Pretty Miss Emma

I did a lot of filtering through this website when Emma first went blind. It's based in the US, and you do have to trawl through what's useful and what's not, but there is some good info on there. My Em went blind within a month, she ran a full agility trial on 4 October 2010 and was diagnosed as completely blind in early November of the same year. Neither of us coped very well with it at first. I cried a lot. But then I had to get over it as that wasn't helping her at all, it freaked her out even more than she was. At first she shut down completely when things went wrong for her. So I did try to manipulate the environment so that things would go right as often as possible. Nothing left on the floor that wasn't already there, making sure doors were fully open if it was a space she would want to get to, etc. But lots of teaching commands. I taught her step up and step down, they were probably 2 of the most useful commands. And I would tell her these for every step up and down she had to take including biggish cracks in the footpath. I also taught her careful (which meant that something out of th ordinary was ahead). Everyone else here has given you good advice in terms of helping her manage, I didn't use scents but I did use sounds - bells. I carried bells when she needed to know where I was. I also bought her a ball with a bell in it and she was able to chase that and if she was close I could bounce it to her and she could catch it! Something that was very useful to me was that I bought her a bandana that said "I'm blind" and she would wear it when we walked or if I took her somewhere and there were people who weren't used to her being blind. It's just useful because they can't see what is coming ahead and when they wear the bandana (or whatever) I found that people would move out of her way or if they could see she was stuck in a corner they would help her out, etc, etc. I think the thing that helped Em and I cope much better with her blindness was when it just become matter of fact. Instead of fussing over her if she tripped and fell I started saying "whoopsies, up you get" (sometimes I had to help her up because she was either a bit scared or her arthritis was playing up) and we'd just keep going. Thins take a bit longer with a blind dog, at the start you definitely have to slow down a bit, but they still have so much quality of life and they love spending time with you that bit more (you do become their security blanket a bit!).

I will come back and write a proper reply when I'm on a computer. My old girl went blind in the space of a month or so, but due to cataracts. My eye vet was telling us schnauzers were what their clinic was built around! But let's be honest any dog can end up with a problem! Anyway, I'll come back later and tell you about my experience.

I would only use a crate outdoors as a temporary measure. My dogs both have their crates in the house and they have kennels outside. Even if you tried putting a flattened cardboard box between crate and tray that might help with the noise. Can't help with the breeze, you might need to create solid sides for the crate to prevent that.

I'm tempted to say don't change collar/harness but look at training some different things. When Emma went blind I had to make a few changes. One was that 90% of the time I needed to walk her on her own as she would run in to Kenz, or if Kenzie crossed the path she would run in to Em. It ended up just being easier to walk her on her own so that we all enjoyed our time a bit more. But she was totally blind (well almost) when this was going on. I did a lot of training with her though to teach her "careful" (something is coming up you're not expecting), "step up", "step down" and "close" (and she already knew directional cues but we did a lot more reinforment of those). By knowing those verbal cues it was easier to keep her safer when we walked. I also attached bells to me when we walked so that she could get her orientation of where I was and how close she was to me. I started this early when she was losing her vision so that by the time she was blind she already knew most of it and that increased her confidence. Oh and I probably sounded like an idiot when we walked because I spoke almost the whole time!!! Particularly reassuring her and letting her know that if she stumbled it was ok and to just get up again and keep going. I found with Em when she first started losing her vision she lost a lot of confidence, but it had to be her getting back up and being resilient to know that she could. In the end if she stumbled she'd just get back up and keep walking. Just be careful about doing too much for your dog as it loses it's vision, teach it that it will be ok to keep going. I now think of it a bit like puppy socialisation - if they are scared of something don't mollycoddle, show them that it is ok and nothing to be scared of. It's a similar principle when training a vision impaired dog. The funny thing if you do traing them to "step" and be "careful" is that you suddenly become accutely aware of every crack in the footpath!!!! Little steps for us are big steps that they trip over!!! Good luck with your dog, and look in to the Blind dog websites/resources as there is lots of great information out there!

I'm really just interested to hear different people's methods for teaching their dogs to focus on them. How do you get them to think that you are way better than all those exciting distractions out there?!

Emma was on my bedside table for almost a year and now she's on a sidetable beside the couch where I sit every night. Kenzie also has a little vial of her ashes on her collar and I have a necklace that has some also. Put them where ever makes you happier!

