With 250 people a day in the UK starting to lose their sight (RNIB, 2021), optometrists will inevitably see guide dogs coming into their practice. There are currently 3,226 people with guide dogs in the UK. The animals are provided by the charity Guide Dogs, which supports adults and children with visual impairments.

The charity trains labradors and golden retrievers, as well as crossbreeds such as the golden retriever cross German shepherd and the poodle cross labrador retriever.

Catherine Oakland, Guide Dog Trainer at Guide Dogs, says: “These breeds are very friendly, medium-sized sturdy dogs, eager to please and easy to train. They are also motivated by food, which helps with the training.”

Dogs start training to become guide dogs when they are about 14 months old. “It takes about six months to train guide dogs from start to finish,” says Catherine. “There are 37 key behaviours that we teach them. This includes walking nicely on a lead, stopping at doorways before carefully walking through them, and settling next to someone if they are sitting down. We also teach them to find a chair for someone and to support a person to get across a pedestrian crossing safely.”

The charity uses positive reinforcement to train guide dogs. Desired behaviour is rewarded with food, verbal praise, toys or something that motivates an individual dog. Catherine says: “This helps guide dogs understand what’s expected of them and encourages them to repeat the behaviour.”

A guide dog’s role is to support its owner in getting somewhere safely. They don’t lead them there. Catherine says: “The owner needs to know the route and give the dog instructions. The guide dog will support them by, for example, taking them around obstacles and telling them where the edge of the kerb is.”