Are You Leaving A Blind Dog Alone? Read This First + Safety Tips

As we grow old, our senses start deteriorating. We lose our taste, sight, hearing, and even touch. So do dogs. One main problem that arises among old dogs is losing their eyesight.

But is it cruel leaving a blind dog alone? No. Surprisingly dogs can adapt very well, very fast to losing their eyesight. Unlike us, they can navigate themselves very well through their other senses, such as smell. So, if you’re worrying too much about leaving a blind dog all alone at home, you can now have a much-needed relief.

Is It Cruel Leaving A Blind Dog Alone? 

No one can stop the gradual vision loss as our doggo friend grows old. It can be minimized but not eliminated.

And if a dog completely loses his eyesight, do not worry, as he still can hold himself up through razor-sharp hearing, the fantastic sense of smell, and touch.

But if somebody has a blind dog at home, you must be worrying 24/7 about how you would go through your personal life without your blind dog getting into a risky situation. That’s normal.

If we can’t see, there’s no other way of living our life than being dependent on someone else. But fortunately for dogs, as we explained earlier, they adapt to losing one of their senses. And leaving a blind dog alone at home will not be a problem.

Just don’t change any furniture around your home or put things on their way around before leaving a blind dog alone.

Moreover, do not change his food or water bowls or his bed where he lays around. Your furry friend can remember how he got to one place from another.

He remembers the route and smells that he’s familiar with. These skills will help him get around if no one’s at home. Therefore, the map he remembers will guide him for the rest of his life.

But for a newly blinded dog, you need to help him for the first few days until he gains confidence and adjusts to the new situation before leaving a blind dog alone.

How You Can Leave A Blind Dog At Home And Things You Should Consider

It’s true; the way you should care for an average healthy dog and a blind dog are two different things. A dog with no eyesight should have unique treatments, and there are things you should consider before leaving him at home all alone.

When a dog becomes blind, all his other senses will sharpen up to cater to his needs. Your pet and you can still enjoy your daily walks, family outings, and even games.

But now, let’s see how you can build a safer environment that suits your dog with special needs.

• Leave all furniture as it is but remove anything dangerous

As I explained before, your doggo knows the whole floor plan of your house. He will make a mind map about his surroundings using sound and smell.

So be careful when you’re removing or replacing any of your furniture around the house. But it’s better and wise to remove any dangerous things from your puppy’s eye level.

Thereby, he won’t accidentally bump into anything and get injured.

• Set up a safe place 

You can build up a corner with his crate and the bedding where he sleeps, including his food and water bowls. Also, don’t forget to place his favorite toys in the area.

• Switch on the radio and set up a camera 

If you’re leaving a blind dog alone at home with zero noise, he’ll feel lonely without a doubt. To minimize that, you could use a radio in one of the rooms of your home.

Not only would that give him a little engagement feeling, but also it will help him understand where he is according to the sound.

And if you have a camera inside the home – suitably a pet cam – even if you’re out of the house, you can still monitor your furry friend to make sure he’s okay. Likewise, it will give you a reassuring feeling.

• Use different smells in different rooms

The first few days after your furry friend loses his eyesight will be his time getting used to the new situation.

And if you could use different smells – probably using essential oils – in separate rooms/areas in your house, your doggo’s heightened sense of smell will help him map out the house more quickly.

• Mental stimulation is essential 

A dog with vision loss will get bored quickly. After all, he doesn’t have anything to watch to keep him occupied.

As a remedy for this mental frustration, you can buy him many types of chew toys and bones. Also, when you’re around, don’t forget to cuddle with him and whisper cute things in his ear.

How To Care For A Blind Dog?

Don’t ever think any less of a blind dog. Even though he can’t see anymore doesn’t mean that he can’t do things that an average dog could.

He can run around, go on walks with you and give you as much love as he gave you before losing his sight.

But now’s the time for you to show him how much you love him. The critical element here is how you continue caring for him. There will be several changes, but your love will still be the same. Wouldn’t it?

Besides the usual routine of your daily caretaking plan, making your house dog safe will be an excellent place to start your new caring plan.

When doing that, make sure you don’t overly change the look of your house by relocating furniture, etc.

Also, if you have other pets at home, supervise your dog when he’s with them. Because he’s blind, he cannot read the other animals’ body language, so your supervision in the middle is necessary.

Moreover, you could teach simple voice commands that your doggie will quickly understand, such as “danger,” “left,” “right,” “step up,” “stop,” and “step down.”

The summary here is if you assist your dog during his period of gaining confidence and your house is dog-safe, you can quickly be leaving a blind dog alone at home with no problem.

So, is leaving a blind dog alone still troubling you? I don’t think so.

Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts. Have a nice day!