Charlie is an 11-year-old golden retriever whose world went dark after he had both eyes removed because of glaucoma. He seemed to cope up with the sudden change but he started to slow down and became less active.
But recently, Charlie’s life bloomed again when he met his new pal Maverick, a perky pup who became his “seeing-eye” companion.
As the two dogs became friends, Maverick began supporting Charlie on walks and during playtime. Their owners, Chelsea Stipe and husband Adam, said they always wanted to add another pup to their family.
“Charlie has definitely been more playful and puppy-like since Maverick came around,” Stipe told The Dodo. “We’d buy him toys and he wouldn’t think about playing with them. Now, they’re just constantly playing with each other.”
Even though Maverick is still a young puppy, he seems to understand that Charlie can no longer see and has adapted to help him get around.
“He knows Charlie is different,” Stipe added. “He’ll put toys in front of him. He’s very aware, when Charlie starts to move, to be on the lookout for him. When they walk together, Maverick helps keep Charlie in line.”
Maverick often rest next to Charlie to reassure him that he’s not alone. “It’s amazing. They’re just such a great combo,” Stipe continued. “They’re always together.”
“Charlie’s an older dog. We used to think we could lose him any time,” Stipe shared. “But now, with Maverick, it’s like he got this jolt in him, this zest for life again. If he had eyes, I know there’d be a twinkle in them.”
