SCOOBY ~8 years old. Good with older considerate children and dogs. Cats TBD.
GSRA Adopts to residents of VA, NC, and SC only
The first thing you need to know about Scooby is that he is completely blind. The second thing you need to know about him is that his blindness doesn't hold him back one little iota! Scooby is one of the most joyful, friendly, outgoing dogs you are ever likely to meet. He is the perfect illustration of a dog living in the moment, and not the past. And let me tell you, his optimism and zest for life is contagious!
Scooby is 8 years old and, according to the vet ophthalmologist who has examined him, has been blind for approximately 5 years. Scooby suffers from a congenital defect which results in the loss of the retinas. Although its hard to know for sure, Scooby probably started going blind when he was around 1 year old. The blindness would have progressed over the the course of about 3 years until he was left with no sight whatsoever. Although Scooby has been blind for more than half his life though, he spent all his life on the end of a 3 foot chain - meaning he never learned to navigate within his environment. Therefore, when he was unceremoniously dumped at a local shelter, he had to learn from scratch how to walk without bumping into things or tripping.
No doubt it was pretty darned scary and overwhelming for Scooby in the beginning. Thankfully though, Scooby is smart, tenacious and adventurous, and will pretty much do anything to get near people, so he caught on quick to life off of the chain! He adapted to life at the shelter and quickly won the hearts of all the staff and volunteers. The day GSRA sprung Scooby from the shelter we had every staff member and volunteer kissing and hugging Scooby goodbye. Scooby has that effect on people; his goofiness and lovability has him making friends wherever he goes.
Scooby has adapted to life as a house dog with ease. He gets around our home with no problem at all. We have a very large yard with various levels, lots of trees, a 3-tiered deck and a large shed and Scooby had the layout mastered within 48 hours . At first he would walk around gingerly, learning the obstacles and getting used to the steps. Now, however, he races around like a dog half his age and absolutely loves following his canine brothers and sister wherever they go. Talking of canines, Scooby lives with 3 other male dogs and 1 female dog. He is fantastic with them all when he is allowed to mingle amongst them freely. When he is separated from them (feeding times, bed time) he can become frustrated and will bark with annoyance. The same thing happens when he meets dogs on leash outside of the home. If Scooby can't greet them immediately he gets very annoyed and excitable. He will calm down though and once he does, a quick butt sniff is all it takes for him to be fine with the other dog. The only issue we have with Scooby in our home is that, being blind, he will naturally bump into the other dogs or walk over them as they are sleeping on the floor. This can cause an angry reaction from the dog who is trod on, but Scooby takes the reprimand easily and backs off at once.
Scooby loves people of all shapes and sizes. He seems to love children and is quite gentle when interacting with them. With adults though, he can be a little rough. I describe him as an 8 month old puppy in an 8 year old dog's body. Scooby has never learned not to "nibble" or mouth people in play. He also hasn't learned that jumping up on people is not polite doggie etiquette. Again we are thankful that he is such a smart boy. He has learned to sit, knows what "off" means and is working hard on his leash manners. Oh - that reminds me, Scooby LOVES to go for walks!!! You'd think being blind that the world outside of his immediate home would be daunting. Nope - this boy loves to explore and will walk as far and as long as you are able. He also loves going to rides and is very good about settling down in the car.
Scooby's ideal home would be one in which there is another patient, playful dog who would be willing to act as Scooby's "eyes". Scooby is fine being left alone, uncrated for 8 hours, but he would really prefer to have people around him as much as possible. Someone who likes to go for long walks would be a definite plus. I think because of his ongoing puppy antics that he would be best suited to a home with older children or no children. He is not trustworthy with cats and can sniff them out a mile away - so no kitties for this boy!! Scooby needs a fenced in yard so he can learn his boundaries. He loves spending time outside and has no problem finding himself a sunbeam and laying down for a few hours.
Scooby is an incredible dog who will bring light and laughter to any home. Please don't let his blindness hold you back from expressing interest in this clown as I promise you Scooby doesn't let it hold him back. He is no different really than a sighted dog once he learns the lay of the land and has a personality that will keep you laughing from dawn to dusk. Scooby is a very special boy who is looking for an equally special family.
More about Scooby
Good with Dogs, Not Good with Cats, Good with Older/Considerate Kids Only, Good with Adults, Somewhat vocal, Does Good in the Car, Requires a yard, Leashtrained, Cratetrained, Needs special care, Playful, Affectionate, Intelligent, Goofy, Needs a companion animal
Special Needs: Scooby is blind and will need help learning his new environment. A home without a lot of steps and a fenced in yard is a must. No pools or other water hazards. Scooby is also heartworm positive but will be treated by the rescue..
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