It all started quite innocently in the autumn.

Every Labrador owner knows: A perpetually hungry Labrador will catch its treats—no matter where they fly. But that wasn't working so well for Lotte anymore. And day by day, her eyesight deteriorated. It took perhaps only four weeks before she could see completely.

A CT scan of her head and an eye examination revealed only that something is lodged behind the optic nerve in one eye. Whatever it is, the ophthalmologist explained to us that it cannot be operated on, even if that is indeed the cause, since she has lost sight in both eyes.

With many tears and much fruitless research, we had to watch as poor Lotte became increasingly insecure and kept bumping into things. Stairs were a nightmare for her.

Those who have experienced this believe that nothing will ever be alright again. But we have all learned a great deal from it.

A dog can be happy despite being blind!

Our tip:

Take a look around on Facebook. There are groups there for owners of blind or nearly blind dogs. The comfort you find there is a nice bonus, but the tips and advice are a real help. It's the owners who have the courage to believe that things will get better, and they do! Lotte can now see with her nose and is almost as happy as before. Even playing with a ball is still a huge amount of fun for her, as you can easily see in our video.

  • Get toys that make noise.
  • Let them search for hidden treats.
  • Don't rearrange the furniture
  • And praise your totally insecure dog all day long – everything is new and very difficult for him to learn.
  • Mark your dog with a cloth or tag as a visual aid for the blind. Some pedestrians will give way terrificly. not They're out because they don't know that your dog is blind.