All dogs are, in a sense, born blind.
It takes a few days for a puppy's eyes to open after he is born.
But puppies are born with their other senses well developed.
Their sense of smell, for example, leads them to their mother's breast soon after they are born.
But, dogs can lose their sight in many ways and for many reasons.
Sometimes dogs lose their sight because of selective breeding practices.
Sometimes dogs will begin life with excellent eyesight and then lose their sight because of an injury.
Still other dogs can lose their sight because of glaucoma and cataracts.
And, of course, just old age can cause a dog to lose his sight.
But sight is not the only well-developed sense with which dogs are blessed.
Dogs have excellent senses of hearing and smell.
It seems that when sight is lost, the other senses become much more acute.
Blind dogs, or even those with some loss of sight, should not ever be allowed to run loose out of doors.
They should ALWAYS be on a leash or fenced.
Remember that when you begin training a dog, he will be using senses other than sight to try to figure out what you want him to do.
Use your voice to instruct him and use a whistle as well.
You dog will also use his sense of smell.
Always wear the same cologne, perfume, or aftershave so that your dog will be able to easily identify where you are.
You need to be sure that your home is safe for a blind dog.
If you have stairs, use baby gates.
Be certain that outside doors are always closed and that the dog could not accidentally get outside.
Finally, attach a bell to your blind dog's collar so that you can locate him if you should need to.