5 Tips for Helping your Blind Dog

Hi, Joey here. No question this week but I do have an article I want to share with you. As an "elderly" gentleman, I am having some trouble losing my hearing and eyesight. So I asked Momma to write an article about how pet parents can help their dogs who are blind.

5 Tips for Helping your Blind Dog

Often as our canine companions age, their eyesight diminishes. Sometimes it can happen at any age due to illness or injury. Just as newly blind people adjust, dogs can too. There are things we can do to help them in their transition.

1 -Have strangers speak to him and avoid physical contact until your dog is comfortable with them and approaches them.  Sudden touches from people who's voices and smell are unfamiliar, can be very frightening to a dog who can not see.

2 -Keep him safe by putting up fences and barriers around dangers such as stairs, pools, ponds, and balconies. This is vital for a dog who's vision has diminished.

3 -Keep him on a leash and close to you in public. You don't want to take the chance of him wandering off and losing you or becoming startled and running out in traffic.

4 -Keep furniture in the same place and don't move things around as it will confuse him. He will become accustomed to where everything is and become quite adept at finding his way around the house.

5 -Keep his personal items (food and water bowls, bed and toys) close together. The fewer areas he has to wander around to find things, the better. It will be less confusing and more comforting.

Bonus Tip-Help him develop his other senses by talking to him and petting him often, give him squeeky toys and scented toys, give him things that are fun to chew on. By stimulating his other senses, you will help him to develop them faster and make his adjustment much easier.