Blind Dachshund Wears a Beret, Paints Christmas Ornaments

By Lindy West | December 13, 2013 | 3:50pm

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Hallie is a 10-year-old rescue dachshund who loves to paint. A few years ago, a rare autoimmune disorder called SARDs (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration) caused her to go blind, but Hallie’s creative spirit could not be contained. She soon picked up her brushes and donned her tiny beret (!!!!!!!!!) and began painting again:

She amazed me on the first try, by reaching out and picking the brush up out of the paint cup just like she used to, as if she could see it. The only thing I had to do was tap the paper so she knew where to paint, but I’m having to do even that less and less now. She again will grab the brush when I tell her how wonderful she is but it’s time to stop, and start painting on her own, she doesn’t want to quit. Oddly, her paintings have taken on a different quality compared to her pre-blindness paintings. And she often paints her red beret, which she wears during her sessions.

For the holiday season, Hallie has swapped out her beret for a Santa hat and is painting Christmas ornaments, which you can buy and hang in your house—in case you want to imbue your festivities with THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF A BLIND DACHSHUND WITH THE HEART OF AN ARTIST. Which you do. OBVIOUSLY.