Melinda needs lots of patience

The amount of time spent pacing, seems to be shortening, which I think means she will eventually adjust. Just makes me sad to watch her at times. She does seem to get better daily. My vet says it is a combo of some dementia along with living on a tie out her whole life. To me it appears she is looking for something or someone. My blind dog does not like being alone and gravitates to people, voices and interaction. But I have heard of some amazing recovery stories that have happened with similar senior dogs like Melinda.

I could not let there remain where she was either. I used to foster all the time until my one aggressive male dog, so I have to keep her safe. When I took her in, I knew she would not be able to share the whole house due to my aggressive male.   I thought my basement and my kitchen would be better than to leave her out where I saw her when on Craigslist. My most recent rescue was a street dog in his former life, and even though he had three beds in the house he still slipped through the doggy door every night so he could sleep outside. It was a good three months before he decided he was safe inside.

There has been lots of advice thankfully to help her. I am doing all I can to let her know she is loved. Can you imagine spending your life after losing your owner to old age landing up outside tied on a short lead? And she is blind and hard of hearing… Why because her owners family was not prepared to deal with her. They had other dogs and kids that were more important… But they had promised to give the dog a home. And they did.

   PHOTO FROM OUR FILES

 I work at a no kill shelter and have fostered many special needs dogs, so I know to be patient and give them time to come around, especially puppy mill dogs, so I am using that knowledge for this blind girl. I have never had a blind one before, and am so grateful for all the insight I have received, to help her.

The kitchen the center of the home, where we spend allot of time in there with her. This is where she is most of the time. We set her up her own crate that she only went in once, so she has a safe place. I have slept with her on the kitchen floor several times. She does like to follow me when I am anywhere, wish I could take her threw the whole house, but this will have to do, and I try to spend lots of time with her after work, as much add all the others Poor little girl - but even good things can be such a huge adjustment.

Friends have encouraged me with comments like “My blind baby shook from head to toe when I brought her outside. Now she runs like a crazy girl but it took lots of time and patience. Thank you for bringing this special girl into your home! It can become trying when they pace like this but time and love will help.” I look forward to the day when this will be possible for Melinda.

I well do my best to be her new family and will be here for her till the end. She doesn't like the diaper but it's getting used to it, used to fight me, and now just gives in. Now Melinda lets me get closer to touching her and petting her more and more daily without cringing, no picking her up, I can hug her a little now, she likes when I sing to her.

There are some good ideas shared some I have used that might be helpful to others with dogs similarly life experiences:

“They live in a very dark world. Turn on the radio for her. " Since she has always been outside this might cause her more stress since she cannot see the source or be familiar with the constant noise. But if she had been inside, around the movements of humans that might be a good idea.

PHOTO FROM OUR FILES

“Have you considered putting her on a rope tied to something in the kitchen? Maybe she feels insecure without it. I know some might think it's not nice after you rescued her from that life...but maybe she needs a more gradual intro to freedom.” This seems to be a good idea for many. But not until she has bonded closer to me and we are ready to expand her world.

“You might try getting a training lead and when you leave a room encourage her to come with you. When she follows you reward her with a treat. After a while you can slowly start working off the lead.”

“Let her go at her own pace. It doesn't mean that there's necessarily anything wrong, I’m sure she's just adjusting.”   This is very good advise.

“Take her out for a walk or get her interested in something besides walking in circles. I took my older blind dog out on walks, so at the very least he could sniff stuff. It helped. She has too much energy and does not know what to do with it.”   First she needs to become comfortable with the limited area of the Kitchen and know she is safe from other dogs and people. And she is older not a puppy so I am not sure that it is an energy concern as much as it may be behavioral and anxiety

“If she was tied up outside she is not used to walking on tile. Make different pathways with the rugs. Might feel more textured like the earth.” Now this makes sense. I have tile in my kitchen. We are trying this, rugs from her crate to the food, across the kitchen to where the door outside is. Someone even suggested getting those large flooring tiles for children’s play rooms, with the alphabet that look like a giant puzzle on them that can be used..

“Hershey who is 15 has dementia and walks in circles and paces a lot. He also barks and stamps his front feet as he does it. My holistic vet feels it is just age loss of sight and probably loss of some of his hearing and sense of smell.”

“What about putting treats on the route she is doing for her to find. See if you can get her scent going. It is upsetting to see but you are doing an amazing thing for her.” I like this one and will try this next we are going slowly to build up her successes and self-esteem.

"She was severely matted. Her family moved to Colorado to be near the grandchildren and they took their other dog, but the vet told them the trip would be to stressful for her, so they left her with their sister, out on a tie out there, until she put the ad on Craigslist, so it had been a rough year for this little girl."