Just over two years ago, Dezzie and I qualified as a partnership. During that time I’ve experienced independence like never before. I’ve been able to leave the house, see friends and travel with less reliance on others. But what have I learnt during this time?

I’ve been qualified with Dezzie for 6 months now. If you don’t know, Dezzie is my first guide dog. He’s a 2 year old yellow Labrador cross retriever who has so much love to give. The last 6 months together has gone so quickly. If anything, it still feels like we’re getting to know each other. Here’s an update about what we’ve been up to in the last 6 months.

I’m writing this blog post while sat in a cafe, with Dezzie sleeping at my feet. This seemingly mundane task is something I’ve looked forward to for a long time — it’s huge and I’m actually emotional. Dezzie is oblivious to the enormity of this moment, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Dezzie and I are now a qualified partnership! It’s been about a month, it has gone so quickly!

As some of you may know, I’m on the waiting list for a guide dog. With the pandemic causing longer waiting times, I’ve been on the waiting list for nearly 2 and a half years. A client day was the chance to learn more about the process and meet some of the staff at Guide Dogs.

In November 2019 I applied for a guide dog, then a year later I was added to the waiting list! The process was more in-depth than I had anticipated. However, I cannot thank the team at Guide Dogs for their amazing support so far. Since sharing my news about a guide dog I’ve had a lot of questions about what it involves and why I qualify for one. So I thought I would share my experience. I hope this post helps you on your guide dog journey and allows others to learn more about the process.