September 18, 2025

Things to Know About Guide dogs

Guide dogs can play a vital role in helping someone with a visual impairment (VI) to gain independence, to live actively and more confidently. Deciding whether to get a guide dog is a very personal decision and can be influenced by factors like as an individual’s lifestyle or support needs. In this blog we’ll be sharing some important information about these furry heroes and answering some common questions:

Can I give them treats?
They don’t come with a built-in GPS
Dogs are not robots
Distractions while working
Petting a guide dog
Do they ever stop working?

Can I give them treats?

Guide dogs are often given food or treats while they work as a way of helping to keep them focused and also rewarding good behaviour, such as alerting their walker of hazards. For this reason, many dogs will be on fairly strict diets in order to keep them at a healthy weight. If a dog becomes overweight, this can put a lot of pressure on their joints and cause them pain and discomfort, and in turn could impact their ability to guide efficiently.

So while it can seem cruel to deny a dog the leftover scraps off your plate (trust us, we know how hard it can be to resist those puppy-dog eyes!), it really is best for them. As it would be with any dog, it’s always best to ask their owner if it’s ok to give them food – even when they’re not working.

They don’t come with a built-in GPS

It’s a common misconception that guide dogs know exactly where they’re going as they head out of the front door – while this would be very convenient, unfortunately it’s not true!

Through repetition, the dog can become familiar with regularly used routes – such as the way to and from work, the local supermarket or dog park – and may naturally lead a little more overtime. However, their primary role is not to remember the way to these destinations, but to get their handler from point A to point B safely. They will need to follow specific commands for direction and alert their handler of hazards like curbs, stairs or doors and to avoid obstacles.

Dogs are not robots

Much like humans, working dogs can have “off” days. Perhaps they’re feeling a little unwell, tired or just not in the mood to work (relatable, right?). From an outsider’s perspective, it may look as though the guide dog is confused or failing at their job but do not intervene – unless you can see an immediate danger – sometimes they just have to work through it.

Distractions while working

Throughout the day a guide dog can become distracted by lots of things – other animals, food, unfamiliar noises or new smells – but research from Guide Dogs found that over 55% of guide dog owners said that members of the public distracted their dogs at least once a day.

What are the forms of distraction?

Petting
Offering food and treats
Whistling
Taking pictures
Waving and pulling faces at the dog
Talking/cooing at the dog – even from a distance

Not only can this be frustrating for the owner but it can also be extremely dangerous for both themselves and the dog. It could lead to potential injuries or falls for the owner if the dog is not focused enough to alert them of hazards. It takes a lot of training to help a dog differentiate between work and play time and distractions like those mentioned above can cause them a lot of confusion, particularly if they are currently in training or new to their role.

As difficult as it can seem, it’s always best to ignore the dog.

Petting a guide dog

In any given situation, you should always ask permission before approaching to stroke or pet a dog. Guide dogs are no exception. It’s important to remember that you do not know them – their behaviours, their temperament, what spooks them or how they react to strangers.

You may think that if a dog is sat or laying down (for example, in a cafe or at a bus stop), that they’re not working. However, it should always be assumed that if a dog is wearing their harness that they are working – or could be soon – and need to stay focused.

If you approach the owner and ask if you can stroke their guide dog but they refuse, do not take this personally. You’ll need to respect that there could be many reasons behind a ‘no’, or perhaps they simply do not want their dog to be fussed in that moment.

Do they ever stop working?

Yes! At the end of the day, guide dogs are just like any other dog – they’ll play at the park and receive lots of cuddles and attention at home with plenty of time to rest!

When Alex and his guide dog Ned (pictured below) come into work – and once the harness comes off – he is given lots of strokes and fuss by colleagues around the office!