Jackson my Dog

We have two golden retrievers at our house, Maxwell and Jackson. Jackson is nine and Maxwell is seven. We got Jackson when he was two years old. He had been living on a run, was matted and had dread locks under his ears.

Needless to say we love him like our first child. In the last year and a half Jackson's sight has been waning. Now he is officially blind. Jackson was always a little bit off, very timid, and unsure of himself. The blindness and his uncertainty have not made for a good combination.

We moved to our Old Blue House the month after he came into our lives and I figured since the blindness has been a gradual thing he would be able to adjust to it. Some days I think that he has, and then others make me feel very sad. Yesterday was one of the sad days.

About a month ago we moved the dogs feeding area from one side of the kitchen to other. This turned out to really throw Jackson off his game. For two weeks I had to carry him to the food. I still do on occasion. It depends upon where his head is at. Some days he walks around with a fair bit of confidence, others he creeps with his tail between his legs. It looks as though he thinks that his next step could be his last. He gets lost in our kitchen, it is not good.

When we moved into our house we put in an electric fence, the thing is the best. It allows you to not worry about your dogs when you open your door. It also allows the dogs to be outside without being tied up. The electric fence worked too well for Jackson. The sound of the beep when he was approaching the boarder was enough for him to sit on the front stoop for the next day or two. I don't even put the collar on him anymore. Yesterday, Heidi found him up on the sidewalk twice, displaying signs of severe confusion.

Part of me thinks it is time to put him down, for his own sake. Then he has a good day, wagging his tail and wrestling with Maxwell. I guess we shall take it one day at a time, and consult with our vet. It is really, a very sad situation.

when I first posted this Jackson was in a very bad place. I am happy to report that he is doing quite well and the talk of putting him to sleep has been put to sleep.