blind dog

[kathryn]

Hey everyone,

I have a question for ya'll.  I have a geriatric Boston Terrier that is starting to lose her eyesight.  In the last four days she has run into the bedroom door frame, a chair, and she couldn't find her way back into the bedroom after coming in from outside.  I have never had a blind dog so I am not sure what to do to help her out.  I never move furniture because that would mean I would have to clean behind it.  I just give that area over to the giant dust bunnies to breed in.  When I adopted her from the shelter they estimated her age to be around 3 years give or take a couple of years.  So she is close to 13-15 years old.  I know she isn't a big paw but she still thinks she is and she actually has me really worried about her.  I am going to build her a ramp or stairs to get on and off the bed but I am looking for any other ideas on helping her.  Thanks for all the help. 

Kat

PS. 

I attached a picture of her when she first came from the shelter.  Her only two tricks she ever learned were "get your butt" and "kill the snake" where she attacked the hose.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

It's so sad when they get old isn't it? My best advise is just to stay close to her to keep her reassured...Al so, your other dog(s) should take their cue & help her around...Best of all to you & your sight impaired baby!

[Senghe]

Don't worry, she'll probably adjust perfectly and in a few weeks, you'll never know she's blind. My old shar-pei was blind for several years and it was impossible to tell as she knew her way round really well.

It's the gratest excuse for not moving any furniture around! You're not lazy not cleaning under the chairs, you're doing ot for the dog's sake. 

[kathryn]

Thanks for the replies.  I told Michael that I need to get her a guide dog.  Sometimes  it's really easy to see the silver lining in a situation, isn't it.

Kat