Helen the blind dog
Blind
Helen was found wandering down a highway in Sandpoint, Idaho.
She must have been scared to death as vehicles roared past.
Fortunately she was picked up before she got hit by a car.
How she ended up on the highway is still a mystery.
The local shelter asked if we had room for this big, beautiful girl. No one had come to claim her. The shelter staff had fallen in love with her, and so have we. Helen is a sweet, gentle thing who just loves to be held and cuddled. After you get done making over her, she starts dancing and prancing in little circles. She'll lick you in the face and then roll over so you can rub her tummy. She thinks the face-licking entitles her to the tummy-rubbing.
Her heart is as big as she is … and she weighs in at over 100 pounds. She just wants to get along with everyone.
Of all our blind dogs, Helen is the least sure of herself and the most tentative in her movement. She clearly is one of those dogs who went blind as an adult and is still learning to adjust to the darkness. She has both progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts. Her loss of vision is so complete that she can't see shadows or the difference between light and dark. As a result, she is very careful and deliberate in her steps. She almost tip-toes around the house and yard.
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We have started taking her out with us on evening barn chores, and she's so happy when she realizes she's going to go. She is fascinated with the world "out there," despite her cautious demeanor. Helen is absolutely intrigued by the pigs … she hangs around by their corral, mesmerized by the grunts and snorts of these creatures much bigger than she is. She goes right up to the corral fence and sniffs them, nose to nose, then pulls away with a joyful look on her face.
