrates, pat your leg or otherwise motion for him to come to you, then give him a treat or reward when he does. He’ll soon begin to understand that the vibrating collar means you need him – and he’ll come running.