Only because I'm interested in what people plan versus what they take advantage of!! I think both are of equal value. But I look at what I did with Kenz and what I have been doing with Hamish and I'm interested in the difference. As a youngster Kenzie had many formal training session, and she was so advanced at so many things at a young age. Hamish has had much less formal training and I can see the difference between them. The big difference I see is that Kenzie was taught early to "learn", which is something I haven't done enough of with Hamish and that is actually my focus now. So Hamish is now getting some more "formal training" sessions compared to what he used to get. And I think that people tend to teach different things in formal vs incidental, which seems to have been a bit reflected here (in that many have mentioned new things get taught formally whereas practice and proofing tends to happen more incidentally).

Ok, so I'm just wondering about this. How much training does your dog get and why? I'd love to do a bit more training with my dogs, especially as I want to trial them, but with the constraints of available time I just do what I can. Kenzie has had quite a bit of formal training and also a lot of incidental training. I view formal training as training sessions where you have a set goal and a bit of a plan. I view incidental training as what you do when you're out and about and as the environment/situation presents itself. Hamish has had very little formal training and lots of incidental training. If I had more time available I would plan out more formal training sessions and I guess I might see a bit more progress in my dogs. Mind you I love them as who they are and the progress bit is more about me wanting to get them in to trials!!! But I'm also wondering your thoughts one the pros and cons of formal training. I have to say Hamish is actually doing pretty well given that he only gets formal training maybe 3-4 times per week and for a total of around 30 minutes (split in to 5 or 6 seesions). I do wonder if you can overtrain (obviously causing boredom for the dog and I'm wondering if maybe you can creat a work-a-holic). Anyway it's more just out of interest, and yes I know the poll answers aren't all inclusive. The time one though, that is per session not per day.

Today would have been Emma's 14th birthday. I'm still devastated that she isn't here to see it in with us . I wish she could have met Hamish, I think she would have liked him. She is obviously still with us every day. Kenzie carries a little bit of her on her collar, Hamish has a little bit of her in him (genetically, not that he knows it or cares!!) and of course she is always in our hearts I wish so much that she was still here. 3.5 years just isn't long enough, but they were a great 3.5 years. Love you lots Miss Emma.

Sorry to hear this Kirty. You were her guardian angel maybe now she will be yours

Rogz, I love their collars! Both my 2 have only needed 2 collars - one as a baby puppy & then their grown up one!

Hamish does this every so often! And then he always bounces off and starts playing! Unless it was happening regularly I wouldn't be too worried!

I can't comment on treatments. My last BC, Emma, had to be PTS due to kidney failure but we only found out that was what was going on when I had to make that decision. The one thing I can tell you is that she wasn't in pain although she likely wasn't feeling very well (probably felt tired, and just that "not 100%" feeling). Because of how advanced she was there was no point starting treatment, but fluid therapy would have been the only thing that could have made her feel better. Good luck with your boy & enjoy your time together, I hope that he decides to ignore what the vet says and gives you lots more time together!

At the moment Hamish chooses to sleep on my tiled floor rather than any of the 5 beds he has available to him!!

Hmm yeah. Wel we've started to have a bit of humping of some select humans. But there is a pattern to it - it's all about excitement! Either they have revved him up a lot or they come in to the office and we haven't had a visitor in ages (so for Hamish it's really exciting just because there's someone new and he's bored!). So I'm now just being vigilant in those circumstances and he gets growled at if he decides to have a go! It seems to be working for now!

Kenzie Really want to get her RA Would love to get CCD (this is as much about me as her!) Maybe ET Would love to have the confidence to take her in to an agility trial Learn more and maybe practice towards something in DWD Just get enough focus off her to feel really confident with her off-lead around distractions Hamish Anything!!! Any training would be good! I would like to try and aim for him to do either/both RN and CCD We'll get started on some foundation agility work, I think he'd like that! Some tricks, Kenzie learnt everything and he's just started shaking hands (he's just gorgeous the galoomph that he is!)! The handler just needs to find a bit more time, inspiration and technique!!! ETA... I'd also like to get Hamish on some sheep I think there's a lot of natural instinct in thelittle boy!!! And I'd definitely like for him and I to become a bit better of a handling team in the show ring - that's training for both of us (and it seems so much harder than the other things I've listed here!!!).

I couldn't go this year :-( haven't been well this week. Not happy about missing a lovely day out (weather was great too!) and it was also the bc club fun day. Oh well hopefully next year!

