How to tell if your dog is going blind

Last Updated on June 4, 2024 by Michael

Is your furry friend bumping into walls, tripping over their own paws, and generally acting like they’ve had one too many shots of doggy tequila? Well, my friend, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your pooch might be going blind. But fear not, because I’ve compiled a handy-dandy list of signs and symptoms to help you determine whether your canine companion is losing their sight or just really, really clumsy.

The Furniture Obstacle Course

One of the first signs that your dog might be going blind is a sudden inability to navigate your home without turning it into an obstacle course. If your pup is constantly bumping into chairs, tables, and walls like a furry pinball, it might be time to schedule an eye exam.

• Your once graceful dog now moves around the house with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop.
• They constantly have a look of surprise on their face, as if to say, “Where did that couch come from? That wasn’t there yesterday!”
• Your furniture has more dents and dings than a demolition derby car.

There could be other explanations for your dog’s sudden clumsiness. Maybe they’re just really excited to see you and can’t contain their enthusiasm. Or maybe they’ve been secretly binge-watching “American Ninja Warrior” and are trying to recreate the obstacle course in your living room. But if the bumbling behavior persists, it’s probably time to get those peepers checked out.

The Treat Test

Another way to tell if your dog is going blind is to conduct the highly scientific “treat test.” This involves holding a tasty morsel in front of your dog’s face and seeing if they can locate it using their sense of smell alone.

Here’s how it works:

1. Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose and wait for them to sniff it out.
2. Slowly move the treat to one side of their face and see if they follow it with their eyes.
3. If they can’t seem to locate the treat and start to panic, there’s a good chance their vision is impaired.

Now, before you start freaking out and googling “guide dogs for blind dogs,” there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, some dogs are just really bad at the treat test. They get so excited by the prospect of a snack that they forget to use their eyes and just start wildly sniffing in all directions. Secondly, if your dog is a bit on the chunky side, they might just be too lazy to follow the treat with their eyes. In that case, you might want to try the “squeaky toy test” instead.

The Staring Contest

If you’ve ever found yourself locked in a staring contest with your dog, only to realize that they’re not actually looking at you, but rather through you with a vacant, glassy-eyed stare, it might be a sign that their vision is starting to fail.

• Your dog used to greet you at the door with a wagging tail and a sparkle in their eye. Now, they just stare blankly in your general direction, as if trying to remember who you are.
• You used to be able to communicate with your dog using subtle facial expressions and gestures. Now, you have to practically shout and wave your arms like a traffic controller to get their attention.
• Your dog has started to develop a thousand-yard stare that would make even the most seasoned war veteran uncomfortable.

There could be other explanations for your dog’s vacant stare. Maybe they’re just really deep in thought, pondering the meaning of life and the existence of squirrels. Or maybe they’re just trying to communicate with you telepathically. But if the blank stares persist, it might be time to get those eyes checked out.

The Velcro Dog

If your once independent pup has suddenly become a stage-five clinger, following you around the house like a furry shadow and refusing to let you out of their sight (or lack thereof), it could be a sign that they’re losing their vision and are feeling a bit insecure.

• Your dog used to be content to nap in the sun or chew on a toy while you went about your business. Now, they follow you from room to room like a lost puppy, even when you’re just going to the bathroom.
• They’ve started to whine and cry whenever you leave the room, as if they’re afraid they’ll never see you again (which, to be fair, they might not).
• They’ve taken to sleeping on top of you like a weighted blanket, as if trying to make sure you don’t disappear in the middle of the night.

While it’s natural for dogs to want to be close to their humans, especially as they get older, a sudden increase in clinginess could be a sign that they’re feeling vulnerable and in need of extra reassurance. So, if your once aloof pup has turned into a furry barnacle, it might be time to schedule a vet visit.

The Doggy Bumper Cars

If your dog has started to play bumper cars with other dogs at the park, slamming into them like a furry wrecking ball and generally causing chaos, it could be a sign that they’re having trouble seeing their playmates.

• Your dog used to be the star of the dog park, deftly weaving in and out of the other pups like a canine ballerina. Now, they just barrel into them like a furry freight train.
• They’ve started to play a little too rough, mistaking tails for toys and paws for chew toys.
• The other dog owners have started to give you dirty looks and mutter under their breath about “that blind dog.”

