| Your dog is a part of your family. They greet you | | | | down more than one step, we hold the leash close to |
| when you get home from a long day at work and | | | | her neck and say "STEP" loudly as she moves |
| never seem to have an attitude other than total | | | | forward. She learned after a few times and now is |
| affection, despite the fact that they couldn't get on line | | | | very careful when she hears that word. |
| and had to wait until you came home to go to the | | | | Get a shorter leash - one of the retractable leashes |
| bathroom. After their initial year (if you got them as a | | | | works great, but our other dog tends to chew them, |
| puppy), they know their place in the pack, and | | | | rendering them useless. Find a leash that is |
| appreciate the attention and your ability to open doors | | | | comfortably long (a 4 foot leash allows me - a 5'10" |
| and cans. Sometimes I think we'd be sunk if dogs had | | | | guy enough room to walk with her comfortably with |
| opposable thumbs! | | | | the slack wrapped around my hand a couple of times, |
| As your dog gets older, infirmities can set in, and we | | | | but a five foot or longer leash allows her to walk too |
| sometimes find ourselves as care-givers to our dogs | | | | far away, where she can tumble down an |
| as well as care-takers. Depending on your dog's | | | | embankment or bonk her head into a parked car if I'm |
| particular ailments, this can be anything from a slight | | | | not watching her. Depending on your environment, you |
| adjustment to a major change in your household and | | | | may either need to keep the leash real short or allow |
| schedule | | | | them more slack. She Bear's more comfortable |
| Becoming a seeing eye human | | | | knowing I'm close, unless she needs to go. |
| Our Alaskan Malamute has lived for eleven years, and | | | | Stationary Water Dish - you'll find your typical water |
| is a registered breed. She's full of life, loves to go for | | | | dish will be stepped in regularly by your blind dog. |
| walks, and is the alpha dog after us. Our other dog | | | | Setting the dish in a corner will help, but elevating it |
| treats her with the utmost respect - though when it | | | | works even better. We have a three gallon "water |
| comes to food, he will try to use speed and sight to his | | | | cooler" type dish that's in a corner with a couple of |
| advantage. "She Bear" is blind. Like many of her breed, | | | | bins on either side, making a "watering garage" She |
| glaucoma took her site in one eye, then the other. The | | | | can walk in get a drink and back out, never stepping in |
| pressure from the disease made her extremely | | | | the water. |
| uncomfortable, sleeping a lot and being grumpy to the | | | | Enclosed Outdoor Area - We have a few dogs in the |
| other dog (though never to us). She still has several | | | | neighborhood that wander despite the leash law. |
| good years left to her, and she's a great part of our | | | | Having your dog out on a leash without an enclosed |
| family. It is for these reasons we have taken on the | | | | space is asking for trouble. The larger enclosed space |
| financial burden of the surgery instead of euthanizing | | | | the better, so your dog can do their business, find |
| her. | | | | shade or sun, and have some freedom and security |
| When she first came home, eye shaved and stitched, | | | | Give and Take - You may find your dog wants to |
| my wife cried, empathizing with her. She Bear, on the | | | | "smell the flowers" more than they used to - plan for |
| other hand, sniffed around for any food within reach, | | | | about five to ten extra minutes for the walk, since |
| bumped herself toward the back door and asked to | | | | they're using their nose much more than they used to. |
| go out after a sympathetic petting from our children. | | | | You'll find they still like some variety too - don't just run |
| She didn't care that her eye was gone, she has no | | | | the same circuit every day. It's amazing how much |
| vanity. The things we can learn from our pets. | | | | more vigorous She Bear walks when I vary the |
| Helpful Hints for Peace of Mind | | | | course every couple of days. |
| Your dog is going to maneuver through the house by | | | | Canine Companion - Having another dog is helpful if |
| memory more than anything, but missteps will still | | | | your dog will tolerate it. Some won't, not liking the |
| occur. Gates at the stairs are the best solution so your | | | | change, while others will take to it quite easily. |
| aging pet doesn't fall down the steps. Find the kind that | | | | Visiting Canine "Nurse" Service - Many people have |
| are easy to open for you - the kind that "press in | | | | full-time jobs, and caring for your blind dog can be a |
| place" are not a good choice. | | | | problem, especially if they don't have a place to "go" |
| Keep the pathways clear - with a busy household and | | | | during the day. Look for a reputable dog walking |
| two children with plenty of projects, the pathways the | | | | service or neighborhood teenager that can be trusted |
| dog uses can get cluttered and cause slips for the | | | | to care for your pet. |
| humans as well as the dog. Keep the hallways and | | | | Your dog has been a faithful companion over the |
| areas as clear as you can of laundry baskets mops | | | | years, and now that they need you even more, you |
| and buckets, and other items that tend to get in the | | | | can make simple changes to let their later years as |
| way. | | | | comfortable as they were in their youth, and enjoy |
| Old dogs can learn new tricks. When we're walking | | | | them all the longer. |