Beavis the Pekingese is a jerk.

At least that’s what his parents would tell you. They’re kidding, of course. (Sort of. Not really.) But what do you expect when you have a dog with a huge personality that’s only rivaled by his adorableness?

If you see Beavis out on the street, you’d be struck by his adorable waddle, his seeming inability to pick a spot to pee in less than 10 minutes, and his insistence on choosing the direction of the walk.

Sounds like a pretty typical dog, right?

He is. But what’s so striking is that this waddling, confident, independent little guy is completely blind.

Check out his amazing story in an interview with him mom, Lorina…

Tell me a little bit about Beavis’ background.

We adopted Beavis from a Pekingese rescue group in 2006. He had been found stray in NYC with his eye too badly damaged to save. At the time, I was a vet tech, and have a habit of picking up “misfit” pets, so missing an eye just tugged at my heartstrings.

What caused his blindness and how did it progress?

Honestly, I don’t know exactly. I know he has glaucoma and a displaced lens, but the first time I took him to the vet for his eyesight, his eye pressure was good. But when we went to an ophthalmologist, his pressure was high and the vet said that his displaced lens wasn’t causing the problems. He also has a couple of corneal abrasions. If they don’t heal, I think his eye has to come out. 🙁

What signs and symptoms clued you in that something was wrong?

In retrospect, leading up to this, he was much more reluctant to use the steps on the back porch. I attributed it to him getting older, and usually carried him up the steps.

When it first happened, I got up in the middle of the night, and found he’d pooped and peed on the floor, which is not like him, and he still seemed restless… pacing around and panting. I took him outside and he stumbled down the steps on the back porch. It took a while for me to realize he couldn’t see. But it really happened immediately. Earlier that day, he was fine.

What are some of the ways you and Beavis adapted to his blindness? In other words, what are your favorite tips for managing blind dogs?

Go back to training and get lots of exercise. I treat him like he’s a new puppy. I’m retraining him basic commands like “go to bed,” and more fun tricks like jumping through a hoop. (And yes, he can do it, even blind!) Since more training means more treats, and since he’s not able to be as active on his own (can’t run around the yard, doesn’t entertain himself playing with toys like he used to), to keep him from getting too chubby, we’re going for a lot more walks.

I’ve also sewn bells onto some of his toys, so he can hear them. I used a utility knife to cut a thin slit in a tennis ball and slipped a bell in one of them, too. (This works better on actual tennis balls, not dog tennis balls, since they’re thinner. Beavis isn’t much of a chewer, so he doesn’t need a heavy duty ball.)

What would you tell someone whose dog is going blind?

Look for the positive. In some ways, Beavis is easier blind. He’s always been a bit of a jerk. He’s very territorial, and doesn’t like strangers or other dogs. Now that he can’t see them, he’s much less reactive. It’s nice not having him bark and growl at everyone he sees. 😉

Going through this with him made me appreciate just how tough that little guy is. It’s not slowing him down. He’s still the same dog, just with a few more special needs. He still loves to play with a soccer ball, and run in a field. It’s made me fall in love with him all over again. 

To learn more about this adorable little guy, you can follow him on his Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/Beavis-the-Pekingese-245114792227230/. Check him out!