I adopted this beautiful blind and deaf cocker from you in April 2021. I asked what his surrender name had been, as Penguin didn’t lend itself easily to my practice of giving my pups names so I could make their own sing-song silly songs. Imagine my surprise when we got home and Sammy the Seal barked just like a seal!
This boy, now about 14, is slowly declining, but he’ll fight anyone, including my hand, who goes near his food bowl when he’s eating! Still RUNS to his feeding space, barks for me if I’m in front yard too long, snuggles (you can’t imagine how he melts into you).
He’s happy, mellow – but barks like mad at me if I’m too slow with meal prep. I have bells on his collar; he’ll search the house to find me and my smell. I simply touch him gently to let him know where I am, to guide him. I think he can hear something maybe. He has dry eye and used to see shadows but now sees nothing.
He enjoys short walks, and I use my other cocker as his guide dog. Sammy LOVES bones, but as he can’t see, if he drops part of his treats, etc, the other dogs might swoop in without him realizing it so I separate him or supervise him with treats. He’s fully potty trained, uses the dog door independently, and the only one of my four boys to NOT mark. Sammy is a joy.
Than you for letting me enjoy the blessings he brings.
Kelly Kittle
4/16/24
Are you the proud parent of a Muttville dog? Send us your story! Include three of your favorite photos and send it to success_stories@muttville.org with the subject line 'Success Story'.
