How to take care of a blind dog: 3 Ways to Care for a Dog Blind from Birth

How to Care For a Blind Dog (15 Tips & Tricks)

Any creature with vision can eventually lose it for reasons like a health complication or just growing old. That includes dogs. Some breeds are more prone to blindness than others, while some dogs might have an abnormality that causes them to lose sight.

Whatever reason that your dog ends up losing their sight, it doesn’t mean that their life stops. There are so many things left for them to sniff out and explore! Here are 15 tips to make both your life and your dog’s life better if they are blind.

Signs of Dog Going Blind

First, don’t treat your dog like they are blind or going blind unless your veterinarian has informed you that they are indeed losing their vision. The signs and symptoms of vision loss can be attributed to many other diseases that require different treatments.

Signs of vision decline include:

• Difficulty finding well-known or apparent objects
• More anxious and easier to startle
• Increased clumsiness
• Noticeable eye pain
• Low energy levels
• Cloudiness or red blood vessels in their eyes

Vision loss can be caused by conditions like glaucoma and cataracts and might be repaired if caught early enough. It can also occur quite slowly over a long period. That is especially true for older dogs as they continue to advance in age.

How to Care For a Blind Dog

Image Credit: David_Will, Pixabay

Once your pup has been diagnosed with vision loss that cannot be reversed or stopped, it is time to prepare. It will take adapting for both of you, but it doesn’t need to be a significant cause of stress or anxiety in your home.

These 15 tips can help you equip your house and your blind dog for life in the future. Give both of you enough time to adjust to the tweaked way of living, and be understanding with your dog. In the end, it will be easier for both of you as you navigate the world together.

Caring For a Blind Dog (15 Steps)

1. Dog-proof your home

Start the process by dog-proofing your home for a blind dog. It will help keep your dog safe and help you minimize your worry when you are away from home.

Safeguard corners that could be easy for your dog to bump into and hurt themselves. Don’t give them access to spaces that they could fall from. You can put baby gates around the stairs so until your dog is ready to do it blindly, they can only go up or down the stairs with your help.

2. Form and maintain a routine

Image Credit: Jaromir Chalabala, Shutterstock

All dogs appreciate a routine, but blind dogs will appreciate it even more than other dogs. As much as you possibly can, stick to the same daily schedule. Take them for walks at the same time, and take them to similar places.

While dogs that can see will enjoy exploring new places, sights, and smells, blind dogs often feel more comfortable going to the same place. There will always be new smells, but overall, it will be a similar experience, and they will know that they are in a safe place.

3. Don’t move their items around

Do not move your dog’s things around. Keep their food and water bowl in the same place. If you have to pick it up to clean it, try to put it back exactly where it was.

If you have dog toys for your pup, keep them in an open container in the same spot. This way, they can go in and find something to chew on by themselves. Even moving something a couple of inches can confuse them into thinking that it isn’t there at all.

4. Give them a safe zone

Besides dog-proofing your home, give them a spot that it is ultimately their own and entirely safe. This is especially helpful if you have visitors come over, particularly children. The sudden movements and loud noises can easily startle a dog and make them feel unsafe.

Give them a safe spot in a quiet corner of the home where they can almost alone but still within earshot. Give them a comfortable open bed to sleep on, and keep the area clean.

5. Place location cues

Image Credit: Michelle Scott, Pixabay

Have you ever noticed the guards on the ground that have bumps or lines on them when you are out for a walk? These are to help people who are visually impaired navigate the world and stay safe. You can do something similar for your dog.

In doorways throughout the home, you can place rugs that have different textures. Even something slightly different will help your dog know where they are. Help them avoid getting lost by putting rugs and other slides in well-traveled parts of the home.

6. Walk them throughout the home frequently

As your dog gets used to being blind, whether it was a sudden transition or a slow one as they got older, you can be a tour guide for their home. Walk with them throughout the house so they feel safe as you take them through the various rooms. They should know it well enough that they don’t ever get lost and scared in their home.

7. Train them using vocal commands

Some owners use a combination of vocal and physical commands to get their dog to do anything from “sit” to “high five.” Some people only use physical commands. There are reasons to support both these methods. However, when your dog goes blind, you are left with only vocal commands.

