My tiny dog is going deaf. I have experimented calling her name when her back is turned or she is asleep, and only if I shout loudly does she respond, and then she thinks I'm mad at her. The vet has examined her ears and finds no physical problem, so it seems that, like me, the dog is just getting old. She's eleven now.
There are times when communication is essential, so I have decided to teach my tiny dog to recognize hand signals. The one I'm working on first is the signal for "let's go outside and pee pee." I rotate my fists around each other the same way a basketball referee indicates a traveling violation. She seems to be getting it.
Signals used by officials in football or baseball don't work as well because those are mostly abrupt, one-motion movements, like the right-hand up for a strike, or grabbing the wrist to indicate holding. I'll stick with basketball since there are signals that are smooth, repeated motions, like the ones for travelling, over-and-back, or a double dribble. That one might might be appropriate for "come get your supper."
And if she gets out of hand, I can always T her up.
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