A little Australian Cattle dog mix was found in a parking lot near the mountains in Tennessee. He was brought to a rescue by a very nice woman that found him. The rescue got him vetted and taken care of but later contacted Blind Dog Rescue Alliance (BDRA) due to his situation. They are just not set up for dogs that require any special help. BDRA was up for the challenge and he was transported down to Georgia a few weeks ago. It was apparent that something was off about him. He had some motor delays but it was not affecting him. He was a cutie from the start but they could tell his vision was off and so was his hearing. They set him up to get fully checked out by their regular veterinarian and by an Ophthalmologist to see about his vision.
The veterinarian did confirm he is deaf but still responds well to visual training. The Ophthalmologist diagnosed him as having Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous (PHPV)/ Microphthalmia of the right eye. Now in non-doctor terms the PHVP means the puppy’s space at the back of the eye, behind the lens, is normally filled with clear jelly. This jelly is called the vitreous. The puppy’s eye is hazy and blocks light from passing to the back of the eye leading to blurred vision. The Microphthalmia means the eyes started to stop growing in the womb leaving the puppy with “small eyes”. This is a genetic disorder or can be an environmental issue, as if the mother came in contact with either toxic substances or diseases early in the pregnancy. All of this has made this furbaby blind in his right eye but the good news is he cannot get any worse or better in that eye. He is not in any pain or discomfort and his left eye is perfectly normal.
The puppy has been named Lipton and is just a cute bundle of joy that honestly does not know he is sight/hearing-challenged at all. He runs around and plays and is getting stronger and stronger every day. He does display an irregular gait but that does not stop him nor does it hurt him. He has been neutered and is fully up-to-date on all vaccines. He has figured out how to overcome his inabilities by just doing. He goes and plays just like the other dogs. He chases the ball, plays with pinecones, chases the other dogs in his foster home and just enjoys his life. When you see him in the video you will see a puppy that is just like every other. He is white with a little creamsicle coloring to his face and back with fluffy fur and a face that just screams “kiss me”. He truly is a sweet natured puppy that has not let his handicaps hinder him from anything he wants to do. Don’t let his handicap hinder your decision to adopt. Deaf dogs respond great to visual training. It really is no different in training except you use your hands instead of talking, but for most trainers they do both anyways so for this dog it would be no different except he just can’t hear you. As for the blind eye, that does not hinder his training either because he still has one great eye to see you and respond to your training.
He is currently residing in a foster home in Hinesville, GA and is being adopted through BDRA. You can view his profile page here. His estimated birth date is 1/1/11 as it appears he is about five months old. At his foster home he gets along well with other dogs, cats and kids. He loves the kids. His housebreaking training is progressing great as he only has a few accidents here and there. He also walks well on the leash and is possessing good leash manners. If you have any questions about Lipton please feel free to contact BDRA on their website and reference him. They will contact you back and answer your questions. If you are interested in adopting Lipton please fill out the online adoption application.
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