Hero found his favorite toy without help, carried it to Jane Stuart Brown and Rob Grubb, and placed it in their laps. For the working cocker spaniel, that independent act marked a striking change from the withdrawal and anxiety that followed the loss of his second eye.
Hero, who lives in Clevedon in North Somerset, lost both eyes because of glaucoma. His owners first noticed trouble on New Year’s Eve, when he seemed subdued, refused food and had a dripping eye. During a short walk, he also walked into their legs.
He was diagnosed with glaucoma in January and treated at Rowe Eye Clinic in Bradley Stoke, Bristol. Veterinary ophthalmologist Fergus Cronk determined that pressure inside the affected eye was causing severe pain. He advised that removing the eye offered the best outcome and performed the operation.
Seven months later, the same symptoms developed in Hero’s remaining eye. That eye also had to be removed, leaving him blind in July.
Glaucoma includes diseases in which a drainage problem causes pressure to rise inside the eye. Cronk said it is extremely painful and can cause blindness when it goes undetected. Veterinary ophthalmology guidance also treats acute vision loss as an emergency, so sudden collisions, eye changes or apparent loss of sight call for prompt veterinary evaluation.
Primary glaucoma is strongly associated with breed, and cocker spaniels are among the breeds commonly affected. However, that does not establish why an individual dog developed the condition. Research identifying susceptibility in American Cocker Spaniels also should not be treated as a precise risk estimate for Hero, who is a working cocker spaniel.
Giving Hero a job his nose could solve
After the second operation, Hero became nervous and withdrawn. He barked frequently when his owners left him, and the change appeared to shut him down.
Dog trainer Lucy Shipway, who had worked with Hero since puppyhood, turned to structured scent exercises. Hero learned to seek a specific odor, such as a tiny piece of clove buried in gravel or an oily cloth concealed behind a plant pot.
“We hone-in how to use his nose very specifically, how to work around the environment, to find a particular scent,” Shipway said.
This matters because the task gives Hero a clear target and lets him move through his surroundings using information available through smell. His progress is an individual outcome, not proof that scent work will produce the same change in every blind dog. Still, it fits with broader guidance on how dogs can adapt after losing vision.
Blind dogs can use smell, hearing, touch and a learned sense of place to navigate. With time and support, they may build a mental map of familiar surroundings. Different scents, sounds and floor textures can also act as landmarks, according to Veterinary Partner’s guidance for living with blind pets.
If you want to introduce a simple scent activity for your blind dog, try this:
- Begin in a small, familiar, uncluttered area rather than a complicated new space.
- Introduce one scent target or scented toy at a time and guide your dog toward it as needed.
- Reward successful investigation, then expand the search area gradually as your dog becomes familiar with the task.
- Keep the environment predictable and avoid pushing ahead when your dog appears fearful, withdrawn or reluctant to engage.
Scent games are only one part of the adjustment. Keep walkways clear, leave bowls and bedding in consistent locations, and block access to stairs, water or other hazards when necessary. Supervision is especially important early on. Outside familiar areas, a short leash can help keep your dog within reach while still allowing exploration.
Try not to carry your dog around the home as the default response to uncertainty. Walking through familiar spaces helps a blind dog learn the layout. Your goal is safe independence, not removing every opportunity to make a choice.
Every dog handles vision loss differently. Some adjust readily, while others may show fear, withdrawal, increased neediness or defensive behavior. If your dog is struggling to acclimate, or if anxiety, separation-related behavior or aggression increases, speak with your veterinarian. A referral to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist may be appropriate.
For Hero, careful scent work became part of a larger return to independent activity. Brown summed up that progress simply: “He’s a superstar. We’re so proud, of how he’s accepted this situation and he’s just getting on with it.”
Has this worked for your dog? Share your story in the comments.
By Michael Reyes — 6 years as a CPDT-KA certified dog trainer and behavior coach; runs a small obedience school for family dogs.
