Sterling, a loving 11-year-old Siberian husky, experienced the most difficult battle of his life three years ago when he lost his sight due to glaucoma. The dog, who lives with his family in Seattle, has been greatly affected by his loss of vision. Sterling’s parents, Lillian and Mark McKee, were likewise concerned that their furry child would struggle to adjust to this challenging lifestyle. When Walker arrived, though, everything changed!
“It was awful when he was diagnosed with glaucoma,” Lillian added. “We fought it for a year and a half, but we realized we wouldn’t be able to keep it at bay for much longer.”
Walker, a 10-year-old Alaskan Malamute, has become Sterling’s guide dog by mistake. They became friends the first time they met, and the closeness they share now proves they were destined to be best friends. Sterling only needed Walker’s enthusiasm to get over the difficult obstacle that his vision problems had set in front of him.
“He was really sad after his initial treatment, but we took him to the beach with Walker, and he cheered up instantly,” the owners stated. “We’ve discovered that continuing to do his favorite hobbies, such as running, long walks, and beach excursions, has really helped him to be his old cheerful self.” “He [Walker] enjoys getting Sterling to play, and part of me believes he is unaware that Sterling is blind at times.”
Walker, on the other hand, is not just Sterling’s assistance dog, but also his best friend. He not only comforts him and assists him in his exploration of the world, but he is also there for him in his happy moments. They even eat and sleep together, and Sterling is the joyful dog he has always been because of Walker’s overwhelming good energy.
“I think he’s still such a happy dog because he has someone to boss around,” Lillian added. “I wasn’t intending on adopting Walker either, but when his foster family couldn’t care for him any longer, he became an instant family member.”
Sterling has a pair of goggles to protect his eyes from bright light or the sun. Walker, of course, wanted a pair of his own, so their parents granted his wish.
Sterling has a few sets of ski goggles that we rotate to protect his eyes, “they explained. “Walker has a pair as well, so he doesn’t feel left out.”
