FALMOUTH, Ky. – Goose, a 13-year-old blind red heeler (Australian cattle dog) from Pendleton County is an exple of resilience and adaptability.

In 2021, Goose was diagnosed with glaucoma, which caused him significant pain. His owner, Lindi Huffman, a Pendleton County agriculture extension agent, and her husband made the difficult decision to have his eyes surgically removed.

Goose’s story has been shared across the state, including on many television news features. He garnered a lot of national media attention as well. News of his heartbreaking diagnosis along with his positive recovery spread like wildfire.

Earlier this year, Goose was honored with the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation People’s Choice Pup award. The People’s Choice Pup is a social media-driven competition in which people vote online for their favorite farm dog of the year from a list of nominees.

While Goose can no longer herd cattle or retrieve tools, he remains an active and valued member of the farm, relying on instinct and memory to navigate daily tasks.

“I had another heeler on the farm once when I was in college, but he went missing,” Huffman said. “Then a friend introduced me to another heeler, and I named him Goose. The first time I met Goose he ran up to me and took the leash right out of my hands. He, in a sense, picked me.”

According to Huffman, glaucoma is prevalent in the heeler breed.

“His eyes started to bulge and you could just tell he was in pain,” she said. “At first, the vet told us it was nuclear sclerosis, which is an age-related hardening and clouding of the central part of the eye’s lens. We had eye testing performed at the Animal Eye Institute of Northern Kentucky. His pressures were so high in both eyes that they needed to do treatment immediately. We tried drops which were very expensive and time-consuming. Goose needed drops four times a day, four drops at a time and five minutes between each set of drops.

“At the end of the day it gave him no relief. His pressures were still the same. Our option was to continue with the drops or have his eyes removed.”

The Huffmans knew they were not giving up on Goose.

“We picked him up the day after surgery and he didn’t do well for a day because of the anesthesia,” Huffman. “The second day I took him down the road to my grandparents’ house. We took the leash off him and he bolted straight toward the barn where his water bowl is. It was at that very moment I knew he was gonna be all right. He navigated on his own. He is so confident and nothing has slowed him down since the surgery.”

Huffman calls Goose’s story a “symbol of adaptability in rural Kentucky life.”

“He’s using memory and instinct to guide him,” Huffman said. “On tough days, which sometimes stretch into rough 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.”

American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Farm Dog of the Year winner is Max, a border collie owned by Oklahoma Farm Bureau member John Enns. Enns said in a video posted on the farm bureau website that he broke his back in a heavy equipment rollover accident in 2004 and depends on Max to herd his cattle.

After the AFBF panel selected Max as the overall winner, three dogs were nominated for the People’s Choice Pup winner, and Goose took top honors. Huffman received the award on Goose’s behalf last January at the American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, Calif.

“I really wanted to take Goose with me, but the flight would’ve been a lot on him,” Huffman said.

The award included $2,500 and a trophy, but Huffman said “he’s most excited about the free year’s supply of dog food donated by Nestle Purina PetCare.”

And the Huffmans are most excited that Goose has adapted to the surgery and getting around the farm very well.

“The power, strengths and instincts of dogs is incredible,” Huffman said. “They smell memory, they smell fear, they smell happiness and they smell sadness. They have a sixth a sense that humans can’t tap into.”

Goose’s trophy sits on the mantel in the family’s den.

“Goose’s recognition highlights that even without sight, dogs can contribute meaningfully to their families and communities,” Huffman said. “I believe that God’s wholeheartedly sent this dog to me. I wholeheartedly believe that.”