What’s a good way to check White English Bullterriers for deafness?

When we suspected my old dog had gone deaf, I went in another room and blew a loud whistle. My dog that could hear went nuts and the one we suspected was deaf barely raised her ears (so that told us she had a little bit of hearing left but not much).

Your vet can tell you how to arrange for a BAER hearing test.

before you buy, ask the breeders if you can take the pup for a health check at the vets.
if they dont alow it then, hey! you have your answer. they must be hiding something.

The vet could help you out with that.

The only truly reliable way would be a BAER test.

This test, known as the B.A.E.R. (Brain Auditory Evoked Response) Test, can carried out from about 5 weeks old and is a fairly simple and straightforward procedure. The test does not hurt or distress the animal in any way, though adult dogs may require a light anaesthetic to ensure that they keep still and enable accurate results to be obtained. Many breeders now have their puppies BAER tested prior to selling them, and the Bull Terrier Club would recommend that anyone purchasing a puppy should insist on a certificate to certify the puppy’s level of hearing.

Barring that, dogs who have pigmentation on their head (particularly around their eyes and ears) are far less likely to be deaf than dogs that are white in those areas. HOWEVER, that is by no means a scientific way to determine, just a way to increase the odds.

stand in front of him and have his attention. Behind him, have someone drop a pan. He should jump if he hears it.

A vet can tell you.

To check for congenital deafness, wait until the dog is distracted, then make some sort of noise like a whistle or a rattle that don’t involve excessive movement or vibration in the floor. A puppy with normal hearing should react instantly and turn toward the noise. You may also ask for records on the dog’s parents and grandparents, which can indicate any conditions that might arise later in life.

There is a BAER hearing test.

No worries, find a reputable breeder.. there is a very easy non invasive way to test hearing in dogs called a BEAR TEST..

Any pups, that are born with white head/ears really should be tested for hearing by a vet using a BEAR test.. a good reputable breeder will automatically BEAR test all breeding dogs as part of numerous other pree breeding checks (hips,eyes, cardica) and also their litters before sale..and be willing and happy to provide proof.. This applies to a lot of breeds actually,,because it is actually the white pattern (trim) that is the cause in many cases.. too much white trim white head = potential deafness.. there are “white” breeds that because of the color genitics can be apparently white and not have a problem.. but in breeds that have the gene for spots, pinto pattern, or white collar blaze deafness is a big issue when that pattern extendes to the area around the ears.. This is why WHITE boxers, aussies, boston terriers, among others are not a acceptable color.

as far as deafeness they can be great pets, but a challange.. as a buyer you have a right to know before you take a dog home.. . If a pup is only deaf on one side,, it may not be really apparnet,,but again you have a right to expect the breeder to have done the propper pre breeding checks and BEAR testing on the dog you are looking at..

So avoid a breeder that does not BEAR test their dogs,, only buy a pup that is BEAR tested if deafness is a concern in the breed…same with the other health concerns… Good breeders test, and will provide proof.. no test or if they are not familar with the health issues you have read about,, AVOID..
Good luck..
Amand