A device to enable blind dogs to feel obstacles in front of them. When a dog encounters an obstacle, the halo touches it before the dog does and any impact is transferred to the dog's shoulders rather than head and neck.
The device consists of three parts: fabric vest, adjustable fabric straps, and halo.
The fabric vest is a rectangular strip of fabric, slightly flared at either end where there are sewn channels for the halo, that fits across the dog's shoulders, ending at the tops of the front legs and held in place by one adjustable fabric strap across the chest and one around the chest behind the front legs. These straps are attached with suspender clips on both ends, making them fully detachable.
The adjustable halo consists of two "pegs" of polyvinyl tubing reinforced with aluminum tube. A wire runs the length of the aluminum tube and extends 3" or 4" (depending on halo size) from the one end. The polyvinyl tubing covers both the aluminum tube and the tail of extended wire. The total length of each peg is from 12" to 24", depending on finished halo size.
The area of tubing that covers only the wire is the stabilizer. This is doubled back into the vest channel (from back edge of vest) that is not being used for the main part of the peg and prevents the peg from twisting in the channel.
The section of the peg which fits inside the vest channel is the 3" to 7" of the aluminum tube at the stabilizer end (where the wire emerges from the tube). The tube/tubing is bent at a right angle (parallel with the floor) where it emerges from the channel on the front edge of the vest. It then curves inward to form the beginning of the halo.
The peg ends are inserted into the main halo, an open circle of larger polyvinyl tubing. The size of the halo can be adjusted by how far the pegs extend into the main halo. (They should go in most of the way.) The halo should be 3" or 4" in front of the dog's nose.
Notes:
* The vest is kept as light as possible.
* The neckline is slightly scooped so that it does not interfere with a collar.
* The vest can be worn with some harnesses, those that do not have horizontal
straps on the sides.
* The halo is not reinforced all the way around so that the front will remain flexible.
* The halo is adjustable in size. A smaller halo is best for inside, a larger one for outside.
* The straps are detachable and the halo can be removed for easier washing and
replacement.
* The vest can be reversed to better fit either dogs that hold their heads high or those
that keep their noses to the ground.
The Littlest Angel Vest name was inspired by the story, The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell, about a little angel, new to Heaven, whose halo was always falling down over his eyes.
The Littlest Angel Vest was first designed and produced in July 1999 by Sharilyn H. Burghart and is dedicated to the memory of Scooter, Miniature Schnauzer, blind from diabetic cataracts (1985-2000).
