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Blind Dog: How to Help Your Furry Friend

By Allison Lewis
Published on 01/14/2024
Reviewed by Dr. Sarah Brown

Blindness is not uncommon in dogs

PRA: Three seemingly harmless letters that shatter the world for many dog owners. Despite the numerous examples of lively handicapped dogs, the diagnosis of PRA is initially a shock for every dog parent. To explain: PRA, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, is a collective term for diseases of the retina. If inherited, PRA is incurable, and the blindness of the affected dog cannot be halted.

In addition to PRA, there are many other reasons why dogs lose their eyesight, not just in old age but also in their younger years. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Common ailments include conditions like cataracts (gray star) and glaucoma (green star). Whether due to an accident or as a result of an illness, when your dog loses one sense, it’s a significant change for everyone.

Nevertheless, it’s not a reason to bury your head in the sand. Most dogs manage to adapt quickly to the new circumstances. You don’t have time for gloomy thoughts anyway, because your dog is counting on you.

By the way: Whether your dog can see or is blind, pet insurance is always advisable.

At Home: Guidance for the Blind Dog

To facilitate the adjustment for your blind furry friend, an important principle should apply in your home from now on: Everything stays in its place. A simple but effective rule. Rearranging furniture would only cause unnecessary confusion and could lead to collisions.

For your dog, it’s essential to memorize the paths in your shared home and rely on them. Therefore, you should prioritize consistency in your furnishings and avoid changes as much as possible. This naturally applies to your blind four-legged friend’s eating and sleeping areas.

Other things to consider at home:

Dangerous furniture edges at your dog’s height. Reduce the risk of injury by attaching corner and edge protection for small children. Plants that “warn” about edges can also be beneficial.
Transitions, such as the terrace door to the garden. You can mark these areas with the help of the flooring. A doormat is sufficient for this purpose.

The Scent Guides the Way:

To help your blind canine navigate better, there’s also an obvious strategy: scent markings. Especially important places like the food bowl, water dish, and bed become easier to sniff out and find.

Is your furry friend already navigating your home effortlessly? Great. Markings are unnecessary. However, a scent might help in unfamiliar terrain, like during a vacation in a freshly renovated holiday home.

For marking places, essential oils can be used. Choose scent markings very carefully, though. While some oils are liked by most dogs, the sense of smell is highly individual. Exceptions confirm the rule.

The following oil blends are used, for example, in relaxation training:

Lavender
Chamomile
Lemon
Tangerine

Citrus scents for dogs? Just by looking at this short list, you can see how diverse opinions are. Therefore, only use scents that you are truly sure your four-legged friend will enjoy.

Make your own experiences. Always keep in mind that your blind furry friend perceives essential oils much more intensely than you do. When in doubt, consult an expert for the correct dosage.

Support Instead of Carrying

Give your blind dog the opportunity to explore and experience things at home independently. This requires the sense of touch. Your most important task: Keep the floor free of obstacles like shoes, toys, or other randomly placed items. The unexpected always poses a risk of injury.

If you have a small, light dog, the temptation is great to take paths for him and bring him to his destination. However, carrying him is not good for him in the short or long term. While this gesture is well-intentioned, it does not contribute to better orientation. On the contrary.

Just put yourself in the shoes of your blind four-legged friend. Imagine someone blindfolding you, suddenly lifting you, and then setting you down in a different place. Wouldn’t you also be confused? Guiding the dog, showing him places, is a better alternative to carrying.

Be optimistic, as experience shows that dogs who are not blind from birth but knew their surroundings before blindness usually adapt more quickly than expected.

Make Housemates Audible for the Blind Dog

Over time, the paths in the apartment or house become more routine. Familiarity from before blindness gradually returns. However, there is still a challenge for the blind dog: the “movable” – meaning you, family members, and everyone living in your household.

There is no doubt that dogs hear and smell much better than we humans do. But especially when a dog suddenly goes blind, the adjustment can be overwhelming. The solution: a bell.

Equip yourself with it at the ankle or wrist.
Your movements are easier for your blind dog to interpret.
The signal is particularly helpful when you are approaching your dog.
You don’t need to worry about unintentionally surprising him.
You can also attach a bell to the collars of other four-legged housemates.
Remember that collars with bells can be hazardous for cats.

If you have another dog and are not a fan of the bell solution, a dog tag on the collar can be useful. The jingling of the tag is also helpful for orientation when outdoors.

On the Go: Safely Walking Your Blind Dog

At least in the beginning, it is sensible to take your walks in a familiar environment. This helps establish a routine more quickly under the new conditions. How often you change routes in the future, go on trips, or vacation with your dog should be decided based on your feelings. Be conservative with new routes if your four-legged friend moves outdoors very uncertainly or even fearfully.

Leash or Off-Leash?

How you best navigate outside with your blind dog depends on several factors. In addition to the environment, the obedience and self-assurance of your four-legged friend play a crucial role. For starters, the tried-and-true long leash provides safety. But if you can easily recall your blind furry friend, what are you waiting for? Let them run!

Anywhere there are cars involved, it’s better not to take risks and consistently keep your dog on a leash. Safety first.

Blindness Symbol Ensures Understanding

Once you leave the house, you encounter people and animals who are unaware of your dog’s blindness. To avoid misunderstandings, outsiders should visually be made aware of the handicap.

