Blind puppy has a sense for love

Affectionate pooch finds plenty of help but needs a forever home

Ben Swan | The New Mexican

11/7/2009 - 11/8/09

Marlon takes a sniff in the air, cocks his ear and decides to sit, letting the swirling energy of dozens of dogs glide past him.

But since he's a puppy, a restless buzz overtakes him, and the pit bull-Labrador retriever mix is at it again, knocking into his canine comrades, tugging at their ears and in return, getting countless corrections from his older brethren at doggie day care.

Unlike the other dogs, however, Marlon's warnings are heard, not seen. Blind since birth, Marlon most likely considers his condition quite natural, said Mary Martin, executive director of the Santa Fe Shelter & Humane Society, who helped coordinate the dog's rescue from Southern California. Martin learned about Marlon through friend and fellow animal-welfare advocate Aimee Gilbreath.

Dogs generally just shake off most disabilities, said Martin, who has an extensive background as a veterinarian technician. A dog that's lost a leg, for example, learns in no time how to zip around on three.

"We always say dogs are born with three legs and one extra," Martin said. "Fit a dog with a wheelchair, and they're off. Dogs have an incredible ability to adapt."

Martin, whose grandchildren were born with visual impairments, said her heart went out to the "blind pitty" when Gilbreath posted a plea for a foster home on her Facebook page. Martin met the dog while attending a meeting in Los Angeles, and finagled transportation for the dog first to Phoenix, and then to Santa Fe. "I just know I can find him a great home here," she said.

Marlon initially found a foster home with Alix Novack, a shelter volunteer who does statewide animal rescue. He's now being fostered temporarily with Hannah and Joey Padilla, owners of Santa Fe Tail Academy and Daycare. But everyone hopes the affectionate puppy will soon find a forever home in a family who can help the dog overcome his disabilities.

"He's a pit bull mix and he's blind," Martin said. "His chances are pretty limited at a shelter."

In fact, his days were numbered when Gilbreath swept in to rescue him. The executive director of Found Animals Foundation Inc., a privately funded nonprofit that creates programs to reduce animal overpopulation, said a staff member became aware of the puppy while working with the Southeast Area Animal Shelter in Downey, Calif., a large Los Angeles-area shelter that serves almost 1 million people.

The dog was about 3 months old when he was dropped off sometime in July as a stray, she said. The urban shelter works hard to find homes, Gilbreath said, but can only keep dogs beyond a maximum stay if there's space. He was slated for euthanasia when her staff decided to take him on as a "personal project."

Unfortunately, the dog — then called Chunk (short for "Chunk of Burning Love") — picked up kennel cough, which developed into respiratory pneumonia. Once he healed, Gilbreath took him in as a foster.

But how do you train a blind puppy? Heeding advice from one trainer, Gilbreath spayed the walls with mint Binaca and the floors with vanilla, and used a third scent to form a trail that led to a potty area outside. Chunk quickly learned what was safe and what was likely to get him into trouble.

She also crate-trained him and began a "clicker-training" regime — marking desirable behavior with a sharp noise, followed by a treat.

After a few weeks, his basic training was set. Through visits to a veterinary ophthalmologist, Gilbreath learned the dog is 100 percent blind in both eyes, either from a prenatal developmental problem or from an infection behind his eyelids just after birth.

"Unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done to reverse it," she said. "But it doesn't slow him down."

The puppy quickly adapts to a routine, Gilbreath said, something that's needed in any dog's life. An affectionate animal, the dog loves physical contact, both with humans and other dogs. She thought her own pit bull, Rufus, liked affection — until she met Chunk.

"That dog is like Velcro," she said. "With any special-needs dog, he'll need a little extra TLC. He'd be great in a household with another dog, as long as the dog's patient and will tell him what to do."

The dog has made great strides, first with Novack, and now through exposure with other canines at doggie day care. The Padillas, who've had him for about a week, say visual impairment can create frustration. But once allowed contact with the unknown — in this case, other dogs — he's a playful champ.

"He's constantly getting corrections from other dogs," Joey Padilla said. "And he'll get that all his life — just like any normal dog. He hears a growl, he'll stop. It's something he's learned."

The Padillas have had good luck training him through voice command. It's the first time they've worked with a blind animal.

"It seems like he uses his ears a lot more than his nose," Joey Padilla said. "But that's an assumption."

Novack, who changed Chunk's name to Marlon Brando — she gives all her foster dogs names of movie stars, something she says breaks the ice for people — has also had good luck with voice commands. Marlon immediately recognizes her voice, she said, and that helped to strengthen their bond.

Novack also took Marlon to Gavin Kennard, a veterinary opthalmologist with Eye Care for Animals. Kennard maintains offices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe through the Center of Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center of New Mexico. Kennard said Marlon's vision loss was likely caused by an infection at birth that probably could have been prevented. While the vision loss is permanent, Kennard said the dog's not in any pain. The eyes will require occasional drops but little other medical maintenance.

Having a blind dog is far from being a burden, said Rhonda Oliver, a Phoenix resident who adopted an older blind Australian shepherd mix some years ago. Dubbed Stevie, the dog was born blind as the result of a genetic defect, and, like Marlon, was also slated for euthanasia.

"I just fell in love with her personality," Oliver said. "She was just a happy, smiley dog."

The dog quickly found her role in the family's pack, which included two other canines and two cats. "They accepted her, and she accepted being third dog," she said. "But she also let it be known you 'don't pick on the blind girl.' "

Stevie required little adjustment for her disabilities, Oliver said. Once Stevie learned the routine and the home's layout, she was just a "normal dog," who went on walks, hikes and camping trips. But Oliver did learn to make sure unexpected items weren't in the dog's routine paths, or, if she rearranged the furniture, that the dog was aware of new obstacles.

Unfortunately, Stevie's genetic defects didn't stop with blindness. She developed epilepsy and then Addison's disease, which affects the adrenal glands. She eventually died of complications after about 2 1/2 years in Oliver's care.

Novack said she hopes to find someone who has a firm but gentle hand for her latest charge. "I want someone who will spoil this kid rotten in his new home," she said.

The Padillas have also offered intensive training for whoever adopts the dog. Those interested in meeting Marlon should call Novack at 795-2831. To see a videos of the dog formerly known as Chunk, visit www.youtube.com/user/FoundAnimals.