[Sarah Hall]

My mom decided to not bring my camera to Napa, so I took some pics today of the little boy. There are also a few of Carbon stuck in here.
Looking Cute

Cute Again

Coming When Called

Called again

Getting Playful

Play-bow to Carbon

Jaw-wrestling with Carbon

Getting rough

Water Break while Carbon watches

Barking at Carbon

Attacking Carbon

Coming back around for MORE

Getting put in his place for being too cocky

So, as you can see the two get along very well and Hemi's blindness OBVIOUSLY doesn't phase him. He's even more cocky with people because he knows they feel a little sorry for him. Videos coming soon to the video gallery.

 

[Connie Sutherland]

Look at his thunder thighs! He looks so sturdy! :lol:

That play bow looks like he has a little vision, as you mentioned. I know the blind dog I dog-sat for a while didn't "aim" his play bows nearly that well...... he would do it, but generally a tad off-center, not quite aiming his face at the other dog's.

 

[Mike Schoonbrood]

He doesn't look blind, are you sure he's blind?

 

[Guest]

Wow, he really DOESN'T look blind! Maybe he has more vision than they know; his eyes are just too well focused in some of those. :? Hope it's as it seems!

 

[Sarah Hall]

He is blind, but his hearing is EXTRAORDINARY. No matter how quietly you walk, he'll perk his ears forward and follow you. So when Carbon is doing the play growly thing, Hemi knows exactly where he is. I also think that he can see in very LOW light, but only shadows at best. He will run into a door if it's usually open and for some reason it's closed, or if you set up the baby gate to keep him out of a certain area, and you walk and step over it, he'll run straight into it (it's one of the thick, sturdy white plastic ones). I took him, just to be 100% sure, to AVS the other day to have their eye specialist take a look at him, and they agreed with his blindness. If you were to see him in person, you'd see that faraway look that's in his eyes. That glazed-look that old dogs and blind dogs have. But he still turns his eyes in the direction of sounds.

 

[Connie Sutherland]

Yes, Regis also turned in the direction of sounds quite well. But he didn't have any shadow-vision and couldn't "aim" nearly as well as this puppy.

His eyes did look more blank than this puppy's.

Oddly, other dogs still took his blind stare for a challenge (occasionally), and he would have to be rescued or have his attention turned away.

Anyway, he looks darned good! 8)

 

[susan tuck]

Thanks for posting those pictures. He looks like one spunky pup!

 

[ann schnerre]

he is beautiful, sarah.

i'm so glad he fought thru distemper--and WON!! it wasn't that long ago that he'd've been dead. and i'm SO GLAD you hung on, and gave him the chance at life!

i'm sure you've already posted this *somewhere*, but just what breed/cross is he? he's just such a little tank --i love his looks. keep us updated--for once, maybe in some small way, we can pay a little of the debt we owe to all the wonderful service dogs, back.

 

[Nancy Jocoy]

What a cute little tyke 8)

 

[Connie Sutherland]

What a cute little tyke 8)

He sure is. I've looked at these pictures about 8 times!

 

[Sarah Hall]

I was told by the so-called rescue that he was an English Mastiff/ Tibetan Mastiff cross. I think he favors the tibetan in his looks and overall structure.
For those that don't know what a tibetan looks like, here's a few pics.
show male

6 month old pup

3yr old female with 12-14 week old pups

He is such a sweetheart, and really loves to learn. I'm thinking about possibly training him to be a service dog and then take him to kids that are either partially blind, or fully blind, to help them through their recovery. Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital is only maybe 10 minutes down the road from my place, so it would be absolutely nothing to get in the car and go.