This month is World Blindness Awareness Month, an periodic action to help the public understand the realities of visual impairment, and how it affects those living without sight. According to the NHS, there are nearly 2 million people in the UK living with sight loss, of whom are registered as eyeless or incompletely observed. 

 

 Visual impairment can affect anyone, anyhow of age, as the causes range from diabetes to inheritable eye conditions. No matter the cause, blindness and visual impairment significantly impacts day-to- day life, and numerous calculations on guide dogs to help with mobility, work and enjoying conditioning and pastimes. 

 

 Leading pet insurer PetGuard, who ensure numerous backing and support dogs, wanted to use the occasion to celebrate the inconceivable work that companion tykes, and the charities that train them, do for some of the people who are registered eyeless or incompletely observed in the UK. 

 

 Head of Marketing at petGuard, Alex Bennett said “ Guide dogs give unwavering support for those who need it, and it feels only right that we punctuate the amazing work that these dogs do as part of Blindness Awareness Month, as a way of saying thank you for their service, and for those who train them.” 

 

 He added, “ It isn’t just a matter of helping with everyday tasks – they’re intelligent, gentle companions helping to relieve the sense of insulation that can come with sight loss.” 

 

The vital part of assistance dogs 

 Guide dogs play an important part in the lives of people they help. According to Guide Dogs UK, there are three types that are most used in their programme – Labradors, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Standard Poodles are also well suited to the tasks of an assistance dog, although they are smaller on the programme. 

 

From newborn pup to withdrawal, the life of a guide dog goes through several stages. Before they meet their unborn tutor, all companion canine puppies suffer special training at one of four public training seminaries. Once the pups successfully graduate from their training, they ’re paired with their unborn tutor. The corresponding process takes the tykes’ character, disposition, and the life of the tutor into account to find the perfect fit! 

 

 Latterly, the companion canine will generally complete two weeks of training down from their unborn home with their tutor, followed by another three weeks of training at the tutor’s home. 

 

PetGuard is pleased to support the great work of the companion canine charities, and new guests admit a 20% reduction off their first time of cover for tykes that help a mortal companion, and have been trained under the guidance of a member of Assistance Dogs UK, a coalition of assistance dog organisations. 

 

Source: petGuard