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Living with Blind Dogs

 Submitted by Michael Adams on April 26, 2010


Getting to know that your dog can not see is the most devastating thing for any pet owner, where the dogs can be born blind, slowly lose their sight over a period of time, or there may be a sudden blindness in dog. These dogs however, adjust to this situation sooner than you think and they are most likely to live a longer life than they would have otherwise. This is so because they begin to rely on their other senses that are so strongly built in them especially their sense of smell.


Patience is the key to handle canine blindness especially in case of dogs that have become blind all of a sudden as adults, as they would naturally take time to adjust to the condition as compared to those who have acquired it over a period of time. The best way to deal with dog blindness is to leash the dog as it implies that you are holding the dog’s hands and the dog is able to feel more secure about where he is. Consistency is another important aspect that you need to keep in mind and therefore, do not involve in a lot of shifting of major furniture in the house as the dog might take time to get accustomed to it each time he notices a change.




Blind dogs move around the house keeping things in mind and if they feel that certain things are not in the same place they will not know where they are. Also, ensure that there is nothing lying down in the area or the path where they walk on so that they do not stumble. Do not shift places where the dog eats, sleeps and drinks water and try to inculcate a routine in them where food is served at a particular time every day. You can make the use of carpet runners that can be used to direct him to common rooms. You will need to assist your dog to walk up and down the stairs too. Wear a perfume so that the dog can identify with so that he knows that you are around and does not get baffled if he senses that you are not around. When you take your dog out, keep a close watch on where they are or leave them in a certain enclosed area where you know they are safe. Once dogs adapt themselves to the blindness, you will feel them move around more comfortably and doing just fine.

 
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