Applying for a guide dog: My experience

Having a guide dog by my side has been a goal of mine for years. Right from a young age, I imagined myself having a life-changing furry companion.

I’ve sponsored guide dog puppies since I was little. Seeing the dogs go from playful pups to forming a fully fledged partnership with blind and visually impaired people is really special. Whenever I received my pupdates, I always found myself commenting “I hope that’s me one day”. That’s now one step closer to becoming a reality.

 

Having a guide dog is a big commitment, both personally and as a partnership. I therefore needed it to be the right time.

Applying for a guide dog is something I hoped I’d do after graduating university. Life had other ideas, resulting in me putting a pause on that goal.

Fast forward to March 2023, it finally felt like the right time to start the process. 8 months later and I was on the waiting list!

 

Not only is it something I wanted to document here on the blog, I’m hoping that sharing my experiences of the application process might help others who are considering applying for a guide dog.

It’s worth noting that I’m speaking from my personal experiences of the process in the UK, other countries may have a different programme altogether.

 

The application process

I had some idea about the process of getting on the waiting list, partly down to speaking to the organisation some years ago and through conversations with guide dog owners that I know.

However, the process has changed quite a lot since I last enquired.

In order to apply for a guide dog, there’s specific criteria you have to meet in terms of your level of vision and mobility. I knew that I’d meet the criteria in terms of my level of vision, everything else I had to find out along the way. I’m registered blind (severely sight impaired), have light perception, and use a long cane.

 

The introductory phone call

The first step of the application is to have an initial phone call which lasted around an hour. It was an introductory call to find out about the services that Guide Dogs offer, plus a chance for them to get to know my personal circumstances.

We also spoke about how my chronic illness (ME/CFS) has an impact on my life, as well as how I’d need a dog that sheds less hair due to having an allergy which makes the inflammation in my eye flare up. Admittedly, I was a little apprehensive about discussing both of those things when starting my application because I was worried they’d be a barrier. It was reassuring to know that neither of them wouldn’t be a problem.

Throughout the conversation, I was reminded that not everyone who goes through the application will end up on the waiting list due to a number of reasons such as not needing to work the dog on a regular basis, having enough remaining vision or being unfamiliar with your local area.

At the end of the call, it was decided that a guide dog would be a possibility for me, meaning that I could move on to the next stage.

 

Health Risk Assessment

Around a week later, I was contacted by an adult orientation and mobility specialist from my local area to go through the health risk assessment. It was an in-depth form which had lots of similarities to the initial phone call, in more detail this time.

It covered my eye condition, chronic illness, more about my allergy and how it affects me, my housing situation, pets, my day-to-day life including my job, familiar routes, current mobility skills, and plans for the future.

The health risk assessment helps them to paint a picture of the impact a guide dog would have on my life. It also gives them a deeper understanding of how often the dog would be working if it was decided a guide dog was the right fit for me.

It was a relaxed conversation. There was no judgement – it was actually really encouraging. They genuinely want the best possible outcome for you.

 

Mobility assessment

Now it was time for them to see how I navigate when out and about. The mobility assessment was done by the adult and orientation and mobility specialist I’d previously spoken to. Having someone there that I’d already been in contact with made me feel much more at ease.

You need to meet the assessment criteria to be accepted onto the waiting list. This includes knowing at least 3 different routes. Using a long cane isn’t a must, but it can be helpful.

During the mobility assessment, we went on some of my routes. This allowed them to see my cane skills, how I navigate independently including crossing roads, and my ability to orientate myself.

I wish 16-year-old Holly could have seen me do that assessment. She’d never believed that she’d be doing that one day.

It was a relief to know that they were happy with everything, meaning that I could continue my application.

 

Finding the right match

The next step of the process was another telephone call which was an in-depth conversation about the right dog for me. The call lasted around 90 minutes, much longer than the previous conversations I’d had.

Matching a blind or visually impaired person and a guide dog is a real art. They consider both the person’s lifestyle and the dogs temperament when making that all-important match. It really is a deal breaker.

