Keep the Tail Wagging is supported by pet parents. I occasionally earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) when you click through an affiliate link to one of my favorite products. Thank you for your support. Read More
This blog post was originally published in March 2013. It has been updated with helpful videos and republished to help pet parents who may have a dog that has lost their sight or pet parents who adopt a blind dog. With two of our dogs reaching their senior years, it was important for me to review this helpful guest post by Gayle Irwin.
When Keep the Tail Wagging is a full-time gig, I would love to adopt a blind or deaf dog. When Gayle Irwin contacted me and offered to share what she knows about living with a blind dog, I was so excited, because it is such a great compliment to an earlier article about living with a deaf dog.
Living with a Blind Dog
When my husband and I heard the startling words from our veterinarian, “I have bad news – your dog is going blind”, we truly did not know what to do… or what to expect. Sharing nearly 12 years with our Springer Spaniel, Sage, taught us how to cope with her disability and also how to help her adjust. Sage became blind before she was three years old due to a genetic disease called Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA); there is no cure for PRA. She lived more than nine years without sight, yet she lived with joy and courage.
Tips for Pet Parents who are Raising a Blind Dog
There are many important ways to adjust to the disability of canine blindness; consistency, creativity, and courage are three important keys for you and your blind dog to live happily, successfully, and safely together.
1 – Acknowledge Your Feelings
Acknowledge your feelings of shock and sorrow at the news your dog is going blind. It’s okay to grieve – you and your dog are experiencing a loss – but don’t get stuck there. Blindness is a disability, and disabilities can be compensated for, especially in dogs. Remember that disability is NOT inability – dogs can and do acclimate, and so can you.
2 – Training is Important
Teach your dog additional commands to the standard “sit”, “stay”, “come”. We taught Sage “step-up”, “step-down” and “stop”, all very useful for navigating stairs and taking walks. Training not only keeps your dog’s mind alert but also provides extra security for you and your blind friend. Giving the command to “stop” when you come to a street corner, for example, keeps your dog from stepping out into traffic, providing you the time to ensure it’s safe to cross the street. Some dog owners implement clicker training, using a small, simple device that creates a distinct metallic sound, pairing the clicker with treats while saying the command.
3 – Don't Move Your Furniture
Don't move the household furniture. Blind dogs learn quickly where items are placed, and they use that memory to get around. “Cognitive Mapping” refers to the mental representation a dog has of its physical environment as a result of repetition and spatial learning. Therefore, by keeping the recliner, sofa, and end tables in the same place, your dog will learn and remember where that furniture is located.
On the other hand, having the sofa in one spot for several months and then relocating it to another will cause confusion; the dog will bump into that piece of furniture more readily after it’s moved. The same concept applies for taking walks outdoors: repeating the route over and over again will help your dog better navigate the neighborhood because of its “cognitive mapping”. We witnessed this with Sage, and though we may have gotten bored walking the same route, we chose a location which included a park – that place stimulated her sense of smell, for squirrels, birds, and other creatures used the park, and she could smell and hear these animals during our walks. Those creatures delighted our days, too!
4 – Accentuate Your Blind Dog's Other Senses
Accentuating your blind dog's more acute senses, like hearing and smell, keeps your furry friend engaged. Therefore, not only try to include a park or woodland on your daily stroll, but also use bells when you walk so your blind dog can hear and follow your footsteps. Also, place jingling tags on your other pets so your blind dog is not startled when those companions come near. You can also use wind chimes in the backyard to help your blind dog navigate outside.
5 – Texture is Important for Navigation
Texture is also helpful for a blind dog's navigation. We placed wood chips along fence lines in our backyard to help Sage understand she was near the metal fence; that helped prevent collisions. Throw rugs were used in our living and dining rooms near the recliners and table chairs to let Sage know she was near those furniture pieces. She also used those rugs for naps.
6 – Invest in a Flowing Fountain for a Water Bowl
Consider using a flowing fountain for your dog's water bowl. The sound of running water will help your blind dog find its drinking dish, and the sound can be appealing to both people and pets in the house. Circulating water maintains its freshness longer as well, offering greater appeal than a stagnant pool.
7 – Choose Toys that Engage Other Senses
Various toys that stimulate your blind dog's other, more acute, senses engage it in play. Squeaky toys or products that you can put treats inside positively impact playtime. KONG© makes a variety of toys into which biscuits and other treats can be placed; these offer aromas that a blind dog can “seek and find” and be rewarded.
- Wobble Wag Giggle Ball Glow in the Dark Squeaky Dog Toy
- KONG Genius Mike Dog Toy
- Pet Qwerks Talking Babble Ball Dog Toy
- West Paw Qwizl Tough Treat Dispensing Dog Chew Toy
- KONG Squeezz Ring Dog Toy
- KONG Squeezz Dumbbell Dog Toy
- Ethical Pet Sensory Ball Tough Dog Chew Toy
- Chuckit! The Whistler Ball
Some blind dogs may react negatively to squeaky toys because their sense of hearing becomes much more acute when blindness sets in; that was the case with Sage, so we substituted toys with fragrance for toys that squeak. She also enjoyed tug-of-war, and that engaged us, as Sage's owners, in her playtime.
