How I Groom Blind Dogs

My family got a schnauzer poodle mix when I was younger. He was more like my dog though because I was the one who took care of him. I fed him and trained him and walked him. My mother has since taken over after I went to college and was unavailable for him. He is now 15 years old and has diabetes. His sight has slowly gone, and he is only able to see shapes. He may only be able to see light now. He knows his home though. He remembers where all the turns are and the furniture and the stairs. I am the only person he allows to pick him up. I actually believe he loves when I pick him up because he's trusts me and it's a relief for him to not worry about bumping into something.

With grooming its more difficult for him because he's being raised up on a table in a strange place with strange smells. Dogs like him struggle with getting groomed. I try to make it as stress free and convenient for them as possible. When I groom a blind dog, I make sure to bring my large table with a mat down for extra stability. I also have a guard I put around my table so that if they wander they will hit the guard and know that is the edge. I hook a grooming loop on them in a figure eight around their arms so there is no risk of them falling off the table and injuring themselves or getting strangled. I keep my hand on them at all times and move over the areas I will be working on so they are not surprised. I have a light I bring to make the area as well lit as possible so that they can use any vision they may have. House-call grooming is especially great for blind or geriatric dogs. Even healthy dogs become stressed with grooming, and for dogs with medical conditions grooming can be extremely dangerous if it becomes too much for them.