Work on retraining them with only vocal commands so they understand what to do even without being able to watch you.

8. Use new training cues to keep them safe

Image Credit: lara-sh, Shutterstock

The standard commands that we teach a dog that can see include things like “sit,” “stay,” and “come.” However, when your dog goes blind, they will need a bit of extra help to stay safe and navigate the world around them.

You can teach your dog new commands like “left,” “right,” or “stairs” to help them know what to do on walks and even in the house.

9. Speak to them throughout the day

Dogs that can’t see well will often be on even higher alert than those with all their senses. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t easily be startled.

Don’t ever assume that your dog has felt your footsteps. Instead, approach them safely or let them know where you are in the home by talking to them throughout the day. If a visitor comes to your home, tell them to talk to your dog before approaching, so they don’t lash out in fear.

10. Get them clothing, so others know that your dog is blind

It helps other people to know if your dog is blind. There are many products that dogs can wear without too much inconvenience. These include shirts, vests, jackets, or bandanas that say, “I’m blind.” Have them wear it on walks so other people know to approach them slowly. You should also put a tag on your dog’s collar that says the same thing, to protect them if they ever get lost.

11. Play with them using scents

A dog is a dog, and they still want to play around and have fun. If fetch was one of your dog’s favorite games before going blind, then you can put something with a strong scent on the ball. Don’t throw it too far, so they can still smell it from a distance. Use essential oils or put a dog treat inside the ball to help them find it.

12. Use toys that make noise

Image Credit: TheDigitalWay, Pixabay

Toys that make noise are especially satisfying for a blind dog. They will know that they are playing with the right thing and will get a kick out of getting it to make noise because they can’t see it.

13. Keep your house clean

One of the best ways to protect your dog around the home is to keep your house clean. Don’t ever leave things lying around that your dog could step on or trip over. Since they assume that nothing’s there, they can be traveling with enough force to get seriously injured.

14. Try putting them in a “halo”

A dog halo is a circular halo that you can put on your dog’s harness, vest, or face. It creates a kind of “ring of safety” around them. The halo bumps into furniture or doorways before your dog does, letting your dog know that they need to step to the side to stay safe. It also helps them know that where they are going isn’t going to cause them pain or confusion.

15. Leave the television or radio on

Leaving a television or radio on in the house is reassuring for blind dogs, especially when you are gone. It helps them orient themselves in the home and gives them a sense of calm instead of being surrounded by an unknown, sizeable, and quiet space.

Related Reading:

• 8 Best Essential Products For Blind Dogs in 2021
• How to Safely Leave Your Blind Dog Home Alone
• Ask a Vet: Depression in Dogs – Signs, Causes, Treatments, & More

Featured Image Credit: ivabalk, Pixabay

Tips on Living With and Training a Blind Dog

When Orbit came into one of the classes I offer for puppies and their owners, in Santa Cruz, California, he was in most ways just like all of the other puppies. He bounced around excitedly, wanted to sniff the other pups, and was thrilled with the treat tidbits that were offered for certain behaviors. But Orbit did one thing just a little differently. He would make tight circles near his people, Melissa and Arielle, gradually spiraling outward.

Orbit, a Havanese-mix who was born blind, couldn’t visually scan his surroundings. Instead of sight, Orbit was using cognitive mapping, sounds, and scent to figure out what was going on in his immediate environment. Like many animals, dogs possess the ability to develop a mental map of their surroundings, even when they cannot see. Through exploration of the space, they learn where things are and how to navigate safely.

Orbit was born without sight due to retinal dysplasia and optic nerve coloboma. Dogs who are born blind may have a genetic component or may have developed the problem while in the womb. Dogs can also lose their sight later in life due to genetic conditions, diseases, injuries, and other changes in the eye as they get older. Some of the more common causes of vision issues include cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, and suddenly acquired retinal degeneration (SARDS).

Since Orbit can’t see another dog’s body language, he can miss some social cues that would otherwise warn him that the other dog is not friendly – or that his friend isn’t in the mood for fun.

