Guide Dog Etiquette
It takes a lot of concentration for a person who has impaired vision to work safely with a Guide Dog. To help this team focus on its important work, please follow these tips:
- The Guide Dog must not be the centre of attention. Please don't pat, feed or otherwise distract the dog when it is working. A well-intentioned pat can undo months of training.
- Please don't grab the person or the dog's harness. First ask if they need assistance. Learn more about guiding etiquette.
- When you provide guiding assistance, please walk on the person's opposite side to the Guide Dog.
- Please make sure your pet dog is on a leash or under control around a Guide Dog. When approaching, it may be polite to let the person know that you have a dog.
- If you see a loose dog, please contact the local council.
- According to government legislation, you must allow a Guide Dog to go anywhere that the person using it can go.
How should a Guide Dog behave around me?
- The Guide Dog should be well behaved at all times, and settled when not working.
- When working, the Guide Dog should avoid temptations such as begging for food, drooling and chewing objects around them.
- The Guide Dog should respond to the user's commands to maintain its concentration.
- The Guide Dog should be clean, groomed and free of offensive odours.
People who use Guide Dogs have been trained in the most effective ways to control their dog's behaviour, so please only provide assistance if requested.
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