Keeping a blind dog nearby

8 days in Luberon with a blind Cockapoo

When I saw Lucy and Andrew's listing, I hesitated : could I cope with a blind dog ? I never faced such an issue ! I looked after many breeds, after puppies and old dogs, I faced sometimes illnesses during my stay but a blind dog ? I had no experience at all.

Mango needed, for sure, special care, having got 2 major surgeries in 2024. He faced a first detached lens around Easter, then a second one before Xmas.  

The vets did their best to save his sight but unfortunately failed... With two eyes removed, both his eyelids sewn, this 11 years old dog has become fully blind.

 

 

Lucy showed me a picture taken a year ago : this little chap (only 8 kilos) was so cute...                                                                                                             He looks now more like a teddy bear whose eyes have been ripped off by a nasty child ! But in spite of his major handicap, he's is in perfect shape. 

Mango had lost his sight but could always rely on his ear and smell ! Although his masters made their best to clear his way, putting chairs away under the tables, protecting sharp objects with cushions, adding carpets on the tiled floors to help him find his route, it broke my heart everytime I saw him hurt walls or stumble on a flower pot in the garden... Finding his bowl of water, climbing on sofas seemed rather hard sometimes.

 

I was told not to hold him in my arms -as he needed to cope with his new situation- but I clapped my hands to guide him when he stood in front of a staircase. "Mind the steps", "up", "down"... The clicker, used for puppy training sessions, was very helpful to warn him. But he managed often very well on his own, only a few weeks after his operation.And I guess he will improve soon.

When one musical toy was rolling on the ground, he tried to guess where the sound was coming from ! He could smell a rubber ball, follow it a little, grasp it with his paws. Looking at his tail which was waving fast, I knew for certain he was delighted to play !

     

Mango followed everyday the same routine : he enjoyed an half an hour walk before his breakfast and a shorter one in the afternoon before his early dinner. A path 100 meters from the house led to Bonnieux, Oppède & Ménerbes, 3 nice perched villages surrounded by cherry trees and vineyards.

 

     

 

There he could walk straight without encountering too many obstacles. With a long leash he felt almost free but he needed to be kept attached in order not to fall in ditches. He sniffed bushes, happy to recognize familiar smells.

His new harness -with the sign "aveugle" ("blind" in french)- warned potential dog walkers that Mango could not behave anymore like pets normally do. He would be unable to interpret an agressive gesture, a grin on another dog's face or a tail hidden between legs... His reactions could be impredictible if he was afraid.

When Vincent joined me, we went out everyday for lunch. We never left Mango alone at home, we took him everywhere. He behaved very well in the car, on the back seat with me, never complained and followed us in the villages, quite desert at this period of the year. Only one restaurant was open in Ménerbes ! Tourists enjoy less Provence in winter.

 

As Vincent and I  live in the south of France all year round, we do like winters.                                                  Temperatures are often warm during the day although nights may be cold, mornings bright or misty. We enjoyed to take our coffee on the sunny terrace in the afternoons. 

 

Mango often came near us while we were reading on the sofa. We could not resist to cuddle him. He often slept on our knees or between our legs. It may sound strange but I hesitated to switch on lamps after a nap when he was so deeply asleep, afraid to wake him up ! I totally forgot that even with bright lights on, he was remaining in the dark.

 

We both were fond of Mango and planned to sit him again, we are living only 28 km far !

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Sad note : Mango  has unfortunately crossed the rainbow mid july 2025.  Lucy has been obliged to put him on sleep, he was much too unhappy...