Meet the blind pooch with his very own guide dog
After golden retriever Tao lost his sight, his owners found him a fur-ever friend who helps him continue to live a full life...
When ten-year-old pooch Tao went completely blind, his future looked bleak.
But when he met fellow golden retriever Oko, he got more than just a doggy playmate.
Oko is not only a furry pal for Tao; he’s taken on the role of guide dog for his older buddy. Now, Oko helps him run around like any other dog, rescuing him when he gets lost, and guiding him so that he can once again play confidently off the lead.
Tao was a boisterous puppy who loved enjoying walks and swimming in streams. But in February 2019, aged ten, he developed glaucoma, which causes blindness as a result of abnormally high pressure in the eye.
Tao’s owner, Melanie Jackson, 54, who lives with him in Somerset, explains, “It was a Sunday morning and he’d been running across fields and swimming in the stream. But at home, five hours later, he became very disorientated, his left eye started to bulge and he was pawing at his face in pain.
“I took him to the vet’s, where we were referred to a specialist hospital. Tao’s condition was so sudden and severe that the vet worried he had a tumour and he immediately underwent surgery to remove his eye. It all happened so quickly.”
STRUGGLING
Over the following days, Tao adjusted to life with one eye. Melanie trained Tao to recognise voice commands such as “stop”, “step up” and “step down”, and he quickly adapted. Although it was hard to see her brave dog struggling, Melanie took inspiration from Tao, who she says
“just got on with it”.
Sadly, in January 2020, Tao needed his other eye removed after the glaucoma returned – as vets had predicted.
Melanie says, “I was there as soon as he woke up from the op so he wasn’t scared, and he came home that day.
“It took Tao about three weeks to learn to navigate his way round the house, and sometimes I’d hear a bark and find him lost. I researched how best to help Tao, but there wasn’t a huge amount of information available.”
But while the voice commands were a huge success, Melanie noticed that Tao wouldn’t leave her side on walks.
She says, “He wasn’t having the same experiences of running around, which was sad, because that was something he used to love. He needed another dog to play with.”
She had the idea of getting him a calm, patient dog friend to help him, and last July, golden retriever puppy Oko – which means “eye” in Polish – joined the family.
INSEPARABLE
Melanie says, “At first I was worried in case Tao stepped on or rolled onto Oko by accident. I supervised the two of them while Tao got used to having another dog around.
“Although Tao was suspicious at the start, within a week he was used to Oko’s
scent and they were playing with toys together. It was lovely to see Tao back to being his happy self.
“When Oko was small, he learned to pick up Tao’s lead and walk with it, although sometimes he’d get impatient and run, so Tao had to run too. I noticed he’d gently bump into Tao if he was going in the wrong direction. He really was his guide dog and it was wonderful to witness.
“Tao follows Oko’s scent as they run around together on walks and Oko even carries Tao’s lead. If Tao becomes confused or loses his bearings, Oko returns to his side to help him reorientate himself.”
As he grows older, Oko will have more formal training in being a guide dog for other dogs and as a therapy dog for people, but for now his care for Tao is instinctive.
Melanie says, “They are inseparable, I barely get any hugs any more because they’re so busy with each other!
“I’ve done some fundraising for glaucoma in golden retrievers and I’ve also campaigned to have research done into the condition. As a result, since last January, all Kennel Club Assured breeders of golden retrievers now have to have their dogs tested for the inherited condition before they are allowed to breed, in the hope of eradicating the disease. It’ll forever be Tao’s legacy – helping others.
“No one thought he would be able to have such a fulfilled life after losing his sight, but with the right training and guidance, he has achieved so much.
“Tao and Oko show me that with trust and love, you can overcome anything – it’s such a positive message.”
By Alexandra Meyer
● Follow Oko and Tao journey on Instagram @tao_mr_winky
❛ THEY SHOW THAT WITH TRUST AND LOVE YOU CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING ❜