You CAN teach an old dog new tricks
Deaf border collie learns sign language so she can keep herding sheep
WHEN elderly sheepdog Peggy went deaf it looked like her shepherding days were over – until she learned sign language.
The border collie was signed over to the RSPCA when her owners could no longer communicate with her.
But RSPCA animal welfare manager Chloe Shorten fell in love with the farm dog.
And she vowed to help nine-year-old Peggy get back to the job she loved.
Sheepdogs are traditionally trained to obey whistles or voice commands, with short, simple instructions such as Away, Come-by, and Steady.
But now, Peggy is back in the field after learning to read hand signals and body language from Chloe and her husband Jason, 34 – who is a shepherd. Chloe, 28, who works at the charity’s Mid Norfolk and North Suffolk branch, said: “We completely fell in love with Peggy.
“We knew she wanted to be working so we started the long process of teaching her how to herd and work with a shepherd without relying on voice commands. We started by teaching her to look at us for hand signals.
“We used repetitive and positive reinforcement and instead of pairing a verbal command with an action, we’d use a physical hand gesture.
“Now she reads our hand signals and body language as a way of telling what we’re asking for.”
A thumbs up means “good girl”, a flat, outstretched palm means stop and patting their knees brings her to them.
Chloe said: “It can be difficult with a deaf dog, because you have to wave at them to get their attention, and sometimes she doesn’t realise straight away.”
Now Peggy helps with the couple’s other two working sheepdogs, Sid and Nora.
Chloe added: “It’s amazing to see her with this new lease of life and enjoying her life with us.
“She’s proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks.”
THOSE who enjoyed TV show One Man and His Dog will recall the astonishing intelligence of sheepdogs – and hereby hangs a tale. When nine-year-old sheepdog Peggy went deaf, it looked like her shepherding days were over. But RSPCA worker Chloe Shorten saw her potential, and got the border collie back in the saddle – by teaching her sign language.
Now Peggy is back in the team with fellow sheepdogs Sid and Nora. As Chloe waggishly put it, “You can teach an old dog new tricks!”