Need suggestions for newly adopted BLIND dog
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: Need suggestions for newly adopted BLIND dog

Way2prissy

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 02:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
My husband and I lost our rottweiler, Thor last month to cancer. Our house was unbearably quiet and empty without him and our dachshund, Robbie missed him terribly. We didn't want to bring in a puppy because we felt like we would be trying to replace Thor. Instead, we signed up with a local rottweiler rescue group to adopt an adult dog.

Two weeks ago, we adopted an older rottweiler named Kimo. The vet believes he is between 6 and 9 years old. His owner died and he was left homeless. They think Kimo has been blind for most of his life due to genetic defects. He is 100% blind and not a candidate for surgery.

In spite of his disability, he seems to be very well adjusted and gets around fairly well. Kimo doesn't require much extra "work" on our part. He already knows the layout of our house and eagerly greets visitors. He loves to fetch a ball and enjoys going for walks. However, he is absolutely terrified of carpeted stairs and he will not come upstairs to sleep in our room. I know he wants to be with us but nothing we try seems to work. A few times he has kept us awake with constant barking. We seemed to have remedied that with a radio but we would prefer that he be upstairs with us. Carrying him upstairs is out of the question as he weighs 100 pounds.

Our other dilemma is that he gets bored very easily. He licks his front paws obsessively until he gets little sores. The behavior modification sprays we've purchased do not work. We are trying to think of things to keep him busy and preoccupied to prevent the paw licking. He is alone a few times a week for around 8 hours and I think he is in need of brain stimulation during our absence. I've tried the peanut butter and biscuits in the KONG idea but he's done with that in 10 minutes.

Making Kimo happy is very important to us; he is a very special dog. Any suggestions, ideas or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Twiggyish

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Is it possible Kimo has had a bad experience with stairs in the past? You could put little snacks on the stairs and see if he'll go up a few at a time. Just put snacks on a couple of stairs. Then later put snacks on more. Keep going until he's comfortable climbing.
If that doesn't work, maybe consider keeping him downstairs.

Kealoha

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
(((Way2prissy))) I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It was very special of you and your husband to adopt Kimo, and it sounds like he loves you guys already. You said that he is getting along good except for the steps in your home. Does he do outside steps? The reason I ask is because I have a Samoyed named Sam that wouldn't do steps when we first adopted him. He was about 4 or 5 when we got him and obviously came from a home that didn't have steps. When we brought him home the first day, he just stopped short when we got to the 5 steps to our front door. We picked him up (90lbs) and brought him in. Now for him to go out he was going to have to do steps off of our deck into the backyard, with alot of help he learned in about 2 days. However, it was about 6 months (no lie) before he would go up our inside steps to sleep with us upstairs. He still doesn't go down the basement steps. I think he's afraid of them. So I was just wondering if it was just the one set of steps or all steps that Kimo is having trouble with? Maybe he just needs a little more time.

Squaredsc

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
im sorry prissy i really have no idea but i wanted to say good luck with kimo and like the others have said maybe his previous home didn't have stairs which could by he's afraid. i had a female rottie who i loved to death but she's with another family, long story. but maybe try the treats on the steps, that sounds like a good idea. also maybe kimo needs a companion animal to keep him company? does he like other animals?

Texannie

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I have no suggestions, but I hope it all works out! He and you sound so wonderful!

Way2prissy

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thank you Kealoha and Twiggyish. I will have to try the dog treat trick. I'll let you know if it works!

I really don't know much about his history with the previous owner. His foster family tried to get him up carpeted stairs and he would have no part of it. If he wants us to come downstairs, he will stand by the stairs and sort of bark in our direction. He will climb wood or concrete stairs as long as there is a riser (toe kick). You just have to tell him "step" and he goes up or down stairs. Kimo goes up and down our front porch steps (4 of them) three times a day. But for whatever reason he is TERRIFIED of carpeted stairs. He also hates to walk on anything metal.

Hopefully, he will want to be in our room and conquer the stairs. That was encouraging news that Sam was able to overcome his fears and climb your stairs, Kealoha.

Thank you so much.

Way2prissy

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I do know that his previous home had no stairs. Obviously, this is part of the problem but he seems to be getting better with them.

