Chase the blind dog
The
Humane Society in Dillon, Montana, asked if we could take
this blind youngster. Mostly a chocolate Lab with a little
something else thrown in, Chase was about 8 months old when
he arrived. He's your typical energetic pup, and doesn't
let his disability slow him down a bit.
He can see shapes and shadows, so he navigates pretty well for a blind dog. There are times when it sure seems he can see, and other times when he bumps right into something.
If you are more than 10 yards away from him, he can't tell where you are other than by listening. He's looking for you but stares off into space, unable to focus. Then all it takes is a simple word and Chase comes bounding over for a greeting.
When he gets excited, he jumps straight up in the air so high that all four feet are off the ground, his tail twirling like a rotor. He thinks this maneuver qualifies him for helicopter pilot school. We bring him back to earth, so to speak, by reminding him he has to pass an eye test to be a pilot.
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Undeterred by this set-back, Chase also displays his other aerodynamic skills by using his ears as wings. There's the sleek, ears-pulled-in look to minimize drag; the ears-half-extended look for cruising altitude; and the ears-all-out look for maximum lift. Something about this boy just wants to be airborne.
When Chase isn't busy showing off his aeronautical talent, he spends his time playing with his group of special friends, including Cheyenne, Jasper and CeCe. Together they run and roughhouse all day long in their dog paddock. When evening comes, they're all ready for a good night's sleep.
