Our Harley dog went deaf after we adopted her. We had already taught her some sign language which helped a lot. Dogs seem to pick up sign language very quickly. She needed a bit more direction but not much. Best part? she couldn't hear the neighborhood dogs barking and so became very quiet. I don't think she knew she couldn't hear anymore. If you and the dog have a rapport the deafness probably won't be a big deal. Good Luck.