The Truth About Blind Dogs
- Chelsea Hindle
- Oct 21
- 7 min read
Rowan was born with a tiny, non-functional eye and half-blind. A few days after his birth, the local vet advised that he should be euthanised. He wouldn’t have a good quality of life and no one would want to buy him anyway.
Jellyfish was born blind in a regional area. At 10 weeks old he was dumped on the highway and left to die. His life was saved by a kind stranger but by six months old he was on the local shelter’s euthanasia list after a failed adoption.
Moose and his brother were dumped in a cardboard box and left in a supermarket carpark. Moose is a double merle, born mostly deaf and mostly blind. Later in life, he lost both of his eyes.
Despite different breeds, ages and backstories, these three dogs all have one thing in common–they were born blind and because of this disability their lives were judged to be worthless.
But this couldn’t be further from the truth—all three of these dogs train in scentwork sports, learn tricks, live independently, work on their behaviour struggles, and most importantly, are amazing companions to their people.
Blindness doesn’t mean a poor quality of life. But that doesn’t mean their lives aren’t slightly different to that of your average sighted pup. So, let’s take a look at some facts about blind dogs.
A Blind Life is not a Bad Life
For most people, quality of life is their number one issue with blind dogs. They can’t conceptualise that a blind life is not a bad life. It is sadly common for breeders to put down puppies with vision issues. In other situations, dogs with acquired blindness are euthanised as a “kinder” alternative to helping them adjust to life with no vision.
There are underlying causes of blindness that can affect quality of life, such as glaucoma which causes pressure (and often pain) to build up in the eye. Microphthalmia is a condition where the eyeball is underdeveloped and smaller than usual, and this condition can result in repeated eye infections. However, these conditions can usually be managed with the help of a good vet team. Blindness itself doesn’t decrease the chances of a dog living a happy, healthy life.
As humans, we rely a lot on our sight—but its important to remember that dogs aren’t the same. For a dog, their sense of smell is most essential to their navigation of the world. This means that the vast majority of dogs aren’t too bothered by losing their sight, and puppies born blind don’t know any different.
The bottom line is, blind dogs can live full and happy lives, just as sighted dogs can. As long as any underlying medical causes are well-managed and appropriately treated, a blind dog can excel as a family companion.
Dogs Can Adjust to Blindness
Blindness has a myriad of causes. Some dogs are born vision-impaired, due to micropthalmia, complications from the merle gene, neurological issues, or a simple fluke. However, other dogs acquire blindness throughout their life, usually from issues such as glaucoma, eye infections, eye trauma, or cataracts. And of course there are the dogs in the middle, who are born with low vision and may lose further vision as they age.
After receiving a diagnosis, many people worry about how their dog will cope with losing their sight. Obviously, this is a valid concern, and it is important to remember that dogs are all individuals. Some dogs may struggle at first, while others may not seem impacted at all.
A few years ago, I fostered a dog with glaucoma. One of her eyes had been removed prior to coming into care and during the period she was with us, her second eye had to be removed as well. For the first few days, Mia struggled with severe anxiety. She was afraid to walk, or even leave her crate. What helped her the most in those early days was sticking to the routine we’d already developed—breakfast, dinner, training sessions, and outside time continued as if nothing had happened. This gave her a sense of consistency and predictability. We also provided her with the physical, hands-on support she needed. She wore a harness with a traffic lead which allowed us to guide her around obstacles and support her going up or down stairs and curbs (think of a guide dog harness, but in reverse).
By providing her with support and safety, she quickly adjusted to blindness. Soon she was able to navigate by herself and shake off the occasional bumps and bruises she received like it was no big deal. Not only did she go back to “normal”, she significantly improved. Before her surgery, she experienced reactivity towards other dogs, as well as reactivity towards anything she perceived as “weird”. Research has shown us that reactivity often stems from underlying pain, and limited vision meant she couldn’t identify what those weird things were. While she was by no means perfect, she went on to be successfully rehomed and is living her best life in sunny Queensland.
Blind Dogs Love Having Fun
Some people feel the need to wrap disabled dogs in bubble wrap, just in case they get hurt. I get that urge too, don’t get me wrong, but this is definitely not the case. In fact, blind dogs love doing things and can have just as much fun as a sighted dog. Blind dogs can even compete in dog sports!
