Dog Is My Teacher

I have a PetFinder widget on my blog and I look at the dogs up for adoption everyday. This will be in the Minnesota region. That is how I came across Santana a lovely Sheltie mix girl. See her and other dogs on PetFinder.


Santana is a 7-8 year old, 36 lb. Sheltie mix, possibly with Border Collie. Her background is a mystery since she came to the rescue group as a stray. You can tell from the pictures that her eyes are clouded over with cataracts - we were hopeful that she would be a surgical candidate to have the cataracts removed to restore some eyesight to this sweet, blind dog, but the news was not good - retinal atrophy caused the cataracts and she won't benefit from surgery.

Most dogs with retinal degeneration can lead a normal, happy life, according to the canine opthalmologist who performed her eye exam. This is a stable condition and Dr. Olivera recommends checking for inflammation during her yearly physical exam. There currently are no signs of inflammation, but she would only require some eye drops should she have any inflammation at some point. O

nce she is in her environment, she can map it out and she gets around amazingly well by memory and using her other senses. There are many blind dog resources available, such as www.blinddogs.com and www.blinddogs.net. It’s important to keep her environment consistent (don't rearrange the furniture, etc.).

Like all dogs, Santana would just like to have a safe home where she will be loved and adored like she deserves to be! Santana is calm and good-natured. She rarely barks (a big plus!) and usually only if she’s around a dog she doesn’t know. It’s almost like she’s trying to tell them she’s not vulnerable. She’ll also bark when the activity level around her is really high, or if she gets really excited, and even then she only lets out 3 or 4 barks.

She does well with the cat and dog in her foster home, although she does not seek interaction with them. She prefers her people! She does great with respectful children ages 6 yr and up. Because she can’t see you, it helps Santana to be able to sense your presence or hear you. She’ll be your little shadow! She’s so affectionate and just craves attention.

She walks well on a leash and enjoys taking walks. A fenced yard is strongly recommended to ensure Santana’s safety - especially if you live on a busy street with a lot of traffic.

We believe Santana may have had some sort of injury to her hind end, as she can’t lift up or wag her tail, but she shows that she is happy to be with you in many other ways!

She’s not familiar with obedience commands at this point, but responds very well to a whistle. Blind dogs are trainable, just like any dog. Please visit the websites mentioned above for more information. Santana is reliably housetrained. She doesn’t signal when she needs to go out, but is kept on a consistent schedule. She is crate-trained and also does well left out with the run of the house.

She tolerates baths and loves to be brushed. She enjoys car rides, especially because she gets to be with you! Santana is spayed, current on vaccination and heartworm negative. Her adoption fee is $50. She’s such a sweet, loving angel, and cute as a button to boot! If you would like to welcome this little darling into your heart and your home, please contact us at 651-771-5662.