The Blind Leading the Blind

Lottie meeting Lacey the sheltie

My good friend, Diana, has an older sheltie named Lacey who has been losing her sight over that past few months. As this has happened, Lacey has become more shy and fearful in her home. Recently the vision loss has accelerated, and the past couple of weeks have found Lacey afraid to
go outside at all, and certainly unwilling to go for her daily walk down the driveway to the mailbox with Diana. I realized that although dogs who are blind from birth seem to get on exceptionally well with limited or no vision, dogs who lose their sight seem to have an extremely difficult time making the adjustment. I had also noticed that these "lethal white" dogs like Lottie tend to have a special affinity for each other - it's like they can recognize the limited sight and hearing in each other, and choose to spend time with others more like themselves. I wondered if there would be a chance that Lottie could recognize the blindness in Lacey, and somehow be able to help Lacey cope by demonstrating Lottie's own enthusiasm for life, despite the blindness. I wasn't exactly sure how I thought might happen, but it wouldn't hurt to try . . .
So last weekend I drove Lottie to Diana's house, and we introduced the
dogs. Lacey seemed very interested in Lottie from the moment Lottie came into the garage. Lottie greeted Lacey politely, then ran around the garage looking for food (evidently Lottie's mommy never feeds her), and Lacey followed Lottie around. So far so good. Then we put a leash on Lacey, and along with Diana's other dog, the two humans and three dogs went for a walk down the driveway. And Lacey came! I had to keep making Lottie go back and check in with Lacey, but Lacey followed us, and Lottie, all the way to the road. Diana said Lacey hadn't walked to the end of the driveway since the spring!
Later this week I spoke to Diana, who told me the change in Lacey since Lottie's visit has been phenomenal.  Lacey has not only been going for walks down the driveway again, but she's also been out sunning herself in her yard.  This, too, is an improvement, since she has been afraid to leave the house or garage for quite a while, until now.   So, mission accomplished.
I've always felt that Lottie was here to help others :-)

 

Diana walking with Lottie, while Lacey follows her new blind friend