Good with kids?: unknown

Good with dogs?: yes

Good with cats?: yes

House trained?: yes

Crate trained?: yes

Age: 3 years

Weight: 50 lbs

Breed: Collie

Adoption Contribution: $300

Description: 

Meet Buddy, our 3-year old collie who is blind, but does not seem to regard this as a disability.  He quickly mapped the home where he is living and now only occasionally bumps into anything.  He has also mapped his outdoor yard and requires a fenced in yard for safety.  When he is outside, he feels secure and explores now that he knows where the fence is.

Buddy loves his people but also enjoys the other dogs in the household. He would enjoy a companion dog as long as it were not too boisterous since he cannot see.   He is mellow and relaxed and understands “sit,” “shake,” his name, and comes when he is called. He views his crate as a safe spot and is only put there with the gate closed when the family is gone or when they go to bed, both for his safety. He hasn’t been around kids but does fine with cats. He is house trained, rides well in the car but does some drooling when it is moving.  His hearing is sensitive, understandably, so he is not fond of loud noises like thunder and fireworks and squeaky toys scare him but doesn’t mind household noises like the vacuum cleaner.  When meeting new people, he is a little shy at first but quickly warms up to them. He does know what he wants and is not shy about going for it. Once when he wanted to reach his crate and it was not time for bed, he crawled through the cat gate to get there.  Another time he managed to find a bone which was bought for him, at the bottom of a grocery sack.  He took the plastic off and started gnawing at it without damaging any of the other packages.

Dogs who are blind need homes where things are kept in the same location so they can be secure as they navigate.  He shows a strong dislike of concrete, refusing to walk on it, and if he has to, he trembles, but has no trouble with linoleum.  He quickly learned to manage the 4 steps on and off the deck. His foster mom tells him “step up” or “step down” as he approaches them but he does not use a full staircase.   He is a lovable, smart dog, who is ready to curl up beside you in his forever home.  As with other dogs who are blind, Buddy needs a home where the family is experienced with dogs who are blind or willing to get training to help him live to the fullest.