Shelter Dogs by Peg Kehret

month after the surgery, Ann had the three dogs in the yard. She kicked a ball and as always, Skip and Blue chased it. But this time, Tyler ran after them! His tail waved high in the air as he raced along with the other two dogs. For the first time since he had lost his sight, Tyler was playing.
    He is now a regular part of the game. But unlike Skip and Blue, Tyler doesn’t care about the ball. What he likes to do is herd the other dogs, trying to guide them toward the ball.
    He tries to herd them in other situations, too. When Ann comes home, Tyler runs behind Blue, making sure Blue goes straight to Ann.
    Soon after Tyler’s protective collar was removed, a new litter of kittens in need of foster care joined the household. Bottle-feeding a newborn kitten is a messy affair; usually the kitten’s face is quickly covered with milk.
    Tyler eagerly took over the job of cleaning up the kittens after they were fed. Just like a mother cat, he carefully licked the spilled milk from each tiny kitten’s face. The kittens purred and snuggled close to him.
    Tyler has continued to wash every litter of kittens that Ann and Donna have fostered. He also washes Skip’s and Blue’s ears each night before they go to bed.
    Tyler endured three years of neglect. He was blind, afraid, and separated from his sister, the only companion he had ever known. Yet he remained trusting and gentle.
    Ann says, “Tyler loves the baby kittens, the other dogs, the cats, us, and all our visitors. We’re so happy that he can finally see the world he loves.”

    About a Dog’s Eyesight
    Dogs can see better in the dark than humans can, but they do not see colors as clearly as we do.
    Dogs’ eyes are sensitive to movement; when something moves, they see it more clearly than when it is still.
    One way to test your dog’s eyesight is to stand a few feet in front of her and drop a cotton ball. Do it several times. If your dog doesn’t look at the cotton ball as it falls, she probably can’t see it.
    If you suspect that your dog has trouble seeing, take her to your veterinarian. Eye problems might be a symptom of a treatable disease.

Ivan
    FIRE-ALARM HERO

Alexandra Brumleve hugs the family dog, American Red Cross Animal Hero Ivan, as Alexandra’s mother, Taj Brumleve, looks on. Photograph by David Harrison.

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    T AJ BRUMLEVE IS LEGALLY DEAF . She cannot hear a telephone ringing or someone knocking at her door. She cannot hear the high-pitched sound of a smoke alarm going off. She cannot hear when her daughter, Alexandra, cries or calls to her.
    When Alexandra was two, Taj decided to get a hearing-ear dog who would let her know when Alexandra needed her or when the phone or doorbell rang. Since there was a long waiting period to receive such a service dog, Taj decided to try to train a dog herself. She had always loved animals and knew she would like the companionship of a dog even if the home training didn’t work out.
    Although most hearing-ear dogs are purebreds, Taj decided to get her dog from an animal shelter. She wanted to adopt a dog who would otherwise not have a home.
    Taj went to the King County Animal Shelter in Kent, Washington. The shelter had a nine-week-old puppy, part black Labrador and part Siberian husky, who had been brought in because the owner couldn’t find a home for him.
    The puppy was coal black with expressive golden eyes and a friendly personality. Taj knew he would grow to be a large dog, and that was okay.
    She named him Ivan and took him home. Alexandra loved the puppy, and Ivan quickly became a cherished member of the household. Even Taj’s cat, Orca, enjoyed watching Ivan play.
    Like any puppy, Ivan required a lot of attention and training. At first, Taj concentrated on house-training him. When that was accomplished, she began teaching him hand signals for “sit” and “come.”
    As Ivan grew, he seemed to sense that Taj could not hear. When he wanted