Adog’s bond knows no bounds, and it’s not just reserved for huɱaпs. In the case of Siberian husky Sterling and Alaskan Malamute Walker, the best dog friends have become even closer as Sterling has needed some extra help from his family. Nearly four years ago, the Siberian husky was diagnosed with glaucoma—a condition that caused him to go blind. Now, Walker is acting as Sterling’s unofficial guide dog.
Lillian and Martin McKee are the pup’s loving owners. “The boys are very bonded and have been for a very long ᴛι̇ɱe,” Lillian shares with My Modern Met. “They are both rescues and were rescued from Texas Sled Dog Rescue when I lived in Houston about a year apart from each other. They are also about a year apart in age.”
In June 2018, Lillian and Martin noticed that Sterling’s eyes were starting to get cloudy, and he was diagnosed with the eye condition after that. “Sterling took it like a champ,” Lillian recalls. “We actually went hiking right after the diagnosis. We promised Sterling that his life would not change with the diagnosis but I was terrified that I would not be able to keep that promise. As Sterling’s vision started to fade, we fought the inevitable blindness that would come with canine glaucoma.” For 18 months, they fought to preserve Sterling’s sight and even incorporated RexSpecs—goggles made specifically for dogs—in order to protect his eyes.
Siberian husky Sterling and Alaskan Malamute Walker are the best of dog friends.
In June 2018, Sterling was diagnosed with canine glaucoma, which caused him to lose his sight.
Luckily, he had Walker and his huɱaп parents Lillian and Martin by his side.
They bought him special dog goggles in order to help protect his vision.
With Walker as his unofficial guide dog and his parents by his side, Sterling is still able to do the things he loves…
…including outdoor adventures around the Pacific Northwest.