There could be other explanations for your dog’s sudden lack of social graces. Maybe they’re just really excited to make new friends and don’t know their own strength. Or maybe they’re just trying to establish dominance over the other dogs, like a furry version of “The Alpha Dog Whisperer.” But if the rough play persists, it might be time to get those eyes checked out.

The Doggy GPS

If your dog has started to wander aimlessly around the house or yard, as if they’ve lost their internal GPS and can’t find their way back to the food bowl, it could be a sign that their vision is starting to fail.

• Your once active pup now spends most of their time wandering in circles, as if trying to remember where they left their keys.
• They’ve started to walk into walls and furniture, as if playing a furry version of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”
• They’ve developed a sudden fascination with corners, as if trying to figure out how they work.

While it’s normal for older dogs to slow down and take a few extra naps, a sudden increase in aimless wandering could be a sign that they’re having trouble navigating their environment. So, if your dog has started to act like a furry version of a drunken sailor, it might be time to get those peepers checked out.

The Doggy Daredevil

If your once cautious pup has suddenly become a furry daredevil, leaping off furniture and barreling down stairs like a canine Evel Knievel, it could be a sign that they’re having trouble judging distances and depth perception.

• Your dog used to carefully navigate the stairs, taking each step with the precision of a surgeon. Now, they just launch themselves down the staircase like a furry rocket.
• They’ve started to jump off the couch and bed with reckless abandon, as if trying to set a new world record for “longest dog jump.”
• They’ve developed a sudden interest in extreme sports, like base jumping off the back of the couch or snowboarding down the hallway.

While it’s great to see your dog embracing their inner thrill-seeker, sudden changes in behavior could be a sign that they’re having trouble seeing obstacles and judging distances. So, if your once cautious pup has turned into a furry version of a stunt double, it might be time to get those eyes checked out.

The Doggy Houdini

If your once obedient pup has suddenly started to ignore your commands and wander off on their own, as if they’ve developed selective hearing (or selective vision), it could be a sign that they’re having trouble seeing your hand signals and facial expressions.

• You used to be able to communicate with your dog using a complex system of hand signals and whistles, like a furry version of the Navy SEALs. Now, they just stare at you blankly, as if trying to remember what “sit” means.
• They’ve started to wander off on their own during walks, as if following some invisible scent trail that only they can see.
• They’ve developed a sudden case of doggy amnesia, forgetting all of their training and reverting back to their wild, untamed ways.

While it’s natural for dogs to have selective hearing (especially when it comes to the word “bath”), sudden changes in obedience could be a sign that they’re having trouble seeing your visual cues. So, if your once well-behaved pup has turned into a furry version of Harry Houdini, it might be time to get those peepers checked out.

The Doggy Zen Master

If your once playful pup has suddenly become a furry zen master, spending most of their time sitting quietly and staring off into space, as if contemplating the meaning of life (or the meaning of dog treats), it could be a sign that they’re having trouble seeing the world around them.

• Your dog used to be the life of the party, always ready to play fetch or chase a ball. Now, they just sit quietly in the corner, as if trying to achieve a higher state of consciousness.
• They’ve started to spend more time sleeping and less time exploring, as if conserving their energy for some unknown purpose.
• They’ve developed a sudden interest in meditation and yoga, as if trying to find inner peace in a world that’s slowly fading away.

While it’s great to see your dog embracing their inner zen master, sudden changes in behavior could be a sign that they’re having trouble engaging with the world around them. So, if your once playful pup has turned into a furry version of a Buddhist monk, it might be time to get those eyes checked out.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, going blind is a natural part of the aging process for many dogs. While it can be scary and overwhelming for both you and your furry friend, there are plenty of ways to help them adjust to their new reality.

• Keep their environment consistent and clutter-free to help them navigate more easily.
• Use verbal cues and tactile signals to communicate with them, since they can’t rely on visual cues anymore.
• Give them plenty of love and reassurance, since they may be feeling vulnerable and scared.

And most importantly, don’t forget to cherish every moment you have with your furry friend, whether they can see you or not. After all, love is blind (but dogs are even blinder).