How to Walk a Blind Dog

Whether they were born blind or are recently blind, blind dogs depend on their owners to be their eyes. Walking a blind dog is different than walking a seeing dog. Things we take for granted such as doorways, curbs, sidewalks and streets are complete mysteries to blind dogs and can be very dangerous if you don't plan ahead. Select leashes, collars and halters carefully. Choose a leash that fits your dog and gives you control, while providing the dog a little freedom of motion. Choose a collar that will provide you with the greatest amount of control. Choke collars are frowned upon, as a dog can lower its head and take control of the activity. An alternative is the prong collar, which applies an equal amount of pressure around the throat of the dog without pain. An alternative to collars, especially for smaller dogs, are halters, or halties.

Things You'll Need

  • Collar
  • Leash or halter
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Instructions

  1. Plan and Practice

    • 1

      Plan your route in advance when preparing to walk your blind dog. Try to avoid construction areas or extremely rough terrain.

    • 2
      Blind dogs look forward to getting out and experiencing new sounds and smells.

      Establish voice commands. If you have a blind dog, you've probably already learned that you have to verbally communicate with the animal much more than a seeing dog. Commands like "Wait," "Watch it," and "Step," are things you wouldn't say to a seeing dog but are critical to the lifestyle of a blind dog. Get used to saying them and you'll find the dog more capable of engaging in its surroundings.

    • 3

      Practice your voice commands and walking technique around the house before taking the dog outside.

    Walk the Dog

    • 4
      Make walking fun. Don't yell at the dog.

      Walk the dog using the leash and collar or haltie you've selected.

    • 5

      Follow the same route as often as possible so that the animal can map it in its head.

    • 6

      Speak to it often so that it can gauge where you are with not only verbal commands, but also with behavioral reinforcement such as, "Good Dog."

    • 7

      Walk the dog on the same side, usually the right, keeping it as much under control as possible. When the dog becomes familiar with the smells and sounds of the route, it will walk more calmly and even allow some slack in the leash.

    • 8