Dogs = Dogs, Sighted or Not

There is a belief that blind dogs will be more prone to behavior problems. But this really is a myth. Blind dogs are dogs first, and blind second. Some are happy, some are serious. Some are easy going, some are more easily stressed. Some like to play, others prefer to cuddle. Many love their walks, car rides, hanging out with friends, and a good chew.

Pups who are born blind may have an easier time because they do not have to adjust to a change. Being blind is their norm. A dog who becomes blind later in life may need some time and help with the adjustment, but most dogs who are blind adapt well, perhaps in part because they already rely heavily on other senses.

“Orbit is a happy-go-lucky guy,” says Melissa. “He is trusting and approaches life with gusto.” Melissa said that her family’s first consideration when thinking of adopting Orbit was whether they were really ready for a puppy. Their second consideration was how would having a blind pup be different from having a sighted pup.

“What would a blind puppy need that a sighted puppy might not need? What would be different? Could we keep him safe?” Melissa says that in some ways he’s actually been easier than the pups she’s had in foster care. For example, he doesn’t get into stuff as much as other puppies, maybe because he can’t see the things to get into. But in other ways, they have had to think differently.

What’s different?

One of the big differences has been in their awareness of ambient noise. Orbit uses his hearing to orient himself in new environments and to keep track of Melissa. For example, Melissa wears keys on her belt that jingle, giving him a sound to orient to as they move through life. If there is traffic noise, he may have a harder time following her footsteps or the jingle of the keys.

Melissa recalls going to new locations to socialize Orbit – a friend’s backyard and a downtown shopping area. What Melissa considered to be a normal amount of noise – such as dogs barking in the background or cars going by on the street nearby – was a symphony of sound for Orbit. The sounds created an environment that was disorienting and overwhelming.

“We learned that we have to take him out in gradients. Slowly increasing the challenges. But he likes going places. He is very friendly, social, and gregarious. I think he would be sad if he wasn’t allowed to go out and embrace life the way he does. You just have to modify it a bit.” Melissa notes that Orbit will usually have a new place mapped and be comfortable within three or four visits.

Orbit is independent and intrepid, not afraid to try new things or explore new places.

Socializing Orbit with other dogs has also been a little different. He will not see the other dog’s social cues. And when he attempts to give cues, they may be a little awkward. “He does some of the right things, but in the wrong way,” Melissa says. For example, he may do play bows facing away from the other dog or walk up to sniff a dog and instead bump into their side. Dogs he interacts with have to be patient and unflappable.

Physical safety is another big concern. For example, the family has guards on their stairs and baby gates to prevent accidents. When walking down the street, Melissa has to be very aware of things that Orbit could run into, such as bushes or poles.

Training Modifications for Blind Dogs

When using methods such as lure and reward or reward-marker (clicker) training, teaching a blind dog is remarkably similar to working with a sighted dog, though you may obviously rely more heavily on verbal cues (or touch cues for dogs that are both deaf and blind) than on hand signals or body language.

• A new behavior may be initially lured, captured, or shaped. For example, you might use a treat lure to prompt a “sit.” You can capture the dog orienting to a sound such as the dog’s name or a touch such as a shoulder tap. These can be introduced much the same way you might introduce them to a sighted dog.
• Using a reward marker, such as a clicker or the word “yes,” to let the dog know what behavior is being rewarded already relies on sound rather than sight. For a dog that is both deaf and blind, a specific signal such as a touch on the chest can be used for the reward marker.
• You can reinforce behaviors with food, praise, touch, play, or other things that the dog finds rewarding, just as you would with a sighted dog.

Training is similar enough that Orbit attended my puppy, beginning life skills, and intermediate life skills classes and excelled at all of the exercises with only a few minor modifications.

In puppy class, where the pups interacted with each other, we made sure that approaches were done slowly and carefully (something that is really a good idea for all pups!). When teaching impulse-control behaviors such as stay and leave it, we quickly discovered that adding a verbal cue immediately (rather than waiting until we had the finished behavior) actually accelerated the training, as he couldn’t respond to the initial body language cues.

A seeing eye cat? Orbit loves his kitty housemates, and they seem to understand and accept him perfectly.

With a blind dog, using multiple cues (which goes against conventional training advice) can be very helpful for certain behaviors, notably orienting skills such as attention and recall. Melissa will call Orbit repeatedly when he is at a distance so that he can follow the sound of her voice to find her.

