Dogs are our most loyal companions. They are always by our side, they protect us and help us in everyday life.
This applies in particular to dogs that have received special training, for example as guide dogs.
Would you like to know what costs you will incur with a guide dog? The following guide gives you an overview of all costs and prices.
In a nutshell: how much does a guide dog cost?
The costs incurred for a so-called quality and team-assessed guide dog with completed training are between €20,000 and €30,000.
In many cases, this high sum is the reason why health insurance companies refuse to cover it.
They must therefore be worn by you as the guide dog owner.
Guide dog training: what does it look like and how much does it cost?
The costs, which are made up of the following training steps, are between €20,000 and €30,000.
We will now take a closer look at the individual steps involved in this training.
character test
The so-called temperament test already decides with a puppy whether he is at all suitable as a guide dog.
The mini fur nose is housed here with a foster family, where it masters everyday situations together with them.
These include using public transport, getting used to noise and shouting, and contact with other dogs.
If the dog fails here because it is afraid or even shows a hunting instinct, there is no further training as a guide dog.
Good to know
The character test, which is not only required for therapy dogs, costs between €100 and €300.
Training with a professional dog trainer
When the dog is 1 year old, it goes through six months of training with a professional dog trainer.
Here he learns to walk in a harness and to lead his human. In itself a total contradiction to everything a dog should actually do on a leash.
Accordingly, he must learn new or additional commands and understand that being on a leash does not automatically mean letting himself be guided.
Training for dog and owner
Once the dog has learned how to lead a person safely through their everyday life, it is trained together with its new human.
The procedure is as follows: Dog and person train under the supervision of the dog trainer for 2 weeks where the dog was trained.
Then follows 1 week of supervised trainings in the place where the blind person lives. It is also important that the character of the dog and human match.
team test
The team test assesses whether the dog is able to lead its human safely through the traffic.
If this is the case, the guide dog training is complete and the new dog-human team can begin their life together.
What does a guide dog even do?
A guide dog, also known as a guide dog helps its people to master their everyday life.
Among other things, it accompanies him when he goes shopping, takes him safely through traffic and is also at his side on public transport.
How do I apply for a guide dog?
If you want to apply for a guide dog, you must first a prescription from your ophthalmologist receive.
They must first confirm that you suffer from a massive visual impairment, which does not necessarily mean that you are completely blind.
You then submit this prescription to the guide dog school you have chosen, together with an initial cost estimate.
The guide dog school, in turn, submits these two forms to the respective health insurance company.
This initiated the application for a guide dog for the blind.
Does health insurance cover the cost of a guide dog?
Many health insurance companies are reluctant to cover the high costs of a guide dog for the blind.
However, this is not always the case and many health insurance companies do bear the costs if the vehicle test has been successfully completed.
Are there government subsidies for buying a guide dog?
In certain cases, you can purchase a guide dog Apply for and receive government funding.
These apply, among other things, if there is an occupational disability due to a visual impairment in this case.
You can also apply for financial support from the social welfare office or the employment agency.
Partial funding is also possible in some cases through the so-called Victim Compensation Act/OEG.
Another important piece of information: People who suffer from a handicap have a legal right to a personal budget.
You can inquire about this at the pension or nursing care fund, for example.
How long can a guide dog work?
A guide dog can work into old age, there is no retirement age here. usually is but stopped working as a guide dog after 10 years.
After that he can sit on his old part of the body – of course at the side of his human.
Guide dog costs: Running costs for keeping
The running costs for a guide dog range from €341.63 to €435.63.
These costs are mostly monthly, but in some cases only once a year.
These cost items are made up of the things that every dog needs, such as food, a dog bed, dishes, and food and water bowls.
Visits to the vet, vaccinations, parasite protection, dog liability insurance and, if necessary, dog health insurance are also part of the running costs.
Good to know
Guide dogs and their owners are exempt from the dog tax obligation.
The following table illustrates how these are structured in detail:
PostCostsliningdepending on the breed from 60 € per monthdog bedfrom about 29.99Food & water bowlsfrom around €7.49 eachSpecial dishesbetween €83 and €127Routine examination by the veterinarianfrom around €24 (1 set)microchip30 to 60 €vaccinations50 to 70 €parasite protectiondepending on the means from 17 € per monthDog Health Insurancefrom €30 per month for full protectionDog Liability (if required by law)from €2.66 per month
Along with the Golden Retriever and the Giant Schnauzer, among others, Labradors are one of the breeds that make perfect guide dogs.
In our article: “How much does a Labrador cost? All costs & prices” explains, you can get a precise picture of the costs incurred.
Is it also possible to buy a “used” guide dog?
Usually you can Do not buy a «used» guide dog, as this often makes little sense is.
The reason is that each guide dog is individually trained and adapted to the needs of its owner.
Nevertheless, there are some non-profit organizations that give such guide dogs to new homes.
Conclusion
A trained guide dog costs between €20,000 and €30,000. There are also ongoing costs of €341.63 to €435.63.
If there is an ophthalmological prescription and a cost estimate, these forms can be submitted to the health insurance company.
Although health insurance companies are reluctant to cover the costs for a guide dog, they often approve these applications nonetheless.
A prerequisite for the assumption of costs is the successful completion of the team test, after which your guide dog will work with you for up to 10 years.
You can also buy a “used” guide dog, but this is rarely the case.
Do you have a guide dog and want to share your story with us? Then we look forward to reading them in our comments!