Alumni Update: Taffy the Blind Cocker Spaniel
Since submitting Taffy’s story for inclusion in Lost Souls: Found! Inspiring Stories About Cocker Spaniels, we installed a doggie door for her. It took her about five days to master, a bit longer than normal, because of her blindness. She had the concept figured out but would not use it without encouragement from us. Finally one day my husband and I were in the back yard with her and it started to thunder. Off she went, through the door and into the house in a flash. Immediately after that she must have figured out its ultimate purpose and started using it completely on her own.
She often just pokes her head out and rotates it back and forth listening and smelling when we are in the back yard and will do the same from the outside, checking out what we are doing in the kitchen. Then the little head disappears again. It makes us laugh every single time.
The little door has given Taffy more control of her day, as well as fun and mobility. In the warm weather she often went outside just to lay on the cool cement on the back step. It has proven invaluable recently while I was recovering from foot surgery and unable to let her in and out. Blind dogs can do anything!!
