If true love is blind, we sure have lots of love to go around right now with 8 blind or partially blind dogs looking for forever homes!

Felicia, Mia (with her sister Molly who is not blind), Cookie, Darren, Daisy May, Waffle, Twinkie, and Carlton are all wonderful and loving dogs who just happen to be blind. Most of our blind dogs come to us with age related blindness, some like Felicia are blind because of an ongoing medical condition, and some we don’t know what caused their blindness. The one thing that all of our blind dogs have in common is that they do not let their blindness stop them from living full lives when they are in a loving and kind forever home!

A lot of people are afraid of adopting a blind dog, but in our experience, blind dogs can be the best companions! Most blind dogs still love to run and play as well as cuddle and relax just like any sighted dog. The love you share with them is returned tenfold!

If you are considering welcoming one of our sweet blind pups into your home, please fill out an adoption application and we’d be happy to chat with you about them!

You can also check out some of these wonderful tips about living with blind dogs from Blind Dog Rescue Alliance:

Living with Blind Dogs

Environment & Surroundings

• Put jingling tags or bells on other dogs. That way your blind dog will know where they are.
• Owners can wear a jingling bell as well, so your blind dog can find you.
• Do not re arrange the furniture. Blind dogs learn the way the house is set out, and can have trouble getting around if it is changed.
• Use scented oils or perfumes to spray things that your blind dog could bump into.
• Blind Dogs have EXTREMELY heightened senses (especially smell and sound).
• Acclimating to a new home:
  • Get down on your hands and knees, to your blind dog’s level, and look for things that could harm him. Sharp table edges, etc. can be hazards for your blind dog.
  • When introducing blind dogs to a new space (new foster home or adoptive home) I scatter kibble throughout the house or space. The dogs search for the kibble but since they are using their nose and are moving slowly, they learn the space with less running into objects!
• Textures help:
  • Textures seem to help some blind dogs. (Example: In the yard, we have rocks around the pool. When he feels the pebbles, he knows that he is getting close to the pool. When he feels the sidewalk instead of the grass, he knows that he is close to the door.)
  • Feed your blind dog in the same place and try having rugs under the water bowls. When he/she feels the texture change, he/she will know where the water bowl is.

Training

• Clicker training can be very helpful in training a blind dog. “It’s consistent, which is even more important with blind dogs than sighted ones. Plus it allows you to shape behavior in a fun way.”
• Teach your blind dog the “watch” command, for when things are in his way.
• “Step” is also a useful command, when there is a step in front of him.

Other Dogs

• Having a sighted buddy really helps a LOT. A seeing companion (dog) for your blind dog can help show your blind dog the ropes.
• Keep in mind, a blind dog cannot read the body signals and the visual signs that dogs give each other all the time. Make sure to be very aware of this so that you can intervene if necessary before a fight or an altercation occurs.

If you aren’t ready to adopt a blind dog, we are always looking for foster homes so that incoming blind or special needs dogs do not need to stay in boarding longer than they have to. You can also help these pups find forever homes by sharing our posts with your friends and family. Want to help some more? Often times our blind dogs are eligible for our Sanctuary program where we will pay for their lifetime medical needs. Donations to help cover their medications and vet visits are always appreciated.

If you are looking to add a new pup to your family, don’t overlook the blind dogs. They can be the most loving of all.

No need for syrup when you’re as sweet as this Waffle!

Waffle is a charming, 12 year old Cocker Spaniel, who was found as a stray in June. Waffle is very well mannered and has the best personality. A sweet, loving girl, she was a favorite at the clinic where she was being cared for.

Waffle was recently treated for her skin and ear issues, and she received a much needed dental. Waffle also underwent an eye ablation procedure to help with her extreme glaucoma. She is feeling much better now.

Waffle is blind, but that doesn’t stop her from exploring and living her best life. She is a very happy-go-lucky girl, and deserves a chance to shine in an environment where her needs can be met with lots love and kisses.

Waffle would love a forever home to spend her golden years in. She is house trained, is good with other dogs and cats, and would be great with older kids. 

Please fill out an application if you would like to adopt Waffle. Waffle is currently in foster in Oak Park, CA. 

If you would like to donate to help cover Waffle’s medical bills, any amount is greatly appreciated. Thank you to all of our generous SCCR friends and supporters that help us save dogs like Waffle every day!

