Published on 8/25/2016 at 4:53 PM
When Hoshi was 11 years old, he had to have both of his eyes removed due to glaucoma, leaving him completely blind. He was in a lot of pain, and there were times his family thought he wouldn’t make it.
Things were pretty rough for Hoshi for a while – until he met Zen.
Hoshi’s parents adopted Zen six months before Hoshi’s surgery to have his eyes removed. The tiny dog was found wandering the snowy streets of Spokane, Washington, filthy and matted. Like Hoshi, Zen also has some special needs, including an enlarged heart, pulmonary edema, a narrowed trachea and really bad teeth.
“The moment I saw him, I was in love,” Pauline Perez, the duo’s mom, told The Dodo. “Little did we know the big role he would end up playing in Hoshi’s life.”
Perez and her boyfriend were unsure how Hoshi would feel about Zen, since he was going through so much, but as it turned out, Zen was exactly what Hoshi needed.
“I was a little worried how Hoshi would react when I brought Zen home from the shelter,” Perez said. “To my surprise, he didn’t bark at all. He kept smelling him, staying close to him. Now they are inseparable.”
Zen seems to know that Hoshi is blind and needs a little extra help, and is always by his side to make sure he knows exactly where to go.
“They are hiking buddies,” Perez said. “We attach a leash together and Zen does the leading. Even if they’re on two separate leashes, Zen walks beside him.”
Not only does Zen help Hoshi, but Hoshi has also helped Zen a lot too. When Zen first arrived at his new home, he was very nervous and quiet, but with Hoshi’s help, he’s warmed up and allowed his quirky personality to shine through.
“Zen picked up a lot of Hoshi’s habits,” Perez said.
The pair loves going on adventures together, and they keep each other happy and safe throughout each one.
Hoshi and Zen both have their struggles, but together, there’s absolutely nothing they can’t do.
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