Bruno's Journal
Entry 3

Hello life. It's another sunrise. I can't see it but I 
can sure smell the scents that come with it. They are 
wonderful. The cooler time is very near and I am so 
thankful because I don't like the time that causes me 
to pant constantly. My brother Joe wets down a spot under 
some bushes at the back of our den. He soaks the wall 
also. This helps me stay a bit cooler than if he didn't.
Well I am going to relate the story of how my eyes came 
to only see darkness. The light is gone. 
     Bro. Joe and I take a hike every morning down to the 
river near by. Each time I get near enough to the cold water 
to smell it I get a shiver of excitement. It is like a 
wonderful dog dream out there. I could spend a lifetime 
running gleefully from tree to tree, critter hole to critter 
hole, and running as fast as my paws could take me, straight 
into the river to cool off and then go some more.
Joe taught me to fetch trout when he brought them in near 
enough to the shore. As he put it, I was his fishing net. 
I was also good for keeping other fisherman from coming 
near our spot. After we caught our limit he would let me 
chase squirrels and anything else that ran. There are these 
hopping critters that are very very fast, and can turn on 
a dime, or a dog biscuit. 
    One day after digging out holes critters ran down into, 
my eyes began to hurt, and after awhile the pain was pretty 
awful. I got up in my lounge chair when we got home and my 
eyes became swollen shut. One characteristic of us dogs is 
that unlike many humans, whatever illness we have we adapt 
as best we can. There is no great "woe is me" in our minds. 
Joe came out to visit with me after awhile and when he saw 
my eyes he got really sad and I could sense fear in him. 
Lickidy-split off to the doc we went. My doc. sent us to an 
eye specialist and surgeon. He ran tests and kept shining a 
light in my eyes. I could see some light and shadows but that 
soon faded as my eyes stayed swollen and caused things inside 
to break permanently. What my eyes saw could no longer 
communicate with my brain. There was nothing that could be 
done but give me medicine for infection and discomfort. The 
doc reassured us with the consolation that my sense of smell 
is 500 times that of mans, and therefore soon it would be 
difficult to tell that I was blind as a bat. After a couple 
of days I was back to making my daily rounds, and only bumping 
into things that were out of place. Joe bought me a ball that 
squeaks like an animal. He and I learned a new way to play 
fetch. I learned the scent of that ball, and started listening 
closer to it bounce and roll. I can tell if its rolling through 
the grass or on the cement, or the difference in sound if it 
lands in the flowerbed. Once and awhile Joe would test me to 
see if I might be seeing better. He use to throw the ball 
straight up about 30 feet and I could catch it almost every 
time. Well I could tell Joe was feeling better after seeing 
me adapt and still be very happy. He began to laugh again when 
we were playing. The first time he threw the ball way high up 
to test me it came down right on my noggin and he laughed at 
my reaction. Not to be concerned though, this ball is much 
lighter than a tennis ball. A short time later it was my turn 
to laugh. Joe threw the ball and while I was looking for it 
he got distracted. He didn't see me blasting my way toward 
him. He had his back to me, and I hit him in the back of his 
legs knocking him flat on his rump. It hurt my snout enough 
for me to yelp, but not to stop my momentum. I was going so 
fast I almost hit a tree.

2.	Bruno's Journal entry 3 
Another change that happened to me is that because of my 
blindness, unlike many malamutes I became a decent watchdog. 
I became more defensive of our territory whether it be dog 
or man. Especially at night for some reason, maybe because 
men are not supposed to be walking about during the dark time 
of the day. I guess another consolation is that I am somewhat 
more dependent on Joe when we are out away from the den. If 
I can't smell his scent or hear his paws moving I am alarmed, 
and I run for the den. He is always waiting for me not too 
far up the path. 
    My left eye is now milky gray. My right eye clears up 
somedays good enough for me to see movement. Everyday Joe 
tests my right eye by moving his finger in hopes that my 
eye will follow it.
My life has been full of love. There has never been a hand 
raised at me in anger, only gentleness, kindness, and respect. 
I think this is part of the reason not being able to see 
doesn't bother me. I have learned to use my nose and my ears, 
and most of all, to freely love my pack, which I am more than 
proud to call my family.

                  Well, that's that for today. 
Happy sensing.
Handsome Bruno Pulsipher