While most of us strive to have our dogs walk on a leash while the leash is loose, with Orbit, Melissa uses gentle tension on the leash to help him navigate around objects. She trained him to follow the leash pressure.

In addition, when training a blind dog, you might consider teaching some cues that you might not need with a sighted dog. Here are a few examples:

• Careful. “Careful!” can be used to let a dog know if there is something in front of him. This can be helpful in new environments or if there is something that has changed in an environment that the pup has already mapped. While there are several ways to train a dog to stop in motion, one simple way with a blind dog is to use a physical prompt.

Have your dog on a leash next to you. Walk forward with your dog toward an object such as a piece of furniture. Say, “Careful!” and then with either gentle pressure on the leash or your hand on your dog’s chest, stop his forward motion. Click and reward the stop. Then pat the item in front of your dog so that he will walk toward it and investigate. With repetition, your dog will soon understand that the cue “Careful!” means slow down or stop and look for something in front of him.

Many blind dogs adapt to life with few if any assistive devices, but there are some things that may be helpful.

Using mats and rugs. Mats can be used to help designate specific areas in the home, such as doorways and the tops and bottoms of stairs. They can help orient a dog to a change in the terrain. Likewise, carpet runners can designate paths in a home, making it easier for a dog to navigate.

Marked garden paths. Using mulch, gravel, or another specific texture can help dog more easily follow garden paths, especially in larger spaces.

Scents and sounds. Using scents such as lemon or vanilla to mark dog doors, crates, and bedding may be helpful for some dogs. Sounds, such as the running water in fountain-type water dishes, may also help some blind dogs. Toys that are scented and those that squeak or crinkle may be helpful.

Safety barriers. Baby gates at the tops and bottom of stairs, railing guards, as well as fencing around ponds and pools can help make the environment safe for a dog who cannot see or who has limited vision.

Halos. Halos are devices that are usually attached to a harness and provide a circle-shaped bumper above a dog’s head. If a dog is going towards a wall or object, the bumper will touch first before the dog bumps into it, giving them time to stop or adjust their path.

Echolocation devices. Sometimes called sonar devices, these are relatively new. There are several types. One collar device gives a warning beep if a dog approaches a solid surface. Another uses echolocation by sending ultrasonic sounds out, helping a dog determine how close or far away something is.

• Go see. This cue can be used to help a dog know there is someone or something in front of him that is safe to check out. You might start this with a friend. Walk your dog toward the friend, say, “Go see!,” and then your friend will encourage your dog to come closer to say hello.

Another easy way to train it is to have a small box or platform in front of your dog. Place one or more treats on the platform. Say, “Go see!,” and then encourage your dog to go up and explore the box. Within a few repetitions, most dogs will get the idea that “Go see!” means there is something in front of them that is interesting and safe to explore.

• Step up and step down. Using a single small step, a curb, or a training platform, encourage your pup to explore going up and down, on and off the step. Using treats to prompt or lure your dog may be helpful. When your dog is happily going up and down on the step, you can click and treat each time he offers the behavior.

Once he is predictably going up and down, you can add the cue just before he does the behavior. Say, “Step up!” just before he goes up, then click and treat. Say, “Step down!” just before he goes down, then click and treat.

Practice in a few locations with different steps. Once he understands it in several locations, you can practice with two or more steps, eventually adding the cue “Stairs!” to mean there are multiple steps in front of you.

• Run (or Go). This is a good cue to let your dog know that he is safe to run, and may be an especially important cue for a young or high-energy dog. You can practice this in your yard or another safe open area. Just before releasing your dog to run, say the word “Go!” or “Run!” Your dog will soon learn to associate the word with a wide-open space, free of obstacles and dangers.
• Names of things. You might consider teaching a blind dog the names of things such as specific pieces of furniture, toys, people, or other animals. While this is something that many people also do with sighted dogs, many of us rely more on pointing, patting, looking, and other body-language cues.

Teaching the name of a person, animal, or item is a simple matter of creating an association. For example, to teach the name of a person, you might say the person’s name, then that person can talk to the dog in a happy voice. Repeated pairings and the dog will likely hear the person’s name and check to see if that person is nearby.

