[Dailydrool] Suggestions for helping a blind dog

[dpmcquade at verizon.net]

Pat:
The early days of blindness for a hound are difficult. But none of the things you mention are unusual. It takes a while for a dog to get used to where sounds are coming from. They may echo off of hard surfaces. And if you really want to give a blind dog a hard time, put it in an e-collar, since that bounces sound all around! But eventually they largely get used to it and begin to head in the right direction.

Our Dexter had glaucoma and lost one eye before we took him in as a foster and quickly decided he'd found his forever home. This summer, he lost the second eye to the terrible disease. We've been through all this.

Their noses also take a while to get used to their new life. I too figured that as soon as Dex went blind, he'd start using his nose even more than before. Like you, I found that it took a while to kick in really well. But it will happen.

A harness is a great idea. It helps you get them where they need to go. But also start training with words. I taught Dexter "right" and "left," and yes, he knows them. He also knows "up" (for stairs) and "down" and "around the door." I can't tell you how many other words I've gotten him to know, but those are the ones I mainly use, and he's added many to his vocabulary. You can tailor your words to your needs. I was amazed at how quickly Dex learned these things.

Bell your other dogs, so Becky will have a clue where they are. I got some small cowbells online. Of course, a bell assumes the other hounds are moving. It won't work when they are lying down. But bassets usually lie in the same place most of the time, so Becky may get used to being careful there. Our Holly has dented Dex's nose more than once with her teeth, but most of the time a warning growl is enough to keep him off her.

All this being said, Becky will still have good and bad days. Six months out, Dex still does, especially on really rainy days. Encourage her at all times. Don't be mopey or assume she cannot do things, and she may amaze you at how much she can do. Be patient in these early days, knowing it may take a year for her to fully acclimate to the blindness. Your upbeat attitude will help her a lot.

The things that are in her favor are her close-to-the-ground stature and her nose. My eye doc said these really help bassets. Against her is her age. It takes older dogs longer to get used to the situation. But they do accommodate and can lead happy lives.

I always suggest that people with blind dogs join the Yahoo list at www.blinddogs.com. This is a wonderful bunch of supportive people who have partially sighted or fully blind dogs. They are terrifically helpful. One of the members, Caroline Levin, has written a book called LIVING WITH BLIND DOGS, which will be of great help to you (you can buy it on Amazon). She describes medical reasons for blindness, training, and other things you'll need to know.
 
Living with a blind dog is not just like having a sighted dog, but it can still be rewarding. You become a seeing-eye person for the dog, but many days, once they are acclimated, you will forget the dog is blind. Just the other day, Dex was looking down our street, and I wondered what he was seeing. Well, nothing, really. But his nose was probably working overtime and telling him what was down there. Blind dogs are great hounds.
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets, two of whom have been blind