HOUSE WARMING WEEKEND

Oct 12-13th, 2019

Bring your tools and help us get ready for the dogs. Or bring a chair and enjoy the scenery. Join us for a

BBQ Dinner Sat night

Pancake Breakfast on Sun morning.

No charge to attend, bring a house warming gift instead like fencing materials building supplies, Lowe’s gift cards, etc… You can bring an RV, dry camp or stay at a local hotel. Please

RSVP To elizabeth.mazzetti@gmail.com ASAP

Well mannered cocker spaniels are welcome.

SCCR Stay and Play Guide

and

Wish List

Meet Daisy May! This sweet 9 year old girl was in desperate need of a second chance so we came to her rescue!

Daisy May was adopted in 2012 at only 2 years old. We don’t know what happened in the last 7 years, but Daisy May found herself being returned to the shelter to be put down last week. Thank goodness the shelter vet and our wonderful partners at VCAS saw the life left in her. We are going to do our very best to give Daisy May the care, love and happiness she deserves for the rest of her life.

Daisy May will be going to our vet on Friday for a full work up and to address her terrible skin, her many lumps and bumps, her bad ears, and her blind and cloudy eyes. Treating this poor old girl is not going to be cheap, but her fighting spirit lets us know that it will be well worth the cost! Please consider donating to help us cover Daisy May’s vet bills. No donation is too small.

If you would like to be Daisy May’s forever family, please fill out an application.

Take a look at Daisy May’s freedom walk!

We have some work that needs to be done on the trailer. It needs some water damage repaired and we would like to replace the carpet on the floors with tile or Pergo. We would like to encourage any of you that have the time and skill set to come up for a Volunteer Working Vacation. You can stay in the trailer or camp on the property. The trailer looks so much better on the inside than the outside. It really is mostly dirt and just needs a scrubbing.

The other big ticket item we need help with is finding someone to help drive our 27 foot RV from the Hemut area to Jamestown. It will need a pick up truck with a standard towing ball. We will pay for gas and you can stay in it for a visit when you get here. The RV is in great shape and will be ready for visitors when it gets here…..UPDATE: We got the trailer up to the Sanctuary!! Thank you Eddie!

If you can’t help with the repairs we can use help paying for the materials we need to do these repairs. Anything you can do will help….thank you!!

Contact Elizabeth at 805 687 4674 for more information or to schedule your Volunteer Vacation at the Sanctuary.

Dougal has had such a rollercoaster of a past, I can’t think of a dog more deserving of a second chance and an adoption ever after.

Dougal first came to Second Chance Cocker Rescue way back in 2014. At only 2 years old, Dougal was in really rough shape. The poor boy had a crushed front leg and internal bleeding. After a complex survey, a blood transfusion, and several weeks of healing, Dougal was back to his happy self and was ready to find a great home. Dougal was adopted and on his way to a wonderful rest of his life.

Fast forward to April 2019 and we got a call that Dougal was at the shelter. His microchip information had our number, and since no one was in able to get ahold of his owner, we came to Dougal’s rescue yet again! Dougal had changed so much in 5 years! He now weighed 44 pounds and hadn’t received vet care in a long time. We got him all checked out by our vet, put him on medication for his thyroid, and started to get him back to his old self.

Dougal is doing much better now and is ready for his final forever family. He’s getting back down to a normal cocker weight and is looking forward to a fresh start. We had to share his crazy story with the world and remind people of the importance of microchipping your pets. Dougal was lucky enough to be asked to join Larissa Wohl on Home and Family this week. You can watch for his segment at the top of the show on Monday, 7/8 at 10/9c on Hallmark Channel.

Dougal is available for adoption and would be thrilled if his SCCR friends would be kind enough to donate to his other cocker friends in need. Thank you so much!

Meet Belinda! Belinda is a true beauty with a heart of gold!

At only 5 years old, this sweet little girl has so much life ahead of her and deserves so much more love than she’s been shown in the past. She appears that she possibly had puppies in the past. Belinda is at the vet today getting her ready for an exciting new adventure. She is getting spayed, and getting a small bump removed. She is in great health otherwise! She is amazing. She will obey commands, like sit, stay, and lay down. She is completely house-trained and uses the doggie-door faithfully! She loves hanging out with other dogs, loves kids, and all people she meets. She has a gentle heart and just wants to snuggle with her human and snuggle with you! She was the perfect foster pup!

If you would like to help with Belinda’s medical bills, she would really appreciate it!

Belinda is currently in Bakersfield, CA. If you would like to make Belinda a part of your family, please fill out our adoption application!