My name is Lyra!

Let me introduce you to Lyra. She is a 1 year old Shih Tzu/Poodle mix who may just be the sweetest dog ever. Lyra is a bit on the smaller side, but it makes it easier to snuggle with her. She has the normal ShihTzu coat and will need regular grooming. Now before I go any further you need to know that she is blind, but someone forgot to tell her that! Most of the time I forget she is blind because of how much she acts like a normal little dog. We had Lyra to the eye specialist to see the extent of her blindness and if there were any issues. Ends up she is blind from birth from her eyes not developing properly but the specialist says that she is just fine, there’s no treatment or follow up needed, and she is a perfectly normal dog that happens to not be able to see.
She was named Lyra in memory of a beloved dog who has recently passed away. We felt what better way to honour a wonderful dog then to bestow that name on another lovely little girl. Lyra came to us from a rural pound where she was an unclaimed stray. She was full of burrs when we got her and needed a bit of a trim and a bath. She was good for her clean up and was proud of herself once all tidied up. Lyra adores her people so we know it must have been devastating for her to be abandoned by her previous family. We are looking for a forever family for her that will never again let her be lost or abandoned and will love her just as much as she will love her family.
Lyra will thrive in any home environment. Even with her physical disability she gets around just fine and stairs or changes in levels she figures out pretty quickly. Furniture is not an obstacle for her; she goes up and down on her own normal. She will bark a little at new sounds as she can’t see what it is, but stops when you talk to her. She does just fine loose in a yard and finds her way back to the door on her own. However, she is not a dog that needs a big yard; she prefers to go on leashed walks instead. She would be fine in a house, condo or apartment situation. Again, when walking on a leash she heals better than most dogs I know because of her sight limitations. She is a playful little girl but is not hyper or overly energetic. Her favourite pastime is snuggling so she does require a home with people wanting a lap dog and cuddler. She would do best in a home where people are home a lot as she loves being with her people. For the most part she just wants to be with you, be it on your lap of at least in the same room. She will let you know when she is not happy being away from you. She will, however, go lay down somewhere on her own for parts of the day. It amazes me how she knows where I am at all times and she is usually in the same room with me. When she is sitting with you on the couch she needs to be touching you as that is when she is the happiest.
When I got her she needed some grooming TLC, with a bad haircut and burrs in her coat. She sat on the table like a good girl and was never nervous around the clippers, scissors or brushing. She wiggled a bit when she had her nails done or trimmed her feet, but I feel that is because it made her feel off balance and just an odd feeling in general for her. She didn’t mind the tub at all, I think she enjoyed the massage. We are recommending that you keep her face longer and try not to cut her whiskers to help her from bumping into things. The specialist said that she will use her whiskers and face fur as guides to help her not bump into things so he has recommended whoever adopts Lyra tell their groomer not to shave her face down. She is way cuter with a fluffy face anyway.
When I take her in the car I crate her for her safety and she is quiet the entire time she is in there. She will crate at home as long you no one is around, the minute she knows someone is in the room she will let you know she wants out. I leave her loose in the house during the day while I am out and she has never done anything, I think she just sleeps, but she will greet you at the door when you get home. She does sleep in a large kennel at night with no potty accidents of late. Speaking of potty, you will know when she is about to go she turns in circles then stops to potty. When she goes pee she lifts one back leg, so cute. She is good in the house and knows to potty outside.

Lyra is good around both cats and dogs. She lives with my bigger dog in the house and other than jumping on him on the couch because she doesn’t know he is there she doesn’t really play with him. She would prefer to be the only dog in the home so that she can get all the attention but she is well behaved around other dogs. She is cautious when she meets new animals and then usually walks away. She is fine with kids as long as they meet her slowly. I would not recommend smaller children that will grab at her as she can’t see them coming and quick movements are scary for her. She has shown no sign of getting grumpy, but slow is better with her as not to startle her. A home with children over 10 yrs of age that are kind and gentle with animals would be suitable for Lyra.
I have not found any tricks that she does yet. She will come when you kiss/whistle at her. I have found that when you say “here” she comes right to you. She is food motivated and would be easily trained. She would benefit from a watch or careful command to keep her from walking into something. We are looking for a family for Lyra that will take her to obedience school and continue her education and learn different techniques to train blind dogs. She is a very smart little girl and catches on very quickly so she should be a star in class.
On a final note, her blindness is permanent. She was born that way and her eyes just never developed properly. The good news is she has never known a life different that one without sight and has adapted very well. When I first got her as a foster I thought for sure she could see a little as she copes so well but the specialist has confirmed her total blindness. Her eyes look a pretty blue and probably will never change. I do not treat her any different than my dog and let her do things on her own. She does not need to be handled in a special way she is happy that way.
If you are looking for a dog that wants to show you unconditional love and expects nothing but the same in return, Lyra is the dog for you! She doesn’t need a family to feel sorry for her, she needs a family to love her and treat her like any other dog. We are looking for a home for her that wants a ShihPoo to love and make a part of their family, not someone who just feels badly for her and wants to “save” her. Lyra doesn’t need saving, she needs a secure, loving, forever home. Could that be your home?
An adoption donation of $400 is required. This helps cover our costs for veterinary care including spay/neuter, vaccines, microchip, heartworm test, deworming and whatever else the dog may require.
For information on our adoption procedures and for an adoption application please refer to the Pound Dog Rescue website at www.pounddog.ca.