Give a Blind German Shepherd Puppy the Best Life!

[Cover Photo: This is my 4-year-old Shiloh Shepherd Juneau on the left with 10-week-old German Shepherd Tango on the right.]

Thank you for visiting Tango's fundraising campaign!

A friend called just a few weeks ago and told me that he knew of someone who was looking for a home for a blind German Shepherd puppy, and asked me if I would be able to take him. Being a German Shepherd lover since I was 8 years old and having them as family members for the past 18 years, my heart melted when I heard about this dog. I've done some fostering with the German Shepherd Rescue Inc. here in Chicago, so I figured that between me and the kind GSD-lovers I knew, we could take care of this dog. This is Tango. 

Why "Tango"? 

Watching Tango navigate the world reminded me of the iconic tango scene in one of my favorite films, "Scent of a Woman" (1992) with Al Pacino. Pacino plays Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, who lost his sight in an accident. While Frank offers to teach this young woman the tango at a lounge in New York City, she expresses concern that she will make a mistake. He answers with this: 

And this is exactly what little Tango does: he gets all tangled up, and he tangos on. He bumps into walls, trips over things, falls off the bed, knocks his water dish over constantly (until I put it in a heavy ceramic pot earlier today) and wanders away from his food bowl and can't find it again. But he happily tangos on. Personally I find "Tango On" to be a playful and positive mantra for myself these days, given all that is happening in the world right now. 


So what happened to Tango? Well, either he had a congenital issue at birth or infections in both eyes while they were still forming; or both. He has ruptured globes in both eyes, and secondary glaucoma in his right eye. It's noticeably larger than the left, and it is causing him considerable pain. I took Tango to MedVet in Chicago to see an ophthamologist earlier this week, and the recommendation was to remove the right eye as soon as possible because of the pain, and to remove the left eye as well since it might cause problems down the road. Regardless, the right eye is painful and needs to be removed. There is no hope of restoring vision for Tango, just making him comfortable and helping him live the best life as a blind dog. 

Tango is already getting around as a blind dog remarkably well. He has learned that his crate is his safe and quiet space, and housebreaking is going great! He is learning "sit" "come" "step up" and "step down." I've put a string of bells by the door that he can ring to let me know he needs to go out, and I also made an ankle bracelet for myself with bells on it so that he can follow me more easily when we are on walks. Tango is a trooper! He just follows behind Juneau and me, weaving back and forth but always keeping up. Blind dogs can live joyful lives, as long as they have a family who loves them. 


Juneau and Tango have started to play and bond. Tango misses the visual cues that Juneau gives him, but they are learning each others' language. I have to pull big tufts of white fur out of Tango's mouth quite often. He thinks Juneau's big fluffy white tail is the best toy ever, and he is mastering the art of being dramatic. 

I'm trying to raise $3800 for Tango to cover a bilateral (double) enucleation. An initial visit to see Dr. England at Animal Medical Center in Chicago on Saturday was $82, and seeing Dr. King, an ophthamologist, over at MedVet on Monday cost $306 including medication (eye drops for glaucoma and infection) I filled at Jewel Osco. The estimate for the surgery is $3100-$3600. I'm trying to raise $400 for the vet bills / consultations this week and $3400 for the surgery. Because of the pandemic, I have lost my income and am currently on a trickling of unemployment insurance, and like millions of other Americans I am in the process of reinventing myself and trying to figure out how to adapt to this new pandemic world. Taking on the responsibility of another dog - and particularly a dog with serious health problems - in my current situation is obviously something I was not planning on, but this puppy appeared and needed help. I can give him a warm home,  good food, a big dog brother, training and all the love he deserves. What I cannot provide right now is the money to cover his medical bills. 


As soon as I can raise the money to pay for the surgery, we can have it done. We are so grateful for even a $5 donation to Tango's care! Thank you for taking the time to read about Tango's story, and please share this with any dog lovers you know. 

Tango on!