Some of these are treatable, but unfortunately some are not and may lead to sudden or gradual onset blindness. Dogs vary in how they react to becoming blind. As a general rule, older, smaller dogs often cope better with blindness than young, large and boisterous dogs. However, every dog is different, and many owners are pleasantly surprised at how well their pet copes. There are many things that you as an owner of a blind dog can do to make their adaptation to blindness easier.

Environmental factors.
• Most blind dogs will form an excellent mental map of their environment and you can help this by initially restricting their access to a small area of the house and garden until they are comfortable with negotiating this, then gradually extend this area. This is particularly important if your dog has become suddenly blind or is moved to a new home
• Do not move items of furniture around and remove potentially hazardous objects that he/she may bump into
• Leave food and water bowls in the same place
• Leave the TV or radio on when your dog is left alone (these act as an auditory cue to allow them to orientate themselves within the house)
• Place scent or tactile clues to aid orientation around the house (eg place mats at the entrances to rooms – they will learn to feel these under their feet so that they know where they are)
• Consider lighting levels. Dogs with early signs of PRA often function better in bright light. If your dog has been diagnosed with PRA then leave the lights on to help them negotiate their surroundings

Training Factors. Having lost sight, your blind dog needs to develop new skills and confidence and you can assist this by training. Consider contacting an experienced dog trainer or behaviourist or consult the references below. Important components of training blind dogs include:

References

Textbook:   Caroline D. Levin. Living With Blind Dogs.
Second Edition, Lantern Publications (ISBN 09672253)

Websites:
http://www.blinddogs.com

http://www.weir.net/~lglass/living_with_blind_dog5.htm