I do have a dachshund for a companion dog (?) Unfortunately, Kimo ignores him just like my other Rottweiler did! Probably the size thing!

Whoami

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
What about getting a plastic runner for the steps? I think I've seen those type. They're designed to protect the carpet.

If he's doing other steps, then the feel of the carpet must be what's getting to him.

I'd also try sitting on the steps, and encourage him up one step at a time. As he gets up each step, he gets to sit with you and get some loving. The you scoot backwards up one more step, and repeat the process. Could be, if you are at the top, and he can't figure out where you are, he can't get a good fix on you.

Squaredsc

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
aww your poor dachshund, lol. i have a bichon who was 2 when we got my rottie. at first my bichon was scared of her, we got my rottie when she was 8wks so my bichon was bigger than her, lol. but they played great together thank goodness. again, good luck. oh there was a pic in my folder of me and my rottie, it may be in the archives if you want to see her.

ed'd to say it's gone but there's a pic of granny's rottie.

Kealoha

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:35 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Whoami, I was just going to suggest that step - scoot thing, that's how we taught Sam!

Way2prissy

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I will try the dog treats and sitting on the steps this weekend for sure! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Smartiepants44

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 04:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
When my dog, Hudson, was just a puppy, he got his tail slammed in a screen door. Ever since then, he'll check on whomever is holding the door for him to make sure that they are looking at him when he goes through. If a group of people are going through at one time, he will wait for the last person or if I am in the group, he waits to go through with me. Maybe what Kimo needs is a good escort that he can trust to walk him up and down. Sort of like a seeing-eye person. Getting him to go up and down in the first place might be slow and difficult. Sounds like, with his skittishness about carpet and metal, that he has a fear of poor footing. My Hudson didn't like to come into the kitchen for a long time because the linoleum (sp) was slippery to him.

Whoami

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 05:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That reminds me of a dog my Mom's friend had. He'd wiped out once on the kitchen linoleum floor (as a puppy). The rest of his life, he'd get to the kitchen, stop, turn around, and back himself across the kitchen! I never saw it in person. But I've heard its one of the most hilarious things ever seen!

Lucy

Friday, October 24, 2003 - 05:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Who, I think I know the same dog that you're talking about!! The dog had a spill on the linoleum and from that day on walked backwards in the kitchen. Funniest thing I've ever seen!!

Prissy, doggie treats and paw holding always seem to work! Good luck, you're a sweetie for providing a good home.

Ketchuplover

Saturday, October 25, 2003 - 03:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
(((prissy&kimo))) :)

Way2prissy

Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 04:32 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Okay, I'm sorry to report that the bone on the stairs did NOT work. Kimo is a lot smarter than I give him credit for. He stretches his big neck as far as he can for the treat without having to go on the stairs! He's sneaky!

I still haven't tried the plastic runner thing. My husband has carried him upstairs a few times but he just won't go for it on his own.

Any other ideas? Maybe I just need to wait it out and see what happens...

Whit4you

Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 04:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ya well maybe see if you can talk to someone who's had a blind dog? I'm thinking maybe he's afraid to go up because he can't see to go down??

If it were me and I'm certainly not an expert on this but if it were me personally ... I'd just make it a goal to get him to come up to me (so he'd have to climb up the first step.. and then back down) a few times... then eventually he'd have to climb up two steps to get to you and you help him back down... and so on. One step at a time you know.. when he's totally comfortable going down two steps ... then add in one more after he's come to snuggle 2 steps for a few days.

This is just what I'd do but like I said I'm not an expert on this - I have a feeling that a few months from now if you guy's life depended on it he'd be up those steps in a heartbeat.

I think it's awesome that you took in a blind dog and are showing him some loving.. that's totally precious.

Grooch

Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 06:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
http://www.blinddogs.com/support.htm

Amchess

Friday, November 07, 2003 - 08:38 am EditMoveDeleteIP
My dog went blind - he was a precious little fluff-ball named Gismo. Without thinking, I moved the couch. He went to his spot and jumped expecting to land on the couch but nothing was there and he went splat. I felt so bad I moved the couch back right then and showed him it was there again.