Living with a Deaf or Blind dog.

Sometimes dogs lose one or more of their senses but they are much more adaptable than people are, though of course they do need a level of protection. If you house is on more than one level then the stairs need to have a child gate fitted so if the dog does become disorientated they cannot fall down the stairs. They need to know where everything is in a house and that the floors are not going to be cluttered. Dogs have smell and memory to back up their loss of sight and with care they can even be taken to new areas to exercise. Most blind dogs react well to a harness rather than a lead, that way they have more body contact with their owner. If you have had, the animal for a while before it goes blind you will have built a natural trust and bond and most owners of dogs find that they will follow their owners.

Deafness in a dog is a more profound challenge. They can no longer go out without supervision, you cannot call them back or alert them to a danger and of course, they cannot hear the dangers of traffic. Deaf dogs still respond to vibration, as they have not lost the sense of touch. It does need a little imagination to alert the dog but you can stamp your foot in the house, the dog is capable of detecting the movement.

As dogs age like humans the health does deteriorate but you still should have many happy years left with a dog, albeit a blind or deaf one.

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