In her essay, Three Days to See written in 1933, Helen Keller described what she would do if she were suddenly to have vision:  “…I should like to look into the loyal, trusting eyes of my dogs – the grave, canny little Scottie, Darkie, and the stalwart, understanding Great Dane, Helga, whose warm, tender, and playful friendships are so comforting to me.”

It’s unimaginable to us not to be able to see or hear our dogs, but that didn’t stop Keller from a lifetime of dog ownership. Early in her life, she had a Cocker Spaniel, and at the age of eight, there was “Jumbo,” (thought to be a Chesapeake Bay Retriever). It was into the paws of a dog named, “Belle” (breed unknown) that Keller finger-spelled in an effort to teach her sign language (“Belle” she later said, was more interested in sleeping). In her teens, Keller had a Bullmastiff named, “Lioness” who was accidentally shot by a policeman. When Keller was given the news, she said, “I am sure they would never have done it if they had only known what a dear, good dog Lioness was.” In college at Radcliffe, Helen was given a Boston Terrier by her classmates that she named Sir Thomas (more commonly known as “Phiz”). It’s said that “Phiz” accompanied Keller to lectures where he’s wait quietly until class was over to go home with her. As an aside, some sources describe “Phiz” as a Pit Bull Terrier.

Also in her life: “Kaiser,” described as French Bulldog with a fondness for apples, and a Great Dane named, “Sieglinde” of whom Keller wrote: “Of all the dogs we ever owned, she was the most beautiful and intelligent.” Then there was “Stubby,” a Pit Bull Terrier,  a Scottie named “Darkie,” German Shepherd Dogs, Collies, and a Dachshund named “Sunshine.” It was an Akita, however, that probably generated the most publicity. “Kamikaze,” a gift from the Japanese government in 1937, helped introduce the breed to the United States. Keller said, “If ever there was an angel in fur, it was Kamikaze. The Akita dog has all the qualities that appeal to me – he is gentle, companionable and trusty.”

Helen Keller never used any of her dogs as service dogs, but in an interview that came later in life, Keller said, “Nobody, who is not blind, as much as they may love their pet, can know what a dog’s love really means. Dogs have travelled all over the world with me. They have always been my companions. A dog has never failed me.”

Quotes from “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller. Image of Helen Keller with “Phiz” found on Pinterest