Customer Reviews

New Skills for Blind Dogs

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Being the 'seeing eye person' for my own dog, Wiggles, who is an eight-year-Young Blue Heeler / cattle dog, as we deal with hereditary 'late onset' PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), I was hoping to see more familiar things that I've done to make life better/safer for Wiggles, such as padding corners at places where he has/would bump due to getting slightly 'off-center,' as well as making entrances to my home easier to 'find by nose' with scents and textures like cedar bark mulch, which has its own unique aroma.

Suggestions like making the yard more friendly for blind eyes -- in my case, that meant no more holly hedge, rose or hydrangea bushes or astilbe, and substituting equally lovely and great-fragranced old-fashioned lilac bushes for hedge, and keeping them trimmed so no sharp branches are at his eye level, and other friendly flowers like daylilies, Asiatic and Oriental lilies, which provide not only friendly foliage, but also great 'seeing eye smells' by which to guide Wiggles' nose. I've also installed 'pool noodles,' strung together with cotton clothsline cord and held at just the right height for Wiggles' shoulder by 'plant stakes' (may be procured at most 'big box' stores like KMart, WalMart, and also gardening stores, generally green-coated metal), through which the long string of pool noodles is 'threaded,' and located around the home and/or flower bed's perimeter. During the growing months, daylily foliage covers the pool noodles, but it is amazing how appreciative your blind pet will be of your efforts to help him/her maneuver safely in your yard!

Also, the video did not cover the very real dangers of water, holes, etc., that your blind friend cannot see. This includes indoor dangers like sunken tubs and the many objects that become hazards to one no longer able to see them.

The video did stress the importance of not moving furniture, and very patiently (sometimes almost too patiently, for suggestions were repeated several times) made sure the viewer was shown the few techniques more than once.

A good start to this topic, but it is hoped there will be more to come, as this is a very important subject to those who are blessed with these special friends and companions and to be their 'seeing eye people.'

We want to do our best to make their lives happy, and this is not difficult for the devoted pet owner.

Music played softly can be soothing, but the voices of two or more people can be confusing to the blind one. At times of frustration and confusion, the calming support and 'I'm here for you and love you very much' message is vital to keeping your special friend secure and content with his/her new chapter in life.

Please, love your blind dog as he/she would love you if you lost one of your senses: it's far from the end, but a new and blessed beginning to have such a role as seeing eye person. We are both just fine with our lives now and still enjoy playtime, walks, and normal life.

Don't let this minor hurdle stop you from loving and living a wonderful life with your blind pet. You'll come to learn the blessings of a profoundly special relationship -- you won't be sorry!

This video is exactly what people with blind and low vision dogs need. A visual makes the book (Living With Blind Dogs) come to life. Seeing the training steps makes it easier to learn.

Anabelle was rescued from a bad breeder. She's been blind since birth. I'm told by the vet she has glaucoma. I used this book to learn how to work with a blind puppy. She now, at 1 year of age, runs up stairs, walks on and off leash, runs and jumps off our furniture while playing. Next she needs to learn to go down multiple stairs. She will, at present, jump off 1 small step.

This was for a Christmas gift, it was received in excellant condition. My daughter thought it was very helpful and informative. This was an addition to the book.

I cannot say enough bad things about this transaction!! I never received my video!! And the seller never made any attempt to contact me!! And I've been charged for my product!! No way to get in touch with the seller, so if the seller is reading this, you better contact me because this is BOGUS!!!

I have Levin's first book on diabetes, cushings and pancreatitis and thought it was a God send. My little boy will be 13 on Friday, and although he developed cataracts from diabetes, an awful groomer (1st time I went there) scratched his eye with her scissors and tried to cover it up. I picked him up and his poor eye was sealed shut. That was 1 year ago, and I've paid over $2000 in vet bills because he developed eye ulcers which require morphine drops, an anti-inflammatory that he will be on for life (it is a tiny bottle with only perhaps a 2 days worth of medication and costs $25), an antibiotic ($48 a bottle and just a tad bigger than the other), and I take him twice a week to have 2 vials of blood drawn and centrifuged so I can use it for to repair his corneas (their own blood heals the eye faster). It works because prior to this, his eyes were sealed shut, and only recently they reopened. The ulcers are still there (there are 4) and he has to permanently wear a harness to hold his doughnut around his neck (I refuse to put the lampshade on as it is too tortorous and he's contending with enough). The groomer got away with murder of course. It is very difficult to manage, on top of his other diseases (insulin 2x/day, cushings meds 4 times a week, high blood pressure pills (3 plus an oral betablocker), and flagyl since his bowels are week. HOWEVER, my guy is a saint! He has taught me that the little aches and pains in life are nothing compared to what he is going through and still has time to want to fetch a "piggy" or "doggy" and play.

He likes to go out and read the newspaper (our lawn only) and I always keep him on leash; but he doesn't like to leave the property now that he's blind nor does he like going in the car (can't blame him as it is usually to the vet's office which is over an hour away). I would do anything for my dog, and a lot of owners might not want to contend with this amount of care nor the cost. It is a fortune between vet visits, medications and special food and supplies......and I have another bichon as well. There is no room for vacation unfortunately as I won't leave them at a kennel and I can't find anyone who will devote the time and effort I put in.....it is difficult because I have an 11 year old daughter who is now at the age where she'd love to travel....everything revolves around the dog.

As for the book and CD, I think it is great if you know nothing about the disease and where to start. Almost everything I've done, I learned by using common sense....that being said though, it is my dog that taught me the way he wants to live. He navigates beautifully through the house (he won't do stairs but didn't do them when he could see), he will do a step up and down as long as the area rug has a gripper on it. He goes in and out on the deck with his life preserver doughnut on....smells out his toys and our food, and likes to have soft music on when we go out. He is up steadfastly at 6am barking at the bottom of the stairs to make sure he is not alone and to let me know it's breakfast/insulin time.

At first he was very depressed when the lights went out for him, but so was I. I still cry to this day thinking he will never see me again....it's too late for the cataract operation as they have ripened too much and when it could be done, I just couldn't afford the $4500 to do them. One of his cataracts fell behind his eye so now the eye appears black (we thought he was able to see again, but the vet explained it is quite common for this to happen and it is better that it fell behind the eye and not in front as that is very painful). It all still breaks my heart and the owner goes through as much a mourning period as the dog...however, the dog doesn't know it's NOT supposed to be blind. For all they know, they may believe this is part of life....that suddenly you no longer see.....that is how the vet explained it and it does make sense. No matter how you look at it, it is still very difficult to watch them endure - not suffer - but endure....it truly effects everyone in the family.

We've been living with the loss of our dog's sight for nearly 4 years and honestly did not need the book - we used "easy" when he was walking into the things, but somehow I must reiterate, he taught us how to treat him...the biggest thing now is that he only wants to be touched or picked up when HE wants to..otherwise, he can get aggressive sometimes not realizing it's us.....he also does not like baths and will take my hand off if i try so i babywipe him and cut his hair myself. His teeth though are a real problem as the bottom gums have risen to cover the teeth and are very swollen......no dentist wants to treat him due to all his other illnesses so i give him socks with hanging threads and he sits there pulling the string through his teeth which helps a lot (his way of flossing).

So, if you listen, they will teach.....if they can't then buy the book or DVD! God bless all our blind and special needs dogs!