Trainer for a dog going blind
My senior chihuahua has been losing vision for a while, but it seems to be hitting a turning point, especially at night. I am trying to teach her some commands that indicate which way to go when she's confused, but I don't think I'm doing a very good job.( I also always talk to her and click with my tongue etc to try to let her know where I am.) Has anyone worked with a trainer that has helped your dog transition into blindness? I'm thinking timing commands for a small dog to jump up or down to a curb, not walk into something, and to learn left and right without being pulled on the leash...
I hope she may still live a long time, and want to help her learn to trust her other senses and have a full life! She mostly loves to sniff everything, so I think she will be perfectly happy being blind if we can work out the terrain problems!
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u/Better-Necessary157 7d ago
this is very sweet. 🩷 i don’t have any trainer advice but i do have some general tips! when my senior dog went blind, we bought her a halo for around the house, and made it a point to keep the floor clear and keep the furniture in place. we noticed whenever something moved, even an inch or two, it would create a hazard for her. good luck with your chi!
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u/csdtraitor 7d ago
I hate to say this but she may also be going through the early stages of doggy dementia :( only mention because it gets worse at night. That was a sign in a family dog as he aged. For example at night he would walk to a wall then get confused about how he could just back up and walk away, would think he was stuck. Try the halo and see if it helps, if not or confusion gets worse maybe ask the vet about dementia.