Macey a guiding light

Macey has given Ms Dilley the confidence she needed to become more independent.

Macey is Ms Dilley's guide dog and together this month, they graduated from a Babbingur Ceremony, after which a guide dog begins its life with its handler, hosted by Guide Dogs WA.

Ms Dilley has a rare eye condition called Peters anomaly, a disease preventing the eye from forming properly, causing blurriness and headaches.

The 22-year-old said she didn't have any depth perception either, so she couldn't see stairs going down.

"Macey has changed my life so much," she said.

"I have gained not only a guide dog, but a best friend."

Ms Dilley and Macey underwent intensive orientation and mobility training at Guide Dogs WA in Victoria Park and at home, working in several locations to learn the skills they needed to travel safely in different types of environments.

Ms Dilley said she found the experience challenging, but extremely rewarding.

"Macey has given me the confidence to go out and about," she said. "I know Macey has my back and I have hers.

"Macey gives me the confidence to go to the shops because she knows her way around and knows the routine of what to do and where to go, to avoid walking into people, which helps me.

"She is my best friend and our lives will never be the same again."

Guide dog etiquette guidelines the community should follow:

n A guide dog should not be distracted and members of the community are requested not to talk to, touch, make eye contact or offer food to the guide dog while it is working and wearing a harness.

n By law, guide dogs are permitted access to all public places, including hotels, supermarkets, cafes and local businesses.

n Guide dogs are allowed to travel on all public transport, including buses, taxis and aeroplanes.