My circumstances are different to the next person’s.

First and foremost, I need a dog that sheds less hair due to my allergy. That narrows down the selection of dogs that I can be matched with. I also need a dog that is okay with pets, travels well on public transport and isn’t phased by the Hussle and bustle of a city centre.

In order to build up that picture, we spoke at length about my lifestyle, my social life, where I regularly travel and how I get from A to B. Although it was a long conversation, it was definitely worth it. I can understand why they need to know every single detail. The time and dedication that goes into the matching process is like magic.

 

The exciting trial run!

As I was applying for my first guide dog, I had no idea what to expect. I’d never held the handle before, let alone walked with a guide dog.

Being navigated by a dog is a completely new way of navigating the world. You’re essentially putting your trust in an animal to guide you, rather than letting a cane alert you of obstacles or change in surfaces.

I was both nervous and excited.

The assessment takes place with a guide dog trainer. And the best part is that I got to do it with an actual guide dog in training! I know from speaking to other guide dog applicants it’s quite rare for that to happen, so I felt incredibly lucky.

The assessment started with me using my long cane, giving the trainer the chance to observe how I currently navigate.

We then moved on to using the harness. The trainer guided me using the harness, relaying the movements that the dog would do.

Before I knew it, I was being guided by a trainee guide dog!

Bruno was a black Retriever X German Shepherd. He had a quirky personality, yet there was no doubt he loved working. As soon as the harness was on, he was raring to go.

Walking with a guide dog was unlike anything I’d experienced before.

It was a little daunting at first. Thankfully, I soon got to grips with it all. Not forgetting that putting my trust in the dog was completely new to me.

I was taught some of the commands to give Bruno when we were out on our walk. We even went in a local shop, him guiding me through the aisles and finding the door when we were leaving.

From the moment I started, the impact a guide dog would have on my life became clear., I could tell that it would give me a whole new lease of independence.

There was one particular moment that hit home how incredible they are. We were walking along a main road that I know well, when a car started to reverse out of a driveway. I knew this because I could here the tyres on the gravel. Bruno immediately stopped, preventing us both from danger. That moment right there was a stark reminder of one of the many positive impacts a guide dog would have on my life.

The guide dog trainer had a lead which meant he was in control should he need to act quickly,. Fantastically, he didn’t.

I felt tons more confident navigating with a guide dog. It also somehow improved my posture, something the guide dog trainer commented on!

Walking the streets with a guide dog by my side is a feeling like no other. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

 

After we’d successfully completed the trial run, the guide dog trainer ticked off some final paperwork with me. He also carried out a pet assessment of my home to make sure it would be fit for a guide dog.

 

Decision time

Once all the assessments have been completed, it’s then time for the team at Guide Dogs to make a decision.

They review each case, and decide whether the applicant can be added to the waiting list, or make an alternative appropriate decision.

3 days after my final assessment, I received a call to say that I had been accepted onto the waiting list! I couldn’t believe it.

The call came two days after my birthday – it was the most amazing belated birthday present that I could ask for.

 

The waiting game is now well and truly underway…

I’ve been advised that it could be anywhere from 12 months to 3 years until I’m matched with a dog.

Because there are so many factors at play, it can take a long time. The matching process is done by suitability, rather than how long a person has been on the waiting list.

Take my need for a dog that doesn’t shed much hair for example. They don’t breed those dogs very often, so my wait will more than likely be longer.

The fact I’m on the waiting list is the most important thing. It feels like such a huge achievement.

No matter how long I have to wait, I know that I’ll be matched with the perfect dog one day. And I can’t wait for that to happen.

 

I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at Guide dogs. I can’t thank them enough for their support over the last 8 months.

 

There we have it. A pretty big life update I must say. I’m beyond excited for the day I can share even more guide dog content with you!

Are you a guide dog owner, or would you consider applying for one in the future? I’d love to hear from you.

Holly x