Looks a bit like conjunctivitis. Both my 2 had environmental conjunctivitis a few weeks ago (as in it was caused by something in the environment and then no doubt one gave it to the other!!). The lump looks like it could be adding to the problem, but what do I know I'm not a vet!! I'm pretty sensitive about eyes just from past experience with my last BC so I tend to make sure things get looked at if they involve eyes, but like someone else said I wouldn't be rushing to the emergency vet! If you do get something over the counter at a chemist to treat conjunctivitis just make sure it is safe for use in dogs (google will help you more with this than the chemist, I taught my chemist a lot when I was getting stuff for my dog that was actually made for humans!!). Most eye products are ok for dogs but I have heard that there are a few that you shouldn't use in dogs because of some of the ingredients (apparently they do a lot of the animal testing of eye products on dogs so many of them can be used in both humans and dogs - my eye vet told me this which is also why she always wrote me scripts for human products for my dog!!).

I had a similar situation once when I went out to lunch and had Kenz with me. I didn't realise there were other dogs at the cafe (they were little so I couldn't see them when we approached), but once I noticed them I chose the table furtherest from them. Kenzie has a reputation for sometimes being reactive around other dogs. Anyway as we walked to the table the two little dog went beserk at her and it was one of my proud moments where she just ignored them and stuck close to me and didn't even look their direction!! Anyway the owner of said small dogs brought one of them up to asking if it could say hi to Kenz so that it "could see that other dogs are nice", to which I immediately just said outright no as she wouldn't like their dog and if it did come too close she may snap at it (which I don't want her doing because she is forced in to a situation). I guess I was lucky as the lady just took the dog away and for my whole lunch Kenz ignored them while they still just yapped and yapped at her!!! There is no way I'd let either of my dogs meet a dog like that without me knowing an awful lot about the dog first. eve with Hamish who is bomb-proof and loves everyone, I want him staying that way - I don't want him ruined by meeting an unknown dog that behaves that way. You are definitely well within your rights and I also think your responsibilities to do what you did.

I still don't understand what property classes are (so if anyone wants to give me a brief rundown about that it would be most appreciated!!!)! But I new so I guess that's to be expected!

I don't have an answer in your particular case but I guess it is possible. One of my friends a few years ago ended up with her puppy in emergency surgery though due to him having comsumed rocks and they caused an intestinal blockage. Your vet may be able to tell from palpating, and it may be worth at least having a conversation with them about it. I'd think because they are really small it would hopefully be less of a problem than larger rocks.

Kenzie gets: Munchkin, Baby-girl, Kenzie-pants, Kenzie-Kenz, Kenz, she used to get Rathbag but I don't have to call her that anymore!! Hamish gets: Buddy, Trouble, Baby-boy, and at work a couple of people call him Mishy! Old Emma (when she was around) got: Miss Emma and pretty much that was all she ever needed!! The cats... Oliver: Bubba (which he answers to with as much regularity as his name!) Poppet: used to get Stinky Minky when he was a baby, now he just gets Little One!

Check with the caravan park at Werribee South (I think). I'm not sure if they're dog friendly or how dog friendly they are but I know of someone who has stayed there during a dog event. Also there is camping available at the equestrian park, I've been to a dog event there and the dogs were allowed to stay. I assume that is allowed all the time. They have to be on lead in most areas but I think there is a little off lead area (don't quote me on that!!). The next closest I have previously looked in to is at Little River (I think), there was a house I think and I think it was horse friendly also.

Missymoo, I'm sorry, I'm so not clever enough to be able to get results (ie. make my brain work to remember to do such things and remember to watch what's going on other than what I have to do!!!). But hopefully someone else can help out! I was just happy that Hamish placed 2nd out of 3 in his Scottish breeds class (we're in minor puppy, so any time someone tells me he doesn't look as much like a silly teenager as someone else I'm exstatic!!!).

I like off leash parks, but I like them to be well planned. I agree when there are time restrictions it does mean that there will likely be a lot of users at those times which does increase the likelihood of coming across less considerate people. But if they are well planned to keep dogs safe then they are a good idea. All that being said, I don't use the off leash park across the road from my house because there are too many idiots near me (eg. let dog go to park on it's own, leave dog with 5 year old child as only supervisor, ride their dirt bikes through, eetc), and my council isn't interested in making any dog parks that will be safe for all users (they are all about reducing the number of them).