Every time we say “Handsome” I think of it as we are telling him how good he looks since he will never be able to admire how handsome he really is. Handsome is about 4-5 years old and is completely blind. He was rescued from the streets of Youngstown by an angel who has devoted her life to saving these forgotten pups. He has adapted well to home life. He has seen an eye doctor and there is nothing that can be done to restore his sight. The retinas are detached. His only treatment consists of eye drops every other day. He is completely housetrained. He lives with two canine siblings who have accepted him into their home where he has been non-reactive to the getting to know each other phase. Where as he was out of his comfort element for a short while, he soon learned to trust us and depend on us for guidance.
Handsome lives on the main level of our home. The stairwells are blocked for his safety. He does have to go down a few stairs to access the backyard and does well on his own now. A few trained words are in place, such as “watch” and “step”, which have been used to help him navigate. He has a fenced in backyard where he can roam and explore. He learned his surroundings on leash at first and gradually gained more freedom. Now he ventures out alone and knows where to go and where to find the back door to get back inside. The only downside is he cannot differentiate between garden and grass. He is the only guy I would allow to walk through my gardens and not scold for doing so. This winter has been a brutal one and enjoying the outside has not really been an option. As soon as that sun started shining and the weather warmed, Handsome loved getting back outside. He sits in the sunshine and listens to the birds and the neighbor chickens. Recently took a nap in the children’s sandbox. Handsome is a calm dog who walks fairly slowly as he feels out his surroundings. He knows where to find his food bowls and when 9:30pm comes around he knows exactly where to find his comfy bed!
Handsome loves going for walks. He trots on his leash like he is “free”. He visits with the neighbor dogs although he does prefer the calmer ones. He has become the machine as which to pull his human brother on a scooter. Handsome seems to enjoy it and always comes home happy. He seems to feel secure when family is around and he can just enjoy the smells and sounds. New sounds get a deep “ruff”, we tell him, “it’s ok” and he moves on. He is truly special and a pleasure to have around. He will be a wonderful addition to a home who can appreciate his special needs and will soon learn that their lives have been enriched by this furry friend more than they imagined.
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