[Dailydrool] Bump the nose

[Kr1204]

I know a lot of us have older bassets who may have difficulty seeing or have glaucoma. My houseguest Drummer lost an eye to glaucoma 2 years ago and I have noticed he seems to be losing most of his vision in the remaining eye. Now, Drummer loves me and follows me around the house keeping the others away from me. But when I go upstairs, he comes too but he couldn't seem to find his way down and turning on the hall lights had not helped. I remembered my Elwood ATB also had lost an eye to glaucoma but I never figured out exactly when he lost his remaining sight as he never hesitated moving around the house. When he came down steps he would "bump" his nose on the next tread to find it. I thought, maybe I could teach this to Drummer so he wouldn't sit at the top of the stairs and howl until someone came for him. 
I started with him at the top of the stairs and I put my fingers under his nose and told him "bump the nose" as I lowered my fingers to the tread. It took a couple of tries but then he did it and took the first step. I kept doing it with each step repeating "bump the nose" and after only the third time down the stairs over two days, I could take my hand away and just give the command. After a few days now, if he hesitates at the top of the steps, I just tell him to "bump the nose" and he starts on down, bumping each tread until he reaches the bottom. I have a two story house so this is quite an accomplishment for him. It never ceases to amaze me what these bassets can do when given a little direction and I would never have thought of this if I hadn't have had a blind dog to teach me.
Kathy with Crackers, Loki and Jordan and Drummer and Gracie the houseguests


Kr1204
kr1204 at aol.com

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