Blind dogs are often passed over for adoption because folks believe they require more work for less payoff. When most people consider adopting a dog, they envision evenings with the dog curled up at their feet, daily walks and playing fetch into the long summer afternoon. To many of these folks, a blind dog seems like less of a dog. People believe these animals can’t do everything dogs with normal vision can do.
That’s where they’re wrong, and that’s where Kellar proves that a dog who can’t see can still do all that fun canine stuff — including playing fetch.
Kellar, an English Springer Spaniel, is just three years old in this video, but he’s already mastered a range of verbal commands, which help him play fetch like a pro.
Blind since birth, Kellar relies on “hot” and “cold” commands to help him find the ball once it’s been tossed. Apart from sometimes totally missing the ball (and even dogs with complete vision do that), you wouldn’t even know Kellar is blind, especially from the way he anticipates the toss just like any other dog.
In a way, playing fetch with Kellar might be even more exciting than with a dog who isn’t blind, because it invites more interaction between Kellar and his owner. (And kudos to the Labrador Retreiver in the video who absolutely resisted his own inclinations and didn’t try to steal the ball from Kellar!)
Read more about Kellar on his Facebook page (where the top photo is from).
Do you have a blind dog who plays fetch? Is it similar to the way Kellar plays fetch?
H/T to Reddit
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- 9 Tips for Keeping Your Dog Cool This Summer
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- Be Polite to Your Dog — It Benefits Both of You
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