Skip to content

Willow and I – a partnership filled with love

By Elli Kohnert
12934309_web1_180802-NTS-WillowAtPark
Willow stops to visit with children on a walk through Fadear Park in Barriere, Elli Kohnert photo:

By Elli Kohnert

It had been a few months since Wiccan, my 12-year-old German Shepherd, had passed from intestinal disease and cruciate ligament rupture. I was devastated by her loss, it was completely overwhelming for me as I had lost my husband to cancer the previous year. Wiccan had been my sole companion, my friend, and a warm body to snuggle up to when grief was crushing me.

I made the decision to wait until a middle-aged German Shepherd who needed a home would come along for me to adopt, but it was like punishment for me to live without a dog by my side.

Then, one day a friend contacted me to ask if I could dog-sit a medium sized elderly female dog? Of course, I said “yes” before she had even finished talking to me. She hesitated before telling me that this little girl was completely blind, but I agreed to take her anyway, I should be able to cope for a couple of days.

My friend was a bit anxious when she brought Willow to my home, but the little dog walked confidently on a leash and did not even bump into any objects anywhere. I was amazed when she came and sniffed me like someone doing a body search; yes, I passed the test. My body odor was non-threatening to her. Then we went down a few steps into my yard where she very slowly explored the place, and almost like putting a stamp of approval on the lawn, left her pee mark on it.

This dog was rescued by Pommy and Pals Dog Rescue Society which is based in the North Thompson area. Barriere has a number of volunteers who foster the rescued dogs until they are adopted.

I knew it would be a long process for Willow to find a forever home because of her blindness. No serious interest had been shown in adopting her, and her foster mom needed a ‘dog sitter’ every so often when she had to be away from home to places where she could not take Willow along.

I cared for many dogs during the years when I worked in animal rescue, but I never had a blind dog in my care, but this pretty little black dog touched me somehow, I felt drawn to her, and told my friend that I would keep her for a day or two.

I only had a few minutes for my friend to give me some necessary information about Willow. She came from the U.S. from a shelter where an overflow of dogs would be euthanized. In Willow’s case it worked out a little less drastic, she went to a rescue facility to be spayed, and vet checked and remained there for several months before being picked up by a group of rescue people from Canada. Willow was one of the dogs that came to Barriere, where she was placed in Foster Care with a family who often cares for several at a time.

Willow is a Cavalier King George Spaniel Cross, which I have since found out by online research and learning, and that this breed is an excellent companion dog.

We had an exciting first day together, this little girl was cautious and somewhat nervous, but she trusted me when I tried to acquaint her with her new surroundings. I had time to spend with her since I live by myself and no one cares if the housework needs attention right away. She knew how to walk on a leash; it was similar to a blind person using a cane.

By the time Willow and I had spent the day together we had become friends. I had a feeling as if we had known each other before; we simply connected the first day she was with me. We sat together, and Willow just could not get enough cuddles and petting from me. I knew right then that she would stay with me, although there was not even a faint similarity to a German Shepherd about her. When my friend came to pick Willow up I told her of my decision to give her a forever home. She smiled and said, “I thought you might find each other”.

A year and a few months have passed since Willow and I started our life together. It was natural for her to have some fears and anxieties, after all she had lived the life of an unwanted dog and spent her time with many other dogs for six months, which seemed to bring out the “fight or flight” response in her when she met other dogs.

She would only share her home with a few other dogs. These were big and quiet ones; small ones did not have a chance, she would attack them as soon as she got their scent. It was amazing to see this beautiful shiny black, flop-eared dog go into attack mode, but not one dog offered to fight back.

It did not take long before we slept together in my bed. She noticed somehow when I got ready to settle in for the night and would make a dash to our bed and stretch out in the middle of it. There was no room beside her, and I told her to “move over” which she promptly did. Now I don’t have to tell her, she moves as soon as I come into the room.

During the first few months she needed to relieve herself during the night - most of the time I woke up and let her out, but sometimes she had to use the ‘pee pad’ that I set out ‘just in case’. I have no idea how she knew about it, but she may have had a good home before her life changed. During the time we lived together she only had three potty accidents, and she acted sorry and walked away when I found out.

I was not able to find out what caused her blindness. One of the women involved in her rescue mentioned that when Willow arrived in Canada she still had one eye, but it was extremely infected and the best way to deal with it was to remove it completely.

I sometimes forget that she cannot see, because here at home inside and outside she navigates the place without a problem, other than the odd bump against something. If I see that she his heading for trouble I holler “careful”, then she stops and sniffs and then carries on her way with extra caution.

When we go on our daily walk, which is more or less in the same area, we start out with her on leash,but once we are at our destination I tell her “okay, you can go now”, and she is off slowly with her nose on the ground.

Dogs that have sight would likely be running off, but Willow’s pleasure is to see with her nose. If I walk too far ahead of her she loses my scent and cannot find me. But we solved that problem by me calling her name over and over again, and in this way she always comes straight to me.

Willow enjoys meeting people, but before they can pet her, they must let her check them out by sniffing them. Children are fascinated by her and can pet her, but if they get too energetic around her, she will tuck herself against my legs. I call our stroll in the park the “Walk and Talk Time” because of many of the park users enjoy to stop and chat with me, to tell her story and in turn, they will love to talk about their canine companions. I enjoy these casual visits with people and Willow certainly does not mind; she keeps busy checking out the surroundings with her nose.

We do have one problem when we meet other walkers with their dogs. Willow will let them know as soon as she smells them that she will not have anything to do with them by barking furiously and showing her teeth. Most dogs just ignore her and walk away, but she will carry on for a while until she cannot smell them anymore.

I have discussed this problem with dog behaviour experts, like trainers and a groomer, and their thoughts are that due to spending so much time in a shelter and then a kennel Willow has developed an anxiety and fear towards other canines and especially so because she is blind. Oddly enough she does not have much of a reaction to large dogs, and when my daughter and her big dog are with us our dogs simply ignore each other. I hope and wish that eventually she will accept others of her kind, possibly even as friends, which would be so much easier when we are away from home.

Willow and I have lived together for about one year now and we enjoy each other more all the time, She never leaves my side, she sits or sleeps in my office while I am working there, but it does not take long for her to follow me when I leave for anywhere else. I love to have a nap in the middle of the day, and when I ask Willow “want to go to bed with me?” she goes into the bedroom, hops up on my bed and stretches out almost in the middle. I don’t tell her to move over, the afternoon nap is for us to be close together, and I do believe she enjoys that as much as I do.

I love Willow, and have promised her that she will be with me for the rest of her life. We were meant to be with one another I am sure, this little dog is giving me love and companionship in my often lonely life since my husband passed away four years ago.