My monster varies between demanding much higher quality foods than pure kibble, he has a refined pallet now.....and neurosis. There must be at least 3 and no more than 5 pieces of kibbles scattered around the bowl. Failure to comply causes secondary hunger strike.
2. If your dog is currently sighted, decide now what you want your house to look like. If you like change, redecorate weekly. Hell, if you have time redecorate daily. Trust me, they don't consult you prior to going blind-and moving anything can be disastrous. This includes placing items on your lap. Blind dogs often take a leap of faith (the couch was there, it will be there again) and land on a laptop, or worse-spaghetti.
3. Three is the new number. Multiply everything by it. If it used to take 5 minutes to do the deed outside, it will now take 15. If your walk around the block used to take 15 minutes, plan for 45. If the walk from the bedroom to the basement used to take 3 minutes....well, it's sometimes better if you just don't time it.
4. Get a thick skin. Petsmart and the likes are your best friends. Take your dog frequently to work leash skills and socialization-two very important skills. Plus...it's fun to see the faces as you randomly announce commands such as "right, left, slowly, backup, army crawl" as you walk down the aisles.
Just because your dog has no eyes doesn't mean he/she is diseased. I know that. But the designer dog moms at Petsmart doesn't realize that, and will think your dog carries leprosy or worse....the swine flu. What comes out of their mouths will astonish you, so have a list of quick-witted comebacks. .... If you don't think of a comeback until after she leaves, write it down! It will come in handy later. If you never think of a comeback, well....pie in the face might work too.
5. Don't think that you must give all pets equal attention. Not only will your arms become extremely sore from overpetting and fetching with the "normal" dog-but once your blind dog is acclimated, your sighted one will still demand constant attention, as this is the new normal for him/her. This is known as the "Love Whore" syndrome. (See photo below) LWS can be the most difficult of all to work around, as having a 75 lbs dog under foot as you do mundane tasks such as shower, brush your teeth, or do sit-ups is an extreme obstacle.
Most important things to know about owning a blind dog....no one will appreciate you more than a dog who fully trusts you to make their life better. Nothing is more rewarding than knowing your dog trusts you to make his dark world safe and fill it with light. A kiss and cuddle from a blind dog on a bad day is quite possibly the most wonderful feeling. The first time your blind dog exhibits true independence again after losing his/her sight is quite possibly more rewarding than anything else you have ever done. A blind dog will not judge you for your faults, and appreciates you overlooking theirs....they weren't aware they had faults in the first place!
Buddy's mom-A
Oh yes, love whores -- we have them here too. We call them "vizslas".
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine why those designer moms would be snippy about Buddy. I say, pie 'em.
I was the seeing-eye-person for a blind dog several years ago. It's a job I would do again in a heartbeat! As far as the designer dog-moms - they need to get a life.
ReplyDeleteOh great post for me today. I can use the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteWhere you been at Buddy Dawg? We been missin you.
ReplyDeleteBobo and Meja
Hello Buddy's mommy,
ReplyDeleteWe commend you for all the good work you're doing to help Buddy acclimatize to his lack of sight! Many affectionate licks and happy wags from all EIGHT of us and our biped too (though she lacks a tail ...:P and would rather not slobber another human being...instead she's giving your a wave and a smile!)
The Dog Woods Pack