How to Live With a Blind Dog

Dogs that are partially or completely blind need owners who can help them cope with their daily lives. With a few minor adjustments to your home, your dog will get around with confidence.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Remove dangerous obstacles (such as toys or pulled-out chairs) in your dog's normal walking path, especially if she has recently lost her vision.

2. Use tactile and auditory cues, such as rubber or plastic runners along pathways, to help your dog navigate using the runner's texture or the sound of her toenails clicking on the mat.

3. Teach specific commands as your dog learns how to negotiate her way around, such as "easy" when she approaches hazardous areas.

4. Tap a nearby obstacle (a wall or furniture) to alert your dog to danger, and offer praise and treats for successful maneuvers.

5. Guide the dog by scent: Apply an oil-based scent to an area your dog needs to negotiate or avoid (doorjambs, corners of coffee tables and walls, chairs).

6. Consider using different scents to signify different things: Dog bowls might have a citrus scent; hazards might have a pine scent.

7. Maintain the arrangement of your furniture. When you add furniture, apply a new scent to that piece and repeat the introduction process.

8. Keep specific high-use areas--around dog doors and main pathways--well-lit for dogs that have decreased vision, as in the case of night blindness.

9. Place mats of contrasting colors or shades under your dog's food and water bowls and in front of steps and doors. (Also see How to Train a Blind Dog to Manage Stairs.)

10. Use high-contrast markings to help dogs with low vision avoid obstacles. Use black electrical tape on white doorjambs or white masking tape on dark stairs.

11. Introduce your dog to her new environment on a leash. (See How to Train a Blind Dog to Avoid Obstacles.)

Tips & Warnings

• Dogs may be afraid of rubber or plastic mats, so introduce them slowly (never forcefully) and offer food treats even if one toe touches the mat. Practice with your dog on a leash if necessary.
• Oil-based scents need to be reapplied weekly, but once your dog has developed a mental map of the house and yard, you might not need them. Scent options include prepared air fresheners, body deodorants and furniture polish.
• Have your dog's eyes examined by a veterinarian ophthalmologist. Certain blindnesses can be corrected or improved through medications and/or surgery.
• Be patient when working with blind dogs. Use praise lavishly.
• Don't train or teach blind dogs using negative or punishment-based methods. They're already nervous about their situation, and using negative reinforcement or punishment on these dogs could cause them to become more depressed, anxious or aggressive.

Who Can Help Sponsored

[caregiver123]

on 10/3/2009 All of you are great peop;e and deserve every blessing that comesyour way.It takes a special person to provide care like this and you all are their ANGELS!!! Caregiver123

[chrystalpath]

on 8/7/2009 I adopted a 5 day old orphan toy fox terrier. Andrew has my heart from the moment his cold near lifeless body reached my hands. Today 8/7/09 he is 3 wks old and yes he is blind. He has no eye in the right and does have one in the left tho cloudy. I am treating both with drops for moisturizing and hope that the left may come round to being sighted. At 5 days he had an eye infection and we did all we could for him to heal it and did. He is a voracious eater now and is gaining greatly. I have trained dogs all my life and have begun thinking about his special needs. I talk to him when he feeds and we have a snuggle time where I do his eye drops and I touch everywhere and assert myself as his safety net. I have made a point of letting him learn to self soothe when needed so he doesn't cry. Strangely enough his beanie baby friends do soothe him as does his suitcase...hey it work...

[MacDonald]

on 1/3/2009 This is excellent advice! I've never had a blind dog, but two of my four are older so you never know...

[freewaysmom]

on 10/4/2008 my 12 year old cocker has been diagnosed with cataracts. iam so upset he started walking into things and does not bark. i cannot afford the surgery and iam beside myself. does anyone know where to get thise oil based scents to mark things with that are safe for my baby

on 4/3/2006 I had a blind dog many years ago, and we did not know what to do, so we just tried a variety of things. We used to click our fingers in order for her to find her way to us. We used to tell her up, down, look out; which she completely understood. We used up and down when going up and down stairs, curbs, on the furniture. We never did arrange the house for her, and we moved all the time as my dad was in the Military. She learned her way around and adapted very well.
She was the best dog ever! One thing I would suggest; if she was confused, she would go around and around in circles. We had left a cord hanging down, and it caught her around the neck (we were lucky, and we found her, and all was fine). Never leave cords hanging down.