"Smiley relies on his keen sense of hearing to not only know what is happening around him but also to know exactly where things are. Joanne describes it as "sonar" or "echo-location." She thinks he must be able to hear himself walking because if he passes a large object such as a parked car, he suddenly turns toward it. The sound must change as he gets close, alerting Smiley to possible danger.It is easy to forget that Smiley cannot see. These days he goes about life just as any other dog might. He walks with his head held high when he and Joanne are out for a leash walk around town. He moves at the same pace as Joanne's other dogs, two Border Collies named Pearl and Pippi. They usually get stopped several times and someone will always ask, "What's wrong with his eyes?" Joanne's reply is that he doesn't have any. She says the person will continue looking at him and, 9 times out of 10, comes back with the same response: "Well, how does he see then?" She tells them, "He doesn't." It's hard for people to understand how this blind dog can be out marching along Main Street amid all the noise and commotion." Excerpted from Smiley: The Blind Therapy Dog by JoAnne George All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
