This is the the adorable moment a blind dog finally musters up the courage to jump and play in a new field.
Riley is a 14-year-old poodle who has gone completely blind in his old age, and becomes timid when finds himself in new territory.
This sweet video clip shows the moment that the pooch finally feels safe enough to run and play after some encouragement from his owners, Sheena and Jason Armstrong, 39 and 38.
Photographer Sheena said: “It sounds funny but we clap and cheer for him.
“Since he can’t pick up on our visual cues anymore, we exaggerate everything verbally.
“We’ve been working with him to know when he hears clapping and cheering that means he’s in a safe place to run and have fun.”
The dog-mum was thrilled to see her pooch enjoy the open space when they visited Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA.
As the Armstrongs live in an Airstream and have been travelling around America for a year and a half, Riley has had to get used to new places frequently.
He has a condition called Progressive Retinal Atrophy as well as cataracts which make him completely blind, so its important his owners can make him feel safe.
Sheena, from Atlanta, said: “We had 12 years of seeing the world together before he lost his sight.
“I was devastated when I learned he was losing his vision.
“I didn’t know how well he’d take traveling to new places, but we decided to never really treat him like he’s blind and I think that’s why he never lost his adventurous spirit.”
The intrepid pup has visited 41 states, two oceans and travelled thousands of miles throughout his years, stopping off for hikes, cycle rides, kayaking and paddle boarding.
Sheena said: “He’s wild, don’t let the poodle appearance fool you.
“He’s adventurous, fearless and loves to travel.
“The only real thing we had to change for his safety is not allowing him to climb stairs, but he still tried.
“His favourite thing to do when we get to a new place is sit outside in his camp bed and spend the whole afternoon smelling the air.
“I’m certain Riley doesn’t care he’s blind, he just wants to be with us.”
This video was taken on August 10 2021.
