Extreme K9s 101!

Today's extreme K9s are Lily and Madison!

"Blind Great Dane Lily and her guide dog Madison are melting hearts around the world with their enduring tale of friendship that has seen its share of hardship.

Lily was only 18 months old when veterinarians removed both her eyes as she was suffering from entropion, a condition that caused her eyelashes to roll inward and scratch painfully against her eyeballs.

As Lily recuperated in darkness — too timid to move — her best friend Madison slowly began encouraging her sightless friend to start moving. Madison would lead the way — a guide dog for a dog, steering her pal, alerting her to danger in her path.

In time, with Madison at her side Lily regained the confidence to play outside the house. Now the pair — Lily is six years old now; Madison is seven — is facing its next challenge: finding a new home.

Just this summer the two Great Danes were taken to live at The Dogs Trust shelter in Shrewsbury, U.K. They moved there in July after their owners accepted they couldn’t care for them anymore.

The shelter is looking for a new home for the two, and prospective owners are told up front they must take both dogs.

The Dogs Trust, has a “non-destruction policy,” says spokeswoman Jennifer Blaber.

The dogs must go to a new home together or they’ll stay here forever, she says. Over the weekend the two went to live with a potential new owner but Lily found the experience stressful, explains Blaber, so they are back at the shelter.

Centre manager Louise Cabell has told the press, “Madison is Lily’s guide dog. She is a support method to her. If they are out and about, for the majority of the time Madison will lead and Lily will walk nearly touching her so she knows where to go. It’s lovely to watch. Madison is very thoughtful and is always looking out for her.”

Cabell is convinced that Lily’s other senses have been heightened since her eyes were removed. Lily’s condition is treatable if caught early. The two dogs are very vocal, with Madison letting Lily know she is close by. Lily becomes anxious if she can’t sense Madison is present.

Dr. James Histed, an ophthalmologist at the Toronto Animal Eye Clinic, says dogs adapt to their new circumstances quickly when they lose complete vision. Their hearing, their sense of smell, even their tactile senses become more acute, he explains. “They can tell whether they are on carpet or on the kitchen floor. They learn their way around.”

Histed is not surprised Lily was able to rally so quickly – particularly with Madison at her side. “I’m not a behaviourist, but there’s some kind of a connection in dogs, an understanding, a bond.”

Sue Hawkins, a trainer with Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, says all guide dogs must have a “willingness at their core.” Whether it is agility training or search and rescue, they have to be willing — something Madison certainly has. “They are pack animals,” she says, suggesting that while their relationship may be inexplicable, the bond is powerful.

That’s why it’s so important that Madison and Lily stay together, says Cabell. “These are two lovely big girls who deserve to live out the rest of their lives together in comfort.”"

Article from: http://www.thespec.com/news/world/article/618018--blind-dog-s-friend-gives-her-new-leash-on-life

Pic from: http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web05/2011/10/22/16/enhanced-buzz-29161-1319313842-2.jpg