A Blind Therapy Dog Named Smiley Lives Up To His Name By Helping People In Need

They say love is blind… and nobody knows this truth better than Smiley!

A 12-year-old golden retriever earned the name Smiley because his missing eyes make him look like he’s always smiling.

This is due to a condition he was born with that is linked to dwarfism. In addition to being born without eyes, Smiley has a few physical disproportions. He has oversized teeth and his eye sockets are sewn shut to prevent infection. Combine these two traits and you end up with a dog who looks like he’s always grinning.

The sweet golden retriever’s owner, a trainer named Joanne George, rescued Smiley from a puppy mill and a death sentence at the age of two. Now, the dog helps others in need.

“People were so drawn to him, so inspired by him.” George told CBS News. “I realized this dog has to be a therapy dog — I have to share him.”

For the past eight years, Smiley has been teaching people not to dwell on their disability, where they came from or what happened to them as a child. Instead, he teaches them that smiles are contagious and sometimes hope is all you need.

Currently, the senior dog works at Canadian first aid training organization St. John’s Ambulance in the York Region of Ontario. George trained Smiley to become an adaptive and versatile therapy dog who’s always spreading smiles.

“These kids who were born with different disabilities are able to see that dogs, too, are born with the same disabilities,” George told Huffington Post. “It’s important for them to see that Smiley has overcome, and that he’s happy.”

https://www.facebook.com/trainingthek9way/posts/311197122404801:0

We’re so happy to hear what Smiley’s doing for others in need! If you loved this story, please SHARE with friends and family and bring a smile to their face.

[Featured Image: Happy Tails Pet Photography]

A Blind Therapy Dog Named Smiley Lives Up To His Name By Helping People In Need is an article from: LifeDaily