8 – Connect through Voice and Touch
Stay connected with your blind dog through voice and touch. Dogs enjoy gentle strokes and pats on the head; many dogs also respond positively to belly rubs and massage. Dogs also love to hear their human’s voice. All this is especially true for blind dogs. Affectionate voice and tender touch are calming and provide the sense of security your blind pet needs. Sage was a very tactile dog – she enjoyed gentle, massaging touch, and she often curled near my feet, reassured of where she was … near me.
9 – Security is Key
A sense of security is important, and having a quiet place at which your blind dog can spend time is also beneficial. A peaceful room, such as a corner of your bedroom or home office, can serve as that special place. An indoor dog kennel, with the door left open so that your blind dog can come and go as it pleases, can also serve as the “safe spot”. If your household is busy with children, parties, and/or other dogs, your blind dog will need that safe, quiet place to which it can retreat.
When Sage first became blind, she used a large crate that we purchased and set up in the spare bedroom. As she adjusted to her blindness, she simply retreated to the room and either lay on the floor or in the crate. As time passed, she stopped using the crate but still occasionally retreated to the bedroom.
10 – Consider a Second Dog
Consider a second dog if you don't already have one. Some blind dogs do well with others of their kind, and some sighted canines actually become “seeing eye dogs” for blind ones (don't expect your sighted dog to be your blind dog's guide but don't be surprised if that takes place). Dogs are social creatures, and another dog can be a very good companion for a blind one, especially in a household in which both adults are absent for many hours.
Putting these ideas into practice and continuing to encourage, train, and spend time with your blind dog will help both of you live more effectively with the disability of blindness. Remember that blindness is not fatal; this fact will help you cope better with the news and therefore, assist you in helping your beloved dog. Although Sage and I did not expect the journey of blindness, we accepted and faced the challenges. We enjoyed 11 years of blessed companionship, including traveling and exploring. You and your blind dog can also create and share a rewarding life together – using the tips provided above, I believe you will!
More Training Videos for Blind Dogs
Deaf/Blind Dog Training – “Come”
Teaching “Down” With Your Deaf and Blind Dog
Training a Reward Marker With a Deaf/Blind Dog
Gayle M. Irwin is a Wyoming author, writer, and speaker. She has published three children's books and an adult nonfiction with her dogs as main characters. Her latest work, Walking In Trust: Lessons Learned with my Blind Dog, is a devotional-style book that parallels lessons learned from her blind dog Sage with her faith walk with God. Mrs. Irwin is also a contributing writer to four Chicken Soup for the Soul compilations and has produced an ebook for blind dog owners. Gayle is a former conservation and humane educator, she now volunteers for various animal welfare
organizations. Learn more at www.gaylemirwin.com.
- Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can't Believe My Dog Did That!: 101 Stories about the Crazy Antics of Our Canine Companions
- Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog: 101 Stories about Life, Love, and Lessons
Read More About Raising Dogs
- 3 Reasons Why Dogs Put Their Paw on Their Owner
- The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Stuffed Dog Toys
- Is it Possible to Prevent Littermate Syndrome in Puppies?
- How Preventing Strangers from Petting My Dogs Improved Our Walks
- Books to Help Dog Owners Feed Their Dog Better
Thank you for this article. My dog is blind and deaf. She has adopted to a new home and yard really well. Unfortunately, their were some bumps and bruises along the learning curve. I have to say that when I changed the water to purified drinking water she did drink more. The chlorine and fluoride she must be able to smell. She is a wonderful, loving pup. She may not be able to go on walks but sure makes her way around the yard. Thankfully she never had a problem with the fence line. We have two other dogs and a cat that love on her dearly. They help her through the yard. We are now purchasing cbd oil for her and building a wheelchair from pvc pipe. We have a running water dish however I never thought before to use it for her. I use an essential oil for her micous build up aa well as marking the outside table. Thank you for the advice.
I have a blind American Bulldog/Dalmatian mix named Snow. I adopted her from a kill shelter in Miami. Upon returning home to Illinois, I took her to an eye specialist in St Louis. It turned out she had Macular degeneration, in both eyes and probably had been blind most of her life. She is the sweetest dog, although we do face some challenges at times. She has come so far since her days as a breeding machine. She is learning how to be a dog again with her 5 brothers and sisters, despite her handicap. Our other dogs, 4 pits and a shitzu help her. It’s hilarious to see her run with them. They know she is different and they are patient with her when she runs into them or she wants her favorite spot on the couch that helps her feel secure. Mama is always nearby and We keep her stimulated with puzzles and toys. We live on 6 acres and recently put in an acre fence to keep her safe. She would get disoriented when playing outside with us and just take off. I have learned a lot from her and wouldn’t trade her for the world!