With items, you can start with pairing the name in everyday occurrences. Say, “Squeaky!” before playing with a specific squeaky toy, and soon your pup may associate the word with that particular item or action.

Living a Full Life

Photo credit: @orbitseeswithhisheart

Blind dogs, like all dogs, can live full, active lives. With a little modification, blind dogs can participate in many of the same activities sighted dogs enjoy. Dogs who have lost their sight later in life may enjoy similar activities as before losing their sight. For example, a dog who enjoys retrieve games may still enjoy fetch, finding their toys by sound and smell. Scented toys and toys that make noises may be particularly attractive for a blind dog.

Scent discrimination games are also a great option for blind dogs. From casual “Find the treat!” games in your living room, to hide and seek in the garden, to formal or competitive K9 Nose Work, scenting activities can enhance a blind dog’s life by encouraging the use of another sense.

Many blind dogs also enjoy adventures outside of the home. Orbit has gone to training classes, travels with Melissa through her day-to-day life, and even goes to work with her. “I would encourage people not to limit their blind dog’s life,” Melissa says. “Orbit loves being out, visiting with people, and going on a ‘sniffari.’”

Rules for keeping a dog without sight

A blind dog requires a lot of attention and care from the owner, but since such an ailment has caught your pet, you need to know the basic rules for keeping and caring for a pet with a similar ailment.

It happens that dogs are born blind, but most often the dog loses his sight with age, or as a result of some disease.

If you begin to notice that your pet is disorientated in space, and, apparently, is losing his sight, then you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. nine0003

Contents

1. General information
2. Blind dog: how to live with it?
3. Results

General information

A blind dog is a dog that has lost sight in both eyes at the same time. If such a misfortune happened, then it is necessary to help the animal adapt to a new life, and provide special care for it.

Over time, your dog will adjust to what he cannot see, but at first he will need your support. nine0003

In case of loss of vision, the dog will navigate in space with the help of other senses, which will even improve slightly, as a result of a greater load on them.

The primary organ that will help the dog to navigate in case of vision loss is the sense of smell.

Most of the information a dog receives directly, through smells, therefore, an already developed sense organ will intensify its work, helping the animal to live without sight.

The second most important organ in an animal is hearing. The dog is able to pick up sounds at great distances, therefore, hearing will also allow the dog to navigate in space and receive the necessary information from the “invisible” world. nine0003

Blind dog: how to live with it?

Here are some tips for owners whose dogs have lost their sight:

1. Patience

Be very patient, because it may take some time for the animal to begin to navigate independently without vision, and to fully use other senses.

If the process of blindness came on gradually, then such an animal can adapt to life without sight without your help, but if this disease took the animal by surprise (for example, after an injury), then it cannot do without your help and understanding. nine0003

If the dog’s eyesight was gradually eroding, then the owners may not even notice that this process took place at all, and they discover this only when, for example, they made a rearrangement or moved to another house, as a result of which the animal lost its orientation and began to stumble to surrounding objects.

Thanks to hearing and smell, the dog can fully adapt to his illness, and the owner can completely forget about the inferiority of his pet.

2. Constancy

Do not move furniture, try to maintain a constant arrangement of objects in the house, as a blind dog will move mainly from memory.

Explain to the children about the dog’s illness, and ask them not to throw toys on the dog’s way to the bowl or toilet (if the dog urinates on a diaper or in a tray).

Get into the habit of returning things you have taken. This will avoid injury to the dog.

The dog’s things, such as a tray, bed, bowls, toys, must not be moved to other places. nine0003

Try not to lift the dog in your arms, as this can make it very disorienting. Let her walk on her own so she knows where she is.

If the blindness comes on suddenly, you can walk next to the dog for the first time.

If you see that the dog is afraid, or is very disoriented – praise him, caress him, treat him with his favorite treat, show that you are near and around safely.

If necessary, call the dog – use your voice. Touching her, or picking her up, can frighten the animal. When frightened, a blind dog may bite you. nine0003

3. Safety

The safety of a blind dog is the task of the owner. Try to create the safest possible environment around her.

