What is a Buddy Dog? Discovery Day

Some of you may know that we had Mabel since October 2020. She is our daughter’s buddy dog from Guide Dogs. I have not blogged or told many people about Ms C’s eye condition. It took us many years before we had a diagnosis for her in December 2019. It was not promising for her and then we had the Covid lockdown situation so it was a tough year for her. She had to miss most of her year 6 and jump into year 7 in a new school with none of her primary school buddies. Then with more lockdown and isolation, she had to miss a lot of school.

Luckily, we had Mabel to help her through these tough months. Mabel was two when we got her and I can’t believe we’ve had two birthdays for her already.

Nevertheless, you might want to know what a buddy dog is? This is a placement programme by Guide Dogs. It is for children with eye conditions; severely sight impaired or sight impaired would be able to apply for this placement. Before we got a placement, I had to attend a Buddy Dog Discovery Day. This is a four-hour day course, split up as two hours in the morning, lunch then two hours in the afternoon.

During this course, we learned to understand the responsibilities of owning a dog, understand the process and expectations of the Buddy Dog programme and to consider whether getting a dog is right for your family, and if so, what type of dog suits you and your family.

As we are based in West Midlands, I had to attend the course hosted at the National Centre, formerly known as the National Breeding Centre, located just outside of Leamington Spa. They do have regional centres in the South-East and Scotland which run the programme too. Do get in touch with them if you are interested.

Before I go into the details of the Discovery Day, let me tell you about the application process. It is a long one! After attending the Discovery Day (4 hours), they will invite the family for an Experience Day (which lasts 2.5 hours). Then we put in our application form and had a telephone interview with them. They then did a Home Check, which can be done via a Zoom call because of current conditions. The staff will have a Development Day and place your details on a matching list. Once you are matched with a buddy dog, they will send you an email to give you the details. You can choose to continue or wait for another suitable dog. They will then set up a placement that lasts for 4 weeks. During this time, if you or your family can’t cope, you can return the dog back to them. Once you qualify with your buddy dog, they will send you the Buddy Dog’s coat. They will then do a yearly check-in with you to make sure you are happy with the dog or to see if there is a change in your family dynamic.

What is a Buddy Dog?

Guide Dog provides this service to enable children with a visual impairment and their families, to enjoy the benefits and friendship of a well-behaved dog. The dog is owned by Guide Dog, but they are looked after and paid for by the family.

Mabel has helped Ms C’s confidence and self-esteem. She also provides us companionship and comfort in many ways. Ms C took a long time to train Mabel to do a few simple commands and now they both have built up an impressive routine. I am so proud of both of them.

Who can apply for Buddy Dog?

Your child has to be between the ages of 5 – 18 and you need to provide proof that they have a visual impairment. This could be your Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) as proof. No one in your family should have conditions that will be exacerbated by a dog or exhibit behaviours that may affect the dog’s wellbeing. You need to be able to provide a suitable environment, not leave the dog for more than 4 hours a day and give the dog a minimum of an hour of exercise per day. If you have a pet, they must be comfortable with the Buddy Dog. Your child should not be going through a major lifestyle change in the next two years. For example, if your child wants to apply for a Guide Dog after turning 18. Each family will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The responsibilities of owning a Buddy Dog

We have to provide them with food, insurance, vet visits, flea & tick tablets, worming tablets and vaccinations. Also, bedding, toys, cages, dog bowls and many more, just like a regular dog owner. The Buddy Dog might come with a few belongings, like toys, a bed, two weeks of food and medication.

What type of dog suits you and your family?

There are a few things to consider: breed traits, coat type, age, personality and size. We did request a dog with a yellow fur coat as opposed to a black fur coat. This is because we think the yellow colour is easier to see than a black colour coat dog. Ms C is colour blind and having a big contrast of colour works better for her. We also wanted a smaller size dog as we have never looked after a big dog before. Mabel was our match – she is yellow and smaller than most of her breed.

During this course, we also had to learn the different types of canine enrichment tools available to keep them occupied, how to create a safe environment at home and being out & about and many more.

We were so thrilled to have Mabel in our lives and she has given us so much love. She also helps Ms C in many ways. I hope this post enlightens you on what is a buddy dog.