Helpful hints - caring for a blind dog - Brief Article

Animals, Winter, 2001

From negotiating the house to handling the community at large, Caroline D. Levin's Living with Blind Dogs is a primer on how to help a dog adjust to impaired vision. Here's a sampling of her tip's

* Both indoors and in the backyard, to eliminate things that your dog might trip over, fall into, or knock down.

* Use a scent to mark dangerous locations such as the corners of cables and doorjambs. A scented oil, such as those used in potpourri, works well. Apply the same type of warning to new pieces of furniture.

* Use plastic or rubber to create pathways to the back door, the food bowl, the dog bed, and other spots important to your pet. This will provide a different sound and feeling under the paws that will help your dog develop a mental map of the house.

* While on a walk, assist your dog by speaking, whistling, or singing, thereby allowing him to hear where you are. You can also wear a cat bell on your ankle, softly play a transistor radio, or wear a pair of shoes that squake.

* Take your dog on the same route every day so that he will build a mental map of the neighborhood, as he has with the house.

* To overcome any fear of strangers, choose a cue word to alert your dog that someone is about to touch him. An unfamiliar person should be instructed to use the cue word and given a treat to feed your dog.