To make it safe for a dog who has lost his sight, the following rules are recommended:

– hot batteries in the house must be protected. Also, if there is a pool, it is recommended to put barriers along it. The same applies to any recesses, fireplaces, balconies, and stairs; nine0003

– sharp objects that are at the level of the dog must be removed or secured;

– put a collar with a tracking device on the dog, it is also recommended to hang a keychain on the collar indicating that the dog is blind and the owner’s address.

4. Organization of the feeding place

An excellent solution would be to fix the bowls in one place so that neither family members nor the dog itself will move them

5. Special signals

Signal that you are about to feed the dog. She will associate this sound with eating, and also, organize feeding at the same time

6. Walk control

Keep a close eye on the dog during the walk, as he may get lost

If possible, keep him off the leash.

If the dog walks on its own, limit the walking area to it with some kind of barrier.

Make sure that the dog does not crash anywhere and does not fall through on unfamiliar terrain.

7. Development of the senses

If a dog has lost its sight, other senses become more sensitive.

Your task is to develop the dog’s hearing and sense of smell as actively as possible. The following actions can help with this:

• – talk to the dog while walking;
• – praise her when she goes in the right direction and avoids obstacles; nine0012
• – warn of danger with a special command;
• – let the dog play with toys that contain ringing or squeaking elements;
  – hide some treat inside the toy. This puzzle will keep the dog occupied and train the sense of smell;
  – take your dog for a walk more often;
• – give your dog warm food so that the flavor of the food is better felt.

Results

Loss of vision for a dog is a big problem that creates significant discomfort for his daily life. However, the animal is able to adapt to life with this ailment by developing other senses more strongly. nine0003

The task of the owner of a blind dog is to support the animal as much as possible and help it adapt to a new life.

How to Help a Visually and/or Hearingly Disabled Dog Lead a Normal Life – Dogfriend Publishers

The story of a dog named Grey, who lost his hearing and sight. Practical advice on training, organizing space and ammunition.

Almost every owner sooner or later faces the fact that his, until recently, cheerful and energetic pet, suddenly begins to grow old and decrepit. Time inexorably leaves its imprints: diseases of the joints, internal organs, as well as decreased vision and hearing. In addition, blindness and deafness can also appear in very young dogs as a result of trauma, illness, poisoning, etc. Also, a dog can be born blind or deaf.

The worst thing is that the dog ceases to be himself, his character can completely change. On walks you cannot call her, at dusk she sees almost nothing at all. She is confused and depressed, and so are you. But there are real ways to help your dog cope with vision and hearing loss, teach him to navigate in space with the help of other senses, in short, improve the quality of life so that the dog can spend the remaining years accompanying you everywhere, as before. nine0003

In order to make the examples clearer, I will tell a story about my dog, gray rough collie, who spent the last 4 years of his life with a loss of hearing and vision. And throughout my story I will explain how you can solve this or that problem.

The story of a dog named Grey. Deafness

Gray lived with me for 15 years. He was the perfect city dog: calm, calm, getting along well with dogs, cats, birds and people. I don’t remember his behavior ever causing inconvenience or problems. nine0003

The time has come, the dog has grown old. At first, Gray began to stall. Slowly but surely, at the age of 11-12, the rumor gradually faded away. His character changed, he became irritable, withdrawn, sometimes even biting. At that time, I could only surround him with care and treat his condition with understanding.

During the period of loss of vision or hearing, the dog may be overtaken by severe depression . She does not understand what is happening to her, the body ceases to obey, which greatly suppresses her. The reaction of the dog can be completely different: from almost mild symptoms of stress [1, 2], to severe aggression. A dog can hide in a shelter and not leave it for days on end, it can howl or whine, start to dirty the apartment or spoil things. You can’t get angry and scold her. Your task is to reduce stress and rid the dog of depression. Surround her with care and affection. Buy her new toys and treats. Be patient. Reward only good behavior and ignore bad behavior. Sometimes medical intervention may be required, but this is not the first remedy for getting rid of stress. nine0003

Finally everything is back to normal. Gray learned to use his sense of smell and sight to compensate for his deafness. I had to help him a little. For example, I used active gesticulation to get his attention on the street. Gray couldn’t hear me. When he was next to me, touched him instead of saying his name.

