Blind Kentucky farm dog is up for a national award
A blind farm dog from Pendleton County is one of the finalists for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Farm Dog of the Year: People’s Choice Pup.
Goose is a 12-year-old red heeler.
He grew up on the farm, “following rows during tobacco planting, helping bring in cattle and keeping a close eye on the greenhouse,” a news release from Kentucky Farm Bureau states.
Because of the pain he was experiencing from glaucoma, his owners made the decision in 2021 to have his eyes surgically removed, but owner Lindie Huffman says he hasn’t let it slow him down.
“When Goose lost his sight, we hoped for the best, but I was amazed at how his resilience carried him through,” Huffman, an agriculture extension agent for Pendleton County, said in the news release. “He can’t round up cattle or fetch my tools anymore, but he’s still a vital part of farm life, using instinct and memory to guide him.
“On tough days, which sometimes stretch into tough seasons, Goose reminds me of the power of resilience, adaptability and gratitude. Watching him overcome blindness with such grace and grit gives me strength to face my own challenges.”
Goose is one of three finalists for the top prize of People’s Choice Pup, which is chosen through online voting.
Voting is open through Nov. 28.
The winner will receive a $2,500 cash award and a year’s supply of Purina Pro-Plan dog food, among other perks, the American Farm Bureau Federation says.
In addition to the People’s Choice winner, a panel of judges selects the annual Farm Dog of the Year.
The federation says the contest is in its eighth year and “celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers.”
Huffman said she knew Goose was hers when she went to pick him from the breeder when he was just a pup.
“He snatched the harness from my hand and ran off with it,” she said in a telephone interview with the Herald-Leader.
She said he’s been her constant companion ever since.
She said Goose has always been a social dog, and when she and her husband made the difficult decision to have his eyes removed because eye drops weren’t helping him, they wondered if his personality or activity level would change.
She said she knew everything was going to be fine on the second day after surgery, when they went to her grandparents’ home.
Huffman took the “cone of shame” off Goose and turned him loose.
“He went all the way to the farm shop and to the water bowl,” she said.
The Kentucky Farm Bureau said in a Facebook post that “he continues to navigate the farm with confidence, proving that resilience and heart matter more than sight.”
Huffman told WKRC in Cincinnati that he walks off leash on the farm, still loves to play and likes riding the tractor and Gator.
“I’ve had a lot of farm dogs in my life,” Huffman told the Herald-Leader, and while each was special, “there is something really magical about Goose.”
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM.