Bandana, harness, or collar: There are various ways to equip your furry friend with a blindness symbol. You don’t necessarily have to resort to store-bought items. Your imagination knows no bounds.

Do you enjoy sewing, knitting, or crocheting? Perfect! Get creative and make your dog a unique accessory with a special function. For example, a yellow bandana with three black dots.

Be aware that:

you are not provoking pity but raising awareness.
other dog owners are more attentive and pay more attention to their own four-legged friends due to the indication. After all, you don’t want your blind dog to experience an unexpected “ambush.”
you can expect consideration and understanding. Don’t hesitate to point out the handicap if this consideration is lacking.

Interpreting Signals from Other Dogs

Since your four-legged friend can no longer process the visual signals of their counterparts, you must take on this job even more strongly than with a sighted dog. This is the only way to avoid conflicts.

It is crucial that you can assess the body language of dogs. If you perceive uncertainty or even aggression in another dog, you can react accordingly. Without your assessment, your furry friend could experience a very unpleasant surprise in the excitement.

Indicate and Warn with Commands

On the go, you are the eyes for your dog. Scattered glass shards, nasty barbed wire fences, steep ditches, or particularly deep puddles – these are all perceptions that you have ahead of your furry friend. Only you can warn your dog in time.

Since visual signals are now a thing of the past, all your attention is on calling and listening. To protect your blind four-legged friend from dangers, you must train sudden stops and subsequent standing still. Commands like “Stop,” “Attention,” or “Caution” are conceivable. Gradations of warnings are possible. Directional signals are also helpful.

Your voice plays a very significant role. Announce everything your furry friend cannot see through speech. This starts with stroking over the head or putting on the harness.

Moreover, with the right commands, you can announce obstacles such as stairs. Our tip: Consult an experienced dog trainer to select and practice the most important signals. This way, you avoid mistakes that could unsettle your dog.

In unfamiliar surroundings, you typically help your blind four-legged friend orient themselves with auditory signals. For example, by tapping on something.

Tips for Daily Life with a Blind Dog

The blindness of your four-legged friend suddenly calls into question some things that were once taken for granted. But don’t worry: there are good solutions for all the new challenges of everyday life.

Stairs:

Many sighted dogs shy away from steep and especially slippery stairs. The smoother the surface, the more uncertain the walk. For blind furry friends, stairs quickly become an insurmountable obstacle that triggers great fears.

You can help your dog by:

covering stairs with carpet or other non-slip materials. Self-adhesive mats don’t even need to be glued to the steps. Worries about stubborn glue or carpet remnants are unnecessary.
announcing the stairs with a learned command (see “Indicating and Warning with Commands”).
being very conscious and louder than usual while climbing stairs yourself. This also helps your furry friend to understand exactly where the steps are.

Barriers:

If your blind four-legged friend is still very insecure in their realm, safety gates for stairs are useful. This way, you have the assurance that the occasional misstep has no consequences. Even if your furry friend doesn’t get hurt, a fall leaves a great uncertainty that can set back the adaptation.

Does your furry friend have access to a garden with a pond or a pool? Remember to secure such areas outside the home or house as well. The danger is quickly averted with a mobile fence.

Car Travel:

In addition to stairs, getting in and out of the car can also cause fears for your blind dog. Depending on what kind of car you have and how well your four-legged friend copes with getting in and out, you should consider purchasing a ramp. There are now many different models available that make it easier for dogs to get in and out.

With a suitable aid:

the ratio between the trunk height and ramp length is correct. Because the shorter the ramp, the steeper the entry angle.
the tread is provided with a non-slip surface that provides sufficient grip even in wet weather.

Toys:

Shared playtime should not be neglected due to the disability. Challenge and encourage your blind dog just like a sighted one. In general, toys that are audible are suitable. For example, balls that contain a bell. However, when choosing toys, pay attention to safety.

Search games, where the sense of smell is required, are also well suited. Both a hidden food bag and special “game boards” developed for indoor activities can be used. But always keep an eye on your four-legged friend during these games.

Every adjustment proceeds differently

Young or old dog? Gradual process or sudden blindness overnight? The starting conditions are different for every dog. Therefore, how much support your blind four-legged friend needs cannot be generalized.

In addition to the dog’s age, how the blindness occurs also plays a significant role. Animals whose eyesight steadily decreases over an extended period naturally adapt to this condition. They focus more on their other senses even with minimal eyesight. This also explains why an ongoing blindness often only becomes noticeable in an unfamiliar environment.

A sighted second dog can provide orientation and security for your handicapped four-legged friend. The emphasis, however, is on “can.” Whether it actually happens depends on the individual team. Not every blind furry friend automatically orients itself to a fellow canine. Whether sighted or blind: confident, lively dogs go their own ways.

(Self-)Confidence Works Wonders

Have courage! Dogs do not wrestle with their fate but discover your shared world step by step, even without eyes. Give your four-legged friend the opportunity to do so—with consideration but without fear and patronization.

Trust your furry friend as much as a sighted dog. The crucial thing is that the sick or removed eyes no longer cause pain. Everything else will fall into place sooner or later with your support.

In conclusion, here’s a piece of advice I’m more than happy to give: Don’t forget extensive cuddling! Cuddling is essential. Thanks to their sharpened sense of touch, your blind furry friend now appreciates cuddling even more.