How to meet your guide dog's welfare needs

Meeting your dog's welfare needs goes far beyond just providing food and walks. At Guide Dogs, we're passionate about taking a holistic, dog-centred approach to your dog’s everyday care that considers their emotional, behavioural, and physical health needs.

A dog's everyday care can be broken down into five key welfare areas: 

1. Nutrition
2. Environment
3. Health
4. Behaviour
5. Mental state

Every dog deserves the best possible care and neglecting any of these areas can harm your dog's overall quality of life. That's why we've created the following guide to help you understand your dog's individual needs so you can tailor their care and ensure they're living their best life possible.

Nutrition

One of the most important aspects of caring for your dog is providing a diet balanced to suit their age, size, health, and activity level. As your dog ages, or their lifestyle or health changes, it's important to review their diet with your Dog Health and Wellbeing Specialist to ensure it still meets their needs.  

Good nutrition also includes water, and your dog should have constant access to daily clean, fresh water. Water should be offered regularly when your dog is working or walking, especially in hot weather.

Food can also help to keep your dog's mind active. You can make mealtimes more challenging by feeding some of their meals in different ways. For example, try using a puzzle feeder to encourage your dog to use their brain to work out how to access their food. Alternatively, use food during training exercises to promote and reinforce the behaviour you want to see. 

Here at Guide Dogs, we work with chosen food suppliers to ensure our guide dogs receive a nutritious diet at each stage of their lives. We're always here to advise and support you if you have any concerns about your guide dog's diet.

Environment

Creating a safe space for your guide dog is essential for their wellbeing and comfort. Dogs, like people, need downtime and a suitable place to feel secure and relaxed. This space can be their bed or crate, ideally in a quiet corner where they won't be disturbed, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It’s a good idea to encourage your family members and particularly children, to avoid touching or interacting with your dog when they're in their safe space.

Some dogs like to stretch out while they rest, while others prefer to curl up, and their bed should reflect this individual preference. It’s also worth being aware that as dogs get older, their needs will change, and they might like some extra space or padding to keep them comfortable.

When your dog isn't resting, providing them with appropriate enrichment activities, such as toys, chews and brain games, will keep them engaged and stimulated. Many enrichment toys are made for dogs of different ages, personalities, and sizes, so make sure you choose toys that suit your dog and always supervise playtimes!

You should provide a designated "relief" area for your dog to use the toilet (Guide Dogs refer to this as ‘spending’). The area should have a surface your dog prefers, whether concrete, gravel, or grass. Keeping this area clean and promptly disposing of waste is also essential for maintaining a healthy environment.

When visiting other households or environments, remember your dog’s needs too. If you’re visiting friends or taking your dog to work, ensure they have a safe resting area, access to water, and plenty of opportunities to stretch their legs and engage in some fun!

Sometimes, a particular destination isn't suitable for your dog. Even the most well-socialised dog may feel uncomfortable or distressed in noisy or crowded public places. Remember - a dog's hearing is much more sensitive than ours!

Physical health

A healthy dog is a happy dog. Providing enough exercise for your dog is crucial for their physical and mental wellbeing. The amount of activity your guide dog needs will depend on their age, breed, size, and overall health. However, in general, this can range from 30 minutes to two hours of exercise daily, in the form of on or off-lead activities.

Signs of too little exercise could include weight gain, lethargy, and restlessness. Symptoms of over-exercise could include limping, stiffness, and excessive panting. By monitoring your dog's behaviour during and after exercise, you should get to know what's right for them. If you're concerned by any changes, contact your vet or Dog Health and Wellbeing Specialist for advice.

You'll also need to carry out regular healthcare checks, so you understand what's normal for your dog, to ensure good physical shape and avoid health problems. It’s essential to brush and groom your dog regularly, keeping their coat clean and nails trimmed. You should also check their teeth and ears as part of the grooming process. Don’t forget to watch out for any unusual behaviour, like excessive scratching or licking that might indicate something’s amiss.

Your dog's vaccinations need to be kept up to date, and they should have a check-up with your vet at least once a year. Keeping up with regular veterinary-prescribed preventative flea and worming treatment is important for maintaining good health.

Our working guide dogs should have vet checks every six months, increasing to every three months after they turn eight. Should you have any concerns between these visits, it’s always important to seek advice from your vet or Dog Health and Wellbeing Specialist.

Behaviour

Dogs need to be dogs! Dogs are happiest when they can be themselves, which is why it's important to let them exhibit their natural behaviour and to create as many positive experiences as possible in different environments. 

Most dogs enjoy interacting with people and other dogs in a variety of situations, but each dog is an individual with their own likes and dislikes, and some may prefer less interaction than others. Understanding your guide dog’s preferences is key to keeping them happy and healthy.  

You might want to try: 

• Giving your guide dog the freedom to choose what they want to do at home, like playing, grooming, or resting
• Mixing up your daily physical activities - try brain games, training exercises, or going for off-lead exercise. Remember - variety is the spice of life!
• Learning new routes so your guide dog can experience different smells, textures, and sounds and allow them time for socialisation with new people and their dogs
• Providing regular opportunities to engage in activities like sniffing and chasing - you can play games or use toys that encourage an outlet for their energy and natural instincts

Our guide dogs should have regular, weekly off-lead exercise to provide physical exercise opportunities and recreational time. A minimum of three off-lead exercise sessions lasting 30 minutes or more should be provided with additional enrichment activities on days you may not be able to provide off-lead exercise.  

Every dog is different, and exercise levels will depend on your dog’s age, health, and fitness level. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Guide Line or your Dog Health and Wellbeing Specialist.

Mental state

Your dog's mental wellbeing is just as important as their physical health. Keeping them mentally stimulated and happy will also strengthen your bond with them.

Encouraging your dog to learn or use their brain is called cognitive, or mental, enrichment. It challenges your dog's ability to think, learn, and remember. Activities include:

• Puzzles
• Problem-solving exercises
• Training or learning new tricks or behaviour
• Exploring new environments

These brain games are not only a great way to challenge your dog’s abilities and keep their brain active and engaged, but are also helpful for older dogs, as it can slow down age-related cognitive decline.

By ensuring your dog has positive experiences and all care needs are met in these five welfare areas - nutrition, physical health, environment, behaviour, and mental state - you can feel confident that you’re providing a happy and enjoyable life for your guide dog.

If you have any queries on your guide dog’s health and wellbeing, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your Guide Dogs Mobility Specialist or Dog Health and Wellbeing Specialist. Please contact the emergency line on 0345 143 0217 if anything happens outside of office hours.