It is also the case that guide dogs do not know how to read bus numbers or shop signs. Although guide dogs are carefully bred to do the job each has its own physique and personality. It is therefore important to match each dog up to a suitable owner. It might be disastrous, for example, to match a huge and powerful alsatian with an owner who likes to walk slowly. There are several reasons why so few people with impaired vision have guide dogs.
Most blind people are elderly and most have an additional disability or illness.
They are therefore unable or unwilling to look after a healthy and lively animal which needs to be fed and exercised regularly. Many simply prefer to use a white cane or ask a sighted person to help. November 1997 N.B . This factsheet is produced in large print. 36 per cent of blind and 75 per cent of partially sighted people can read large print comfortably.