Assistance dogs, including guide dogs, provide independence for people with visual impairments, hearing difficulties, and other disabilities. There's no minimum age for getting a guide dog, which come in all shapes and sizes! Larger breeds like golden retrievers, german shepherds, labradors, and even hypoallergenic standard poodles are commonly used. A standard guide dog typically weighs between 27-40 kilograms so they can gently block and reroute their owner when needed.
Having a specially trained guide dog can change someone's life if they have significant vision loss. The dogs are carefully matched with eligible individuals through specialist organisations and charities. Guide dogs undergo intensive training to safely navigate their owners around obstacles. Working in partnership, the owner provides the directions based on their orientation skills, the guide dog takes the lead physically guiding them.
All Assistance dogs:
- Are recognisable by the harness they wear and the identification tag on their collar.
- Owners should carry an identification card that will display the name of the relevant assistance dog charity they are associated with.
- Will undergo rigorous health checks on a regular basis, have a strict set diet and are monitored regularly to ensure they meet the criteria of an assistance dog.
- Will not wander freely throughout premises, but will be restricted by keeping it on a lead and in harness.
- Are working whenever the harness is in place, when removed this would indicate a rest period for the dog.
Moorfields Eye Hospital supports the 'Open Doors' campaign pioneered by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, and we warmly welcome guide dogs and other assistance dogs.
When visiting your clinic speak with the team who will be able to advise you on toileting areas for your dog.
We always try to keep owners and their dogs together, however there are circumstances where this may not be possible.
Moving around the hospital
There may be rare occasions when the dog is not needed for mobility but still needs to stay with their owner, for example if they are being transported in a wheelchair or on a trolley. When not working, their guiding harness should be removed; this will indicate to the dog that it isn’t being worked. They can then be led alongside by their owner or by a volunteer.
Necessary separation
If it is necessary that the owner and their dog have to be separated, we will ensure the period is kept to the shortest time possible. The dog will be as close as possible to their owner.
Emergencies and unplanned admissions
If the owner is admitted as an emergency case and is suffering from shock or is unconscious, it is likely that the dog will show signs of distress. In this instance we will try to contact a friend or relative to look after the dog. If this is not possible we will contact guide Dogs for the Blind Association will be contacted who will would arrange for the dog to be looked after.
Areas with prohibited access
There are some areas of the hospital where we cannot allow access to accessibility animals due to safety or hygiene. This includes:
- Operating theatres
- Oncology units
- Intensive care units
Patients that have a guide dog usually make arrangements for their dog to be looked after whilst they are in hospital for a procedure. Your local guide dog mobility team who may be able to assist (london@guidedogs.org.uk or call 0345 1430213).
Do's and don't s
Did you know, you should never pat or disturb a guide dog? Doing so can lead to the dog being distracted or distressed, and could cause unnecessary problems for their owner. To help we have created a short list of assistance dogs etiquette.
Do
- Do ask permission to pet the dog or to allow children to pet the dog if the dog is out of harness and not working.
- Speak to the handler, not the dog. Some handlers will allow petting, but be sure to ask before doing so.
- If allowed, don't pat the dog on the head; stroke the dog on the shoulder area.
- Do walk on the owner’s right side, a few paces behind when sharing a pavement.
- The guide dog has been trained to be on the left.
- Do teach children the difference between a pet and a working guide dog.
- Do politely ask the handler to correct any errant behaviour or trespassing.
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Do, while in seating waiting areas, ensure there is enough space for a guide dog so that it can remain with its owner.
Don't
- Don’t interact with a working dog by petting, calling out the dog’s name, or giving the dog cues. A guide dog should only hear cues from its owner.
- Don’t feed the dog anything without the handler’s permission, especially not table scraps.
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Don’t attempt to guide, steer, or hold a person navigating with a guide dog.
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Don’t grab or hold the dog’s harness.
- Don’t allow your pets to interact with a working guide dog. When a Guide Dog is working in harness you should avoid your pet dog interacting with them as it may distract them just like a human would.