Natural Science Forum / Biology / Evolution / July 2008

Yes. A blind dog cannot respond to the body language of other dogs.
Since pack leadership (almost equals dominance) virtually requires that
the Alpha ignore the body language of subordinates the blind dog is
automatically exhibiting the body language of a dominant (Alpha) dog.
In theory a blind dog could represent a very dominant Alpha temporarily;
this would only last until the rest of the "pack" realized that the
blind dog was responding inappropriately to other body language signals
unrelated to dominance.
Cj

Few wolves die of old age.  This is usually because they are attacked
and killed by their own pack.  The social organization of wolves is
based on their body language.  Wolves with failing eyesight invariably
display inappropriate body language in response to the body language of
the other pack members.  The inability of the wolf with failing eyesight
to discern the body language of other wolves is a major cause of
attacks, and subsequent death, in older wolves.  Since we have
relatively few dog packs that are socially similar to wolf packs we
don't see a lot of dog/dog attacks due to misread signals within packs.
 Dogs with poor eyesight are liable to attack by neighborhood dogs when
poor vision precludes appropriate responses to the body language of
other dogs.  A blind dog, like pack dominant pack leaders don't respond
at all to subordinates' signals.  The first thing that will trigger a
dog fight is an inappropriate body language display that triggers an
attack from another dog.
Cj