Age: 4 years
Gender: Female
Breed: Golden Retriever
Status: Sanctuary
Update: December 22, 2025
Sierra may be sightless, but this determined beauty “sees” with her heart.
Since going blind in June, Sierra has grown more attached to her ever-attentive mom. They even met with an expert from Empowered Animals for enrichment training and will meet with her again.
Still as sweet and spirited as ever, Sierra is also more confident now, going outside and lying in the sun on her own, just as she did prior to losing her sight. She especially enjoys standing in the middle of the yard to sniff the cool breeze and basking in the warm rays of the sun on the back porch.
Sierra’s supportive mom never tires of telling her how brave she is, and she marvels at how wonderfully she manages to get around. With her other senses definitely heightened – not to mention being inordinately fond of FOOD – Sierra can hear a piece of lettuce hit the floor, and not a single crumb ever gets lost!
Still a great fan of having her belly rubbed, Sierra still loves car rides, LOVES everyone, and always gets extremely excited when she hears people’s voices. Then there’s her passion for engaging with her doggy sister, Kelly, a poodle mix, and going on walks with the neighbor’s dogs.
When the family goes on their regular trips to Lowe’s, Sierra walks with confidence since she’s mastered such verbal commands as “hup” (step up), “watch”(pause), “step” (go down), “left,” “right,” “you got this,” “follow me,” “back” and “the door is closed.”
Several weeks ago, they brought her to the Bay, and once she got comfortable, she was treading water like a golden pro! Now the family is looking forward to spending their second Christmas together with their sweet and special Sierra.
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Sweet, spirited Sierra scores high-fives for bravery and resiliency!
“Today, Sierra’s personality shines brighter than ever,” declares her doting mom, originally Sierra’s temporary foster. Despite the four-year-old’s list of health challenges, she’s always smiling and her tail’s always wagging. Defined by determination, heart and trust, Sierra faces each obstacle head on and emerges as a conquering heroine.
When Sierra first arrived, she was blind in one eye, had glaucoma in the other, and a muscular condition affecting her esophagus. Adamant about living life to the fullest, Sierra was soon going on long walks with her doggy sister and taking trips to Lowe’s, zipping around the backyard with her nose in the dirt and lying on the sun-warmed brick patio. She loves her Kong and pupsicles and has a favorite crunchy toy that she plays with on her bed. Then there’s her nighttime routine: she lies by the foot of her parents’ bed until early morning when she’s allowed up to cuddle.
As her glaucoma progressed, Sierra began learning verbal and touch cues: “hup” (step up), “watch,” “step” (go down), “left,” “right,” “you got this,” “follow me,” “back,” “the door is closed.” And, not surprisingly, she mastered them all. But by June, her eye pressure had spiked, she was in terrible pain, and her family scheduled her for an eye ablation.
When her mom picked her up, Sierra, who was now fully blind, heard her voice and wagged her tail. Then she grabbed her mom’s hand and pulled her to the ground in her signature greeting! While the first days were difficult, the family kept her tethered, used scent markers and rugs to help her navigate, wore bells on their shoes, and maintained her routine.
Now healing well, Sierra’s long whiskers help guide her around the house, and she aces all of 
her verbal cues. She still walks beside her doggy sister who gives her confidence as they go around the block. Her parents warn her about sounds that might frighten her (like an approaching car or someone walking by), and she still loves going to Lowe’s. When she hears voices, her ears perk up and she greets people with a wagging tail. She still comes up on the bed to cuddle in the morning and when she gets turned around, her parents talk to her and help her find her way again, usually by bringing her to a familiar rug or bed.
“Sierra, strong, gentle and adored, exemplifies all that makes special needs dogs so special. We’re honored to be part of her forever journey.”
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