If you are thinking about adopting a physically handicapped dog from animal welfare, for example, the main focus is to make sure that his character suits you. Despite a disability, it is primarily a dog that has its own unique characteristics and that needs to be trained just like any other dog. However, there are a few tips for every handicap that can make everyday life easier for the dog and owner.
VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND BLIND DOGS
Blindness in dogs is not that rare. While progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) or cataracts usually only gradually worsen the dog’s vision, an eye injury or sudden acquired retinal degeneration (SARD) can cause the dog to go blind almost overnight. Various other diseases such as brain tumors or glaucoma in dogs can also be causes of blindness.
However, blindness and visual disturbances are often not that big a handicap for dogs: They have sharp ears and an excellent sense of smell. In blind dogs, these senses are usually more pronounced than in sighted dogs, and the four-legged friends can easily orientate themselves in their environment. However, there are a few tricks to make everyday life easier for a blind dog:
- A dog that has just gone blind can sometimes orientate itself better if its owner wears an ankle bell. Bells on the collars of other dogs and cats in the household can also be useful so that the dog does not get frightened if he does not see them coming.
- Targeted scents, such as essential oils, can serve as a guide for a blind dog. So he can quickly find his sleeping place or water bowl in a new environment.
- On walks, a few acoustic signals can help the blind dog to orientate itself just as well as a sighted conspecific. To show the dog a change of direction, the owner can clap, knock or shout, for example. Signals such as “Attention!” or “Be careful!” are useful for warning the dog when it is approaching an obstacle.
DOGS THAT ARE HARD OF HEARING OR DEAF
In contrast to blindness, deafness in dogs is, in most cases, congenital. Deaf Dalmatians are relatively common, but deaf puppies are also not so rare among Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds, Bull Terriers, and various spaniels. In severe cases, ear infections in dogs can also cause them to lose their hearing.
Usually, outsiders do not even notice a deaf dog’s handicap at first. Deaf dogs mostly appear completely normal, even when they are out and about in play. Incidentally, deaf dogs also bark – some even very much or very loudly, others also “yodel” or make other unusual noises because they cannot hear their own utterances.
When raising a deaf dog, it is important that he forges a close bond with his owner and that he seeks eye contact, especially on walks. It is not a problem to teach a deaf dog a series of hand signals that represent signals such as “sit,” “place,” “here,” or “no.” However, he can only follow the commands if he makes eye contact with his owner in every situation – for example, when another dog or a jogger comes along.
TWO-LEGGED AND THREE-LEGGED DOGS
Dogs from animal welfare organizations that take care of stray dogs from southern and eastern Europe, for example, have a very special handicap: They only walk on three legs. In some cases, there are only two legs left. This is often due to traffic accidents or severe abuse that was not treated for a long time until only one amputation remained.
A missing front leg is usually more noticeable than a missing rear leg, because healthy dogs put more weight on the front legs than on the rear legs. But even dogs with an amputated front leg can take long walks and romp with other dogs with the appropriate training.
Dogs with only two legs can, under certain conditions, move better than many can imagine. For the two-legged, supportive aids such as a special dog wheelchair relieves the bones and joints of the other limbs. Mostly it is a self-made, in which the dog can be clamped with a harness. With such constructions, many people have given their disabled dogs back a large part of the quality of life.
In dogs with only two or three legs, the other joints are stressed differently and more than in healthy dogs. It can therefore make sense to give medication to strengthen the joint cartilage in order to prevent osteoarthritis in dogs. Tension in the muscles, for example, in the back, is not uncommon. Simple measures such as a warm, soft place to sleep without drafts and the opportunity to go swimming regularly help. This not only relieves the joints and strengthens the back, but is also great fun for many dogs – whether with or without a handicap.