Many blind dogs gravitate towards scent-based sports such as K9 Nosework and Mantrailing. Moose, for example, has achieved several titles in K9 Nosework, Rowan participates in mantrailing, and Mouse, a blind (and deaf!) mixed breed has achieved several passes in ANKC scentwork and tracking.
Blind dogs seem to enjoy using their noses competitively, they are more than competent at an even wider range of sports. Blind dogs participate in Obedience, Rally, and Tricks. Some dogs with less serious vision impairment can even compete in flyball, agility, or Dock Diving. And Jellyfish is to our knowledge the only blind dog competing and titling in Sprint Dog.
But if you and your dog aren’t the competitive sort, there are plenty of casual activities you can enjoy together. There are obedience, trick, and scentwork classes aimed at pet guardians that are relaxed, casual, and welcoming. There are gorgeous walks you can do (perfect for maximum sniffs), and there are private dog parks you can rent out. Blind dogs can safely enjoy the backyard by themselves (if you take precautions). They can go on walks, they have their own signature zoomies and their own way of playing fetch. They can enjoy enrichment toys such as puzzles, snuffles mats, and chews.
You Can Train Blind Dogs
You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I’ve been asked if I can actually train blind dogs! Usually my answer (yes) provokes a sceptical frown or a raised eyebrow. But of course you can! All dogs (all living organisms, actually) learn through associations. As trainers, we use positive reinforcement to work with blind dogs, exactly the same way as we do with sighted dogs.
So while the basic mechanics of learning remain the same, training blind dogs does require some creativity, and it can be overwhelming for the novice blind dog carer. It only gets more complicated if your dog has additional needs, such as deafness or neurological complications.
Marker training is used by many trainers, and it involves using a marker to precisely mark when your dog does the behaviour you are aiming for. Clickers are very popular for this, but you can also use a verbal cue (such as “yes”). If you have a deafblind dog, tactile cues can be used, such as a tap on the shoulder cueing a sit.
Personally, I use treats as a lure for the majority of my blind dog training. I find soft, smelly treats (cheese, hot dogs) perfect so the blind dogs can follow the scent better. I keep my cues simple and clear and I make sure they are distinct from other common words we might use. Beyond that, all you need is a bit of “outside of the box” thinking and patience. Your blind dog may not pick things up at the same rate as other dogs and might need more repetitions to succeed. But succeed they can and will.
Blind Doesn’t Mean Behaviour Issues
The myth that blind dogs always have behaviour issues is prevalent and stops many people from adopting a blind dog who would otherwise be a wonderful fit for their family. Many people believe that a blind dog needs a person who is home all the time, that they need a “seeing eye” dog, or that they are more prone to anxiety or aggression.
Blind doesn’t mean behaviour issues though. Blind dogs are not more likely to have anxiety, they are more than happy to stay home while you work, and they don’t need a sighted buddy. Blind only means the dog can’t see.
Having said that, dogs are all individuals and many dogs do experience anxiety or reactivity. Blind dogs are no different. I have met and trained several anxious blind dogs, and I’ve also known many blind dogs who didn’t have a care in the world.
Behaviour issues also aren’t the end of the world, and as stated above, blind dogs can be trained and these issues can be dealt with effectively using positive reinforcement. If you have any concerns about your dog’s behaviour, reach out to a force free trainer who can help.
You don’t need to work from home to adopt a blind dog, there are many blind dogs who are more than happy to snooze on the couch while you work. You also don’t need to have a sighted buddy for your blind dog, though many dogs do enjoy having a friend. Approach adopting a blind dog the same way you’d approach any other dog. Does this individual dog fit my lifestyle? Will they enjoy having my current dog for company? Would they prefer to be an only pet? Will they cope with my work hours? Would they prefer an active family or are they more into napping?
If I could summarise this into one sentence it would be this: blind dogs are individuals. They have their own personalities and preferences, their own individual needs and wants. There are very few generalisations we can make about blind dogs, because they don’t have anything in common with other blind dogs by virtue of being blind. Even their levels of vision are unique.
So if you’ve been thinking about adopting a blind dog, step out with confidence knowing that blind dogs are amazing companions, brilliant, clever, loyal, and of course very loving.
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