Introducing Vegas and Jewell!

Vegas (left) and Jewell (right)

 

I've been trying to sit down and blog for the past week, but these new puppies are keeping me busy!  I'm a bit biased perhaps, but there is hardly anything cuter and sweeter than sheltie puppies.  These two babies are very large for sheltie puppies, and I need to keep reminding myself that they are still babies.  The fact that there are puppy teeth falling out all over the place helps a bit with that!  But they are the same size as my largest adult shelties and they are 4 months old!  Vegas and Jewell are double merle littermates.

 

Vegas is deaf and appears to be mostly blind.  Although he compensates so well that often I begin to second guess my assumptions!  It is a pleasant surprise that he is able to see even a little bit, as we were told that he was completely blind and deaf before he arrived.  He appears to be able to see large shapes and movement.  He has trouble pinpointing and tracking movement and will often startle at a movement and then look for it in the wrong place. 

 

He can't seem to differentiate between shapes.  If I stand still near anything else, he loses track of me.  His left eye seems stable.  The pupil is small and facing downward.  The right pupil is quite large and pointed upward, yet his eye drifts and shifts and is often partially covered by the third eyelid.  He squints excessively in sunlight.

 

Jewell seems to be functionally deaf, although she may hear some loud noises and dogs barking.  She doesn't appear to be able to locate those sounds, however.  I don't think her eyesight is normal, but she seems to see well.  She tracks movement and can see hand signals.  She loves to chase toys and the other dogs.  She also loves to jump onto and off the furniture!  She can look around the room and see where I am, which Vegas cannot do.

 

 

 

A couple weeks ago, these two babies were brought to the attention of sheltie rescues nationwide.  Through the network of rescues and their dedicated volunteers, these two babies embarked on a four-day transport journey from Nebraska to Pennsylvania.  I am totally amazed at the dedication of the rescue groups that I'm associated with.  Thank you to all the rescues and volunteers who helped get these puppies on their way to their new lives!