Rolling Dog Farm Blog

This baby girl arrived last night at the ranch from the Yolo County SPCA in Davis, California.  The shelter had asked us earlier last week if we could take a blind 10-week puppy who had been dumped in their overnight bin.  Jerry Black, our incredible volunteer who drove to Bozeman on Thursday to pick up Turtle and Mink, went to the Missoula airport yesterday evening to pick up little Ashley and drive her out to us. 

Ashley is a lot smaller than she appears in these photos, weighing all of 10 pounds.  She is the youngest, smallest puppy we’ve ever had.  She is totally blind but, like our other born-blind animals, completely intrepid.  She marches around, taking big exaggerated steps to feel her way along, and then she puts each paw down with a determined ‘thump!’  It sounds like a tiny Roman legion heading our way.

Ashley spent a good part of her first day here exploring the yard.  She quickly found the front steps to the house, memorized the location, and goes straight there when she wants to come in. 

She is adorably cute, playful, inquisitive, and affectionate.  In short, your perfect puppy.  Except she can’t see.  But she doesn’t know that’s a handicap, because she doesn’t know what sight is.  She assumes the world is dark for all of us, so she’s not at any disadvantage.  That’s why our born-blind animals are so confident.  It is truly inspiring to see a little blind girl like Ashley just take charge of life.  It never occurs to her that she shouldn’t.