It is a common notion that dogs play for a living, and as a dog parent, you feel alive when your fluffy friend is full of life and energy. But when your dog faces a physical challenge like blindness, it may be a confusing stage for you, especially when it comes to keeping them engaged. But do not worry—blind dog toys are available to keep them hooked, so your dog will not miss out on doing what they do best.
Do Blind Dogs Play with Toys?
As a blind dog parent, you may think your dog has no business playing with toys, but that is untrue. There are sensory-enriched toys for blind dogs designed to stimulate your dog's senses. With these toys, you engage your dog's brain using other senses, such as the nose for smelling and the paws for touching, rather than the eyes. There are many benefits of providing sensory-stimulating toys for your dogs.
Strengthen your bond
With these toys, you can get more involved with your blind pet. You can carve out time in your busy schedule to engage your pal in play. It may appear to be just playtime for you, but for your fluffy companion, it is bonding time.
Increase comfort
For blind dogs, simply knowing they have a stress-relieving activity is helpful. They can become anxious, especially if they are unaware of their surroundings. Sensory-enriched toys provide your dog a sense of participation or involvement, allowing them to become more comfortable in their surroundings while reducing tension and anxiety.
Enhance brain work
One thing you should always do for your challenged pal is keep their brain busy. Constantly engaging your dog's brain into playful activities is a healthy way to keep your dog energized and living happily.
Improve nose work
Developing your pet's cerebral stimulation and confidence through nose work is useful for all the dogs who are not physically impaired, let alone your blind dog. They may not have eyes, but their nose is highly functional. Focus on improving your blind dog's nose work and confidence.
Alleviate boredom
You are not the only one who can become bored; your blind dog can, as well. Because your dog is visually challenged, they may be unable to relieve boredom by looking around and finding something to interact with. Introducing these toys into your dog's play routine will help them overcome boredom, especially when you are involved.
Teach bite inhibition
Redirecting your blind dog's bite is crucial; otherwise, it may cause temporary or permanent damage. Due to the physical challenge, your dog may feel more anxious than usual and frequently use the teeth more often than usual. To control this, redirect your dog's bite with some squeaky toys.
What Kind of Toys do Blind Dogs Like?
When one sense is lost, the others must be sharpened to fill the void. It is no different for blind dogs. As they are visually impaired, it is typical for them to use their other senses to facilitate interactions.
Here are the best toys for blind dogs:
1. Scented toys
You may think your dog cannot play fetch, but have you tried scented balls? Toys with distinctive scents are a good catch for blind dogs and help them strengthen their nosework. It will be a fun experience for you and your pet to finally play fetch.
2. Toys with sounds
Your blind dog will feel much more involved when their other senses are used, and toys with sounds can help them improve their hearing and build their focus. The toys can be thrown at a corner while it buzzes or squeaks for a few seconds giving your pet time to find it.
3. Interactive mats
Using interactive mats is an effective way to keep your vision-impaired dog occupied. You can hide some treats in the mat and have your dog sniff them, making them work for the treat. It helps with your dog's nose work. You can make yours using some DIY materials or purchase a mat.
4. Toys with multiple textures
Adding textured toys to your sight-impaired dog's play collection enhances their routine. These multiple textured toys can stimulate your dog's remaining four senses—the touch, smell, sound and taste. It would be a lot of fun for your dog if all the other senses are awakened.
5. Treat-dispensing toys
Who does not love treats? Visually impaired dogs love adventures. Hiding some treats in some canine puzzle toys that can stimulate your dog mentally is a perfect way to keep your blind dog active and get rewarded.
Conclusion
Having a blind dog is not a disadvantage but a chance to bring new experiences into your life and make one pet very happy. With the correct choice of toys, your blind dog can enjoy just as much playtime as other dogs, so stop thinking of them as less than fully capable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best toys for blind dogs?
Some toys for your blind dog are scented, squeaky toys, interactive mats, toys with multiple textures, and treat-dispensing toys.
How to tell if a dog is going blind?
Here are some signs to tell if your dog is going blind: cloudy or puffy eyes, startling easily, sniffing out toys instead of using sight.