First of all, a deaf dog must be taught to pay attention to its owner . Because she can’t hear you, the dog should look at you from time to time. To do this, you must become the most interesting object for the dog: take a lot of treats with you, your favorite toys for a walk. Every time the dog comes to you, whether called or not, express stormy joy, treat him or offer a toy [3]. You may need a leash for initial training, but only so that the dog does not run away without hearing your call. Pulling and pulling is strongly discouraged. nine0003

Barry Eaton in his book Hear, Hear! ^⚠ writes that you can not touch a deaf dog, because. you can frighten her and provoke her to aggression . This is very correct, Gray was not always ready for me to touch him and at first he was nervous until he figured out what was what. But at that moment I had no knowledge of how to handle a deaf dog and improvised.

There are other ways to attract attention: by stomping on the floor of the house, you will create a vibration , in search of the source of which, the dog will pay attention to you; you can blow on a dog; move a piece of furniture next to it; use a flashlight or laser pointer; throw a light object at the dog, such as a crumpled piece of paper, etc.

Domestic difficulties were solved quite simply. When I called Gray to eat, I drove or tapped the bowl on the floor. Water was always in the same place, as were toys and bones. He got used to the gestures quickly, because he already had training experience. While Gray was young, we did a lot of things, incl. and exercises at a distance, so now I didn’t have to rack my brains much. nine0003

Since the dog can no longer hear, incl. and suppressing unwanted behavior of the word, it’s good to train her to match your displeased facial expression with the word “no”, you can still wag your finger. These gestures are good to use for minor violations: the dog pulls food from the table, tears up a book, climbs onto the sofa. If the dog is barking, the easiest thing to do is to ignore it, because. any expression of attention to this action encourages the dog to bark more [4]. It is best to distract the dog with a toy and switch attention to a more useful thing. If the dog expresses aggression towards someone, just take him away, distract him and think about the reasons for this behavior. nine0003

The story of a dog named Grey.

Blindness

Blindness overtook Gray at about 13 years of age. The reason is banal – cataract. He was not completely blind: in daylight he did not stumble upon objects, but in the dark he did not orient himself, of course, he did not distinguish small objects and faces. When Gray began to go blind, I was seized by a panic: how to cope with a deaf and blind dog, I did not know at all. In addition, Gray had an even worse depression than the first time. He did not want to stay at home alone and hid in the closet, he was terribly nervous on a walk, howling. nine0003

Leave your dog chew toys when you leave home. If she still has her hearing, you can leave the radio or TV on.

The way out was not found immediately, it was more intuitive than conscious. I chose the solution that at that time seemed to me the simplest: while the vision has not completely disappeared, you need to teach touch commands .

I taught very simply: I touched him and then showed him a gesture that he already knew. There were four teams: “let’s go”, “left”, “right” and “stop”. As well as an inviting gesture. The gestures are extremely simple and developed from our daily communication with him. When I started the movement, I touched the back of his head, and then just went forward, sometimes beckoning him with my hand behind me. He saw that I was leaving and followed me. “Right” and “left” meant touching the right and left ear, respectively, and a gesture meant a wave of the hand and a turn of the body to the right and left. When I stopped, I touched his ass, he turned around, saw that I was standing and stopped himself. It was the stop command. nine0003

Despite the fact that it is undesirable to touch a dog, including a deaf one, for a blind dog, this will be almost the only solution to the problem, you just need to accustom it to it. When she understands that you can be trusted, she will expect touch in difficult situations and will not be afraid. At home, you should still be more careful: use vibration (stomp) to indicate that you are going; if the dog needs to be awakened, tug on the bedding or blow on the fur. In short, use touch only in certain situations, when the dog knows it will happen .

The time came when Gray stopped seeing and gestures well. Now, following me, he was guided by the smell, he was afraid to go far. But what a walk when a dog walks with his nose buried in his legs, afraid to tear himself away from the owner. Gray and I learned to walk the streets all over again. I had to completely switch to physical contact.

Can be applied to pants or shoes to make it easier for your dog to locate you persistent fragrance . You can use essential oils, herbs, even perfumes. Most importantly, make sure that the scent you use does not cause rejection in the dog.

