Has your dog recently lost its vision? Or are you thinking of adopting a blind dog?

Blind dogs CAN and DO still enjoy life given the right environment. Most dogs rely on smell and hearing before vision so make the most of these senses with your blind dogs. Here are some pointers to make life as stress free as possible for both the dog and you:

* He will use his hearing to know where you are so talk to him a lot, especially when moving around, or wear some bells on your wrist that will make a sound when you move. It can also be helpful for him if you put jingling tags or a bell on your other dogs, maybe a different sound for each dog and person so he can easily identify who is where.

* Make sure you always talk to him before touching him so he doesn’t get fright.

* When your dog first goes blind, or you bring home an adopted blind dog, safeguard any hazards – put up some barriers or baby gates at any stairs and put rubber or some corner protectors on sharp edges at that are at his eye level etc. You may need to get down on your hands and needs to investigate any potential dangers!

* Mark any level changes or stairs with a different texture, such as a rubber mat on a carpet floor, or a rug on tiles or wood floor just before the steps. You will need to lead him up to the stairs slowly several times until he learns the texture change is a level change.

* Don’t move things around the house – once he has mapped out his surrounds he is likely to walk into any furniture that has been moved, and if you move water bowls he may get stressed if he can’t find it. It’s also advisable to keep things tidy so he doesn’t trip on things left on the floor, like shoes, clothes and toys.

* Remember that the blind dog can’t read body language of other dogs so it is your responsibility to watch any interactions he has with other dogs and intervene if there is any tension.

*Blind dogs can be just as playful as sighted dogs, make it easier for them to find toys when playing by putting a strong scent on his toys (avoid essential oils as these can be dangerous for dogs) or giving him toys with bells in them or sound chips.

* Create a safe space for him with nice soft bedding, or introduce him to a crate, where you can leave him when you go out and for him to go when he wants to rests. It will help to leave a TV or radio on when you are out so that he doesn’t feel so lonely.