GROSSE ILE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — In Mike Adkins' Grosse Ile backyard, his Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Sadie relies on the sound of his voice to know where to walk.
If you look closely, you'll notice that Sadie has no eyes.
According to Adkins, she had to have both of them removed in 2021 after a hunting accident that resulted in her eye site slowly deteriorating.
Hearing that she'd have to have both of them removed, Adkins said he was "just devastated."
And just when Adkins thought his heart might break, it really got into some trouble.
"I had a cardiac incident," Adkins said. "So, I’m in the hospital, and Sadie’s in the hospital."
When the two returned home, neither were the same.
Adkins said all he wanted to do was sit in his chair, but he could see that if Sadie was going to continue to live, she needed more.
He started leading her around the backyard, taking laps, "hundreds, hundreds," Adkins said.
After a few weeks, each of them started to move with more confidence.
"A lot of walking, talking and trusting each other," Adkins said.
After a few months, Adkins had the courage to take Sadie back to a training facility field. Then the remarkable happened: Adkins said that Sadie began pointing a bird, with no eyes.
That's right, completely blind Sadie began to hunt again.
After months of training, Adkins took Sadie to Pennsylvania for the American Kennel Club Junior Hunter Test.
"It’s four tests over two days," Adkins said.
He convinced the judges to let a blind Sadie try the tests.
"On the afternoon test, we had people stopping by to say ‘Is this the blind dog?’ Adkins said. "The next day, we had about 20 people all cheering for her. By the last test, we had probably 25 or 30 people coming over to see here."
The judges told Adkins they'd never seen anything like it.
"She’s the first dog — in our understanding — in 128 years of AKC history to pass a hunting test totally blind," Adkins said.
Adkins said that as Sadie started to hunt again "she gained more confidence and I gained more confidence, I think. We’re kind of growing in this whole thing together. I still get choked up."
At the ages of 72 and 13, best buds Adkins and Sadie are now each thriving.
Adkins said he plans to continue bringing Sadie to different AKC tests, showing people what's possible when you don't give up.
"I think that’s the only thing we really want people to know is don’t give up," Adkins said.
Looking at Sadie, he said, "Don’t give up on your buddies — that’s my sweetheart."
