Distress Arising from the end of a Guide Dog Partnership

ABSTRACT

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) wished to evaluate its service to Guide Dog Owners (GDOs) undergoing a transition between guide dog partners. Therefore, a survey was carried out that was designed to gain an understanding of the end of a guide dog partnership from the owner's point of view.

Participants included 75 GDOs whose previous partnership had ended within the past year. Emotional distress was measured by the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and a specially constructed Grief Rating Scale (GRS). Among the 59 GDOs who had no other reason for being upset at the time the partnership ended, high distress levels were found in those whose dog had died, been withdrawn from the partnership, or rehomed through GDBA, and low levels in those whose dog retired and continued to live with the owner or was placed in a home of the owner's choosing. Sixteen GDOs with other adverse events in their lives around the time the partnership ended recorded high levels of distress irrespective of why the dog stopped work or what happened to it thereafter.

Other evidence from the survey questionnaire suggested that the ending of a partnership is especially painful if the dog has had some special significance for the owner; if the partnership ends abruptly; if it is the end of the first partnership; or if there is a poor relationship with GDBA. Emotions experienced at the end of a partnership may be similar to those following the death of a pet, the loss of a close friend or relative, or the loss of sight.

Transitions between guide dog partners are a recurring consequence of guide dog mobility, and support as a partnership ends is beneficial in making a smooth transition. The issues raised in this study are relevant to assistance dog partnerships of all types. Methodological problems in designing a study for a vulnerable population are discussed.