The Blind Leading the Blind Dog

When I adopted my dog, Oliver, as a puppy, it wasn’t hard to imagine what he’d be like as an old man—because he basically started out as one. From the moment he was put in my arms at 6 weeks old, it was obvious he had the slow pace, attitude and soul of a very old, unapologetically stubborn geezer.

Even his bark was old. From the very beginning, he had the gruff, raspy bellow of a 97-year-old coal miner living on a wholesome diet of whiskey and Marlboro Reds.

I was prepared for “old man energy.”

I wasn’t prepared to have a handicapped dog. Well into his teen years, Ollie has slowed down even more—and is now totally deaf and blind.

Life with a disabled pet can be challenging, sure.

Surprisingly though, having a senior “special needs” dog brings with it a lot more joy and entertainment than I expected. I just had to figure out how to manage new rhythms and routines with a dog that needed a little extra help getting from “Point A” to “Point B” without running into a wall or down a flight of stairs.

Fortunately, in my line of work most of my colleagues at the shelter also have senior pets with strange, janky ailments. So it’s nice to have a community around me to commiserate with about all the adventures of caring for pets with special needs. And they often have great advice to share!

Here is a little about what they taught me along the way:

Focus on what they can do rather than dwell on what they cannot.

From paralysis to loss of vision to epilepsy, your pet may have been born differently-abled, or it may have come into its struggle later in life. Whether the disability is related to old age, genetics, injury or disease doesn’t really matter. What matters is what your pet can still do, what senses they still have and what activities still bring them joy—and focusing on creating more opportunities for enrichment based on their strengths.

If your dog is blind, for example, he likely depends more heavily on his senses of smell and hearing to navigate the world in the dark. So one way to keep him active and engaged is to make feeding time into a game of hide and seek.

With Ollie, I’ll put his food down in a different place every time that is near enough for him to smell, but not so close that he doesn’t have to search for it. It keeps him moving around and he loves the hunt.

Timing is everything—and sometimes takes longer than others.

Inevitably, a special needs pet will require more of your time than an able-bodied one.

But the good news here is that in a fast-paced world where you are running at full speed most of the time, enjoying the routines of your special needs pet can be a much needed trigger to slow down to a more leisurely pace and see the world from a more present view.

Routine, routine, routine.

Routine is important for any able-bodied pet but is particularly important for pets with special needs. An established schedule for bathroom breaks, exercise, feeding and medication helps your pet to feel safe and mitigates stress from unexpected and unknown stimuli.

A pet that gets around, sticks around.

Pets who have been in accidents or who are suffering from chronic illnesses such as arthritis may need help getting around, and for their own health and well-being, it’s important that they continue to get exercise. A few minor home modifications can ensure your pet is able to meet its most basic needs and keep its independence as long as possible.

Even though I was woefully unprepared for a special needs pet in the beginning, I have grown to see the wonderful blessing it has been in our lives. It’s kind of hard to sulk or feel sorry for myself after a bad day when I look down to see the obvious joy emanating from Ollie as he wags his tail like a dog having the best day ever even though he can’t see or hear the world he’s living in. He finds joy and adventure in every other one of his heightened senses as a result.

He’s happy just because. So it leaves me wondering, is it possible to find happiness in any circumstances? Ollie seems to think so. I think he’s onto something.

Jack Hagerman is CEO of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society.