I have a 12 year old Shih Tzu, Teddy Bear. He began losing his sight a few years ago, due to glaucoma. It was a slow process at first, and today he is totally blind. He has been seen for years now by the Animal Eye Institute, and has been on several eye drops that have helped in slowing down the process of losing his sight, but we always knew this day would come, total blindness. He has also lost a lot of his hearing, which they say is common when the sight diminishes. He also has chronic kidney disease and cushings disease, which is being controlled very well with medications. With all these health issues, he is still one very happy dog, easy going, loving and a joy to be around. Since becoming totally blind a few months ago, I bought Teddy Bear the Halo Vest (haloforpaws) and it has been amazing in stopping him from running into the walls, furniture, us, and our other dog. He seems to have a renewed sense of confidence, and of course he won’t be getting those bumps on the head any longer. He can sleep in it, eat/drink in it, and when visitors come into our house we don’t have to caution them as much to “our dog is blind, please watch out for him” since they can easily see the Halo vest. Since he has lost a good amount of his hearing as well, I have taken measures to scent each room, with different scents, so he knows better which room he is in, and I have also started wearing a particular scent on my legs, so he can easily find me as well. Since Teddy Bear has been unable to get into our bed for the last 2 years, as he has not felt safe off the ground since his sight has diminished (and we never wanted his to fall off the bed and hurt himself), we decided to move our mattress to the floor, as we really missed him in our bed. Teddy Bear is now able to sleep with us again, and we all are so very happy. When he wasn’t sleeping with us, he’d get up at all hours of the night, in a panic to find us, which kept us both up all night, now he sleeps with us and can easily get up/down on just a mattress. I have learned so much from sites like this on how to adapt my life to a blind dog, and I will continue doing whatever I have to, to make whatever amount of time he has left here as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. I hope we have many years left to love our little brown bear!
Our dog has recently gone blind due to SARDS. He doesn’t like staying outside much like he used to but he goes camping with us. We plan on traveling this winter and he’ll be going with us.
Found this on my travels, worth a look!
http://www.handicappedpets.com/pet-care-articles/handicapped-pet-equipment/163-blind-dog-hoop-harness.html
Thanks for the tip, Heather!
My little dog is no longer with us, he was an amazing little boy. He had a great quality of life, even though he was blind. Just be aware of dangers for him/her, but try not to wrap them in cotton wool, help but not smother.
A small tip, baby corners on sharp furniture is always a good idea.
My love to all the furbabies out there! x
I always try to remember this when we’re on our walks.
Textures and smells are great help for dogs to navigate, even indoors (different textured rugs, for example)
For dogs, unlike us, sight is not the primary sense. I imagine that the equivalent of a human going blind would be a dog losing his scent ability.
It is a tough one, but I think a blind dog can be happy too as long as the dog parents take the time to adjust to the dog’s condition. I hope that we live in the same house for our dogs’ entire lives so that should they go deaf or blind they’ll always be surrounded by familiar things.
i have always struggled with how to handle bind dogs. Do they still have a high quality of life? That has been the question i have strugled with in the past.
Loved the article. I can feel the love you had for Sage and I know she was happy and loved. Thanks.
That is very interesting – I like the woodchips and throw rugs idea….kind of like a warning track.
It is great that you adapted so well for your dog.
Mary
Great article Gayle!
Several people asked us if we’d be putting Sage down after the diagnosis of PRA — I was amazed at how many asked us that question! Sage lived a wonderful, full life, chasing squirrels, traveling, visiting schools and libraries — she inspired many children and adults, including me as her owner. That’s one reason I wrote so many books and stories about her — she made an impact (and still does through my writing) on many people. Sage lived to be nearly 13 years old, and she was an incredible creature! I’m glad you liked the post!
What great tips! I’ve worked some blind dogs before. I’ve heard of some of these tips but not all. What a great idea adding textures to the ground near the fence.
All simple logical items but ones that you might not think of if you are not blind yourself. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for sharing. I couldn’t imagine putting a dog down for losing his site – everyone I’ve connected with who is living with a blind dog has shared exactly what you did; they don’t change that much. This is why I want to adopt a blind or deaf dog, because I want to make sure they live their life in a loving home, not in a kennel.
Great tips for sharing. We also had a blind dog – Tino. He developed blindness at age 9 from glaucoma – a result of the distemper he suffered as a youngster. I was amazed at the number of people who wondered whether we were going to ‘put him down’ because of it. Could never imaging ending his life because of his blindness. He continued to live his life just as he did before – maybe a little slower and more cautious, but I will tell you, he continued to chase rabbits and lizards in the yard and even caught a couple of those lizards too! Great tips so far, all things we used with Tino – look forward to 6-10.