After a while, Gray realized that I was leading him, began to trust even more and already dared to step aside a little to sniff something. He knew that if I needed to, I would stop him or point him in the right direction.

Communicating with such a dog should not undermine trust even for a second – it will be a collapse. Without finding the owner or his parting words, when the dog hopes for him, stress can develop into the most severe neurosis, and it will become almost impossible to rehabilitate the dog. nine0003

Once there was a situation when I realized that the dog was disoriented. Gray got lost in his own backyard at dusk. He walked away about 10 meters and suddenly realized that he was left alone, I did not have time to quickly approach. Gray turned and trotted away from me. I ran after him. He went into the bushes without seeing them, and then I overtook him. Of course, he was delighted and soon calmed down, but the fact that Gray did not orient himself in the courtyard in the dark firmly stuck in my head. But what about being in a foreign place? I imagined that blind people get used to the arrangement of things in the house and are well oriented in space. Then, going out for a walk, I began to bring Gray to all the obstacles that are in the yard. He knew their smell, and in bright light he could distinguish them, but in the dark he could not use the rest of his senses. Gradually, he got used to their location in the dark, and after a while, when a mental map of the courtyard appeared in his head, he no longer panicked and easily found a landmark if he suddenly got lost. In a strange place, we also carefully passed all the obstacles, Gray remembered their smell, their approximate location in space and felt much more relaxed. Of course, he was always in control. nine0003

At home, tactile signals can be used: these are ordinary tracks made of a material different from the main floor covering. Your dog will feel the difference with his paw pads. By laying paths to all important points for the dog in the house, you can create a map along which the dog will move without fear of getting lost. If you have a private home, you can do the same in the yard with fresh sawdust, hay, or fine gravel. You can saturate with (various) fragrances in all important places: front doors, places for eating and drinking, bedding, corners and door frames. nine0003

Once a friend of mine asked me to help with a blind cat. The cat could not get used to the location of the doors and felt confused when she wanted to get into the corridor. Then we took an old mobile phone , set it to vibrate, set it to vibrate every 15 minutes and put it on the floor in the hallway. After some time, the cat realized that it was necessary to go to vibration and quickly got used to it. In addition, I advised to glue all the legs of the furniture and sharp corners with pieces of electrical tape. She makes a sharp smells , so it warns the cat that there is a dangerous sharp corner or leg nearby. Having stumbled into a corner a couple of times, she diligently avoids those places where it smells of duct tape.

So Gray lived for another 2 years. All this time I did not put a leash on him, he went everywhere with me: to the forest, to the river, to barbecues. He himself got used to the new state in which he found himself, calmed down, quickly figured out what to do. Ignorant people did not guess that in front of them was a deaf and blind dog .

To reduce the chance of injury in an unfamiliar place, you can buy or build your own hoop harness or cane collar. These are devices that do not allow the dog to stumble on an obstacle. Harness-hoop is an ordinary harness made of leather or fabric with a plastic or metal hoop attached to it in front at the level of the dog’s muzzle. As the dog approaches the obstacle, the hoop hits it first, protecting the dog from injury. The dog must be controlled, because. the design can get tangled in the branches of a shrub or catch on a piece of furniture. nine0003

Collar cane is designed for the same purpose. Long plastic probes are attached to an ordinary collar, which are 8-10 cm longer than the tip of the dog’s nose. Its disadvantage is that if the obstacle is narrow (post, chair leg, trunk), it will pass between the probes and the dog will stumble upon it. How to make such devices is described in detail in the book by K. Levin “How to live with a blind dog?” ^⚠

A blind or deaf dog can and should lead a normal life. And only a loving and caring owner can help her with this. nine0003

With a deaf and blind dog, you can play educational and outdoor games, search [5, 6, 7]. Toys for a blind dog are better to choose squeaky and flavored. This will make it easier for her to find them. For the blind, games with the presence of smell are suitable.

In a small article it is impossible to reflect all the nuances of training, I tried to talk about the most common problems and their solutions.

Good luck!

Notes

⚠ How to get acquainted with B.Eaton’s books “I hear, I hear!” and K. Levin “How to live with a blind dog?” can be found by e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]. nine0003

Additional reading

1. Olga Kazharskaya.