I've got an 8 year old lab that I am afraid I am going to have to retire soon, earlier than planned. She is starting to lose her hearing to the point that it may become a safety issue. I started noticing it about a year ago, and now she doesn't even meet me at the gate when I get home cause she doesn't hear me pull up. When she is in the field, I can tell that she often doesn't hear my commands and just keeps on doing whatever she is doing. It isn't that she is just ignoring me, I can tell a difference in the way her ears perk or don't perk whether she hears me or not. Not sure what would cause this other than years of sittin in the duck blind beside my shotgun while I miss ducks I shoot at. It is really depressing and concerns me quite a bit. Physically, she is in prime shape and has more drive to hunt than she knows what to do with. But when I can't control her, it is a safety issue, and I never want to put my favorite hunting partner in a dangerous situation. I never whistle trained her, but am considering doing that if it seems like she can hear and respond better to that than my voice. Ecollar is out of the question, as that is not fair to give her a correction when she cannot hear my commands. Has anyone ever been in this situation or have any advice?