As a guide dog user, you have to be very independent in the first place. The dog needs normal dog walks every day, but you can practice that very well. You'll also need good orientation skills because you don't have the feedback from your cane. Imagine you're in a place that is crowded and while your standing there, you turn around to adjust something or get the dog to heel, and you'll still have to know which direction your facing. I always say you have to want a dog in the first place. If you wouldn't want a pet dog, a guide dog is not for you, because it IS a pet dog before everything else.

If you are interested in getting a guide dog, one of the biggest changes you can do is to start practice walking outside more often. It would build up your stamina as you walk further, and let you practice your skills when you're traveling outside. Many guide dog schools will require a video of your outdoor travel, including traffic light crossings.

Hi OP, I feel like I'm in the same boat as you. I work from home and don't have terribly good mobility skills at this time. It kind of feels like a catch-22 right now. I want a guide dog so I can be more active and go out more but I can't get a guide dog because I'm not very active and don't go out enough.

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I know the first thing I need to do is to improve my cane skills and I am working onh it but it's still frustrating. Thing is, I totally get why guide dog schools insist on only giving dogs to people who lead an active lifestyle. What's the point of spending thousands of dollars training a dog only to have it sit around a house for 90 percent of it's life. Ultimately, it's up to us to show the schools that we lead an active day to day life

The trick is that you must use something or you will lose it, and with a guide dog if they aren't practicing the skills and having them actively maintained they will be lost. You will need to find time even if you have a busy schedule to work on keeping their skills sharp, because it is easy when you are just trying to get something done to let a sloppy elevation detection go, or for some other habit to start. Dogs need weekly training, and even if you are working the dog some scenarios are just not something that the dog is the right tool for. The long and short of it is that you will need to be living the lifestyle you hope to be experiencing with the dog before the dog, at which point you are ready for the dog.

I have had two guide dogs and I'm back to being a cane user. Each has their plus and minuses.
One of the biggest differences for me is that when I use a guide dog people always come over to me and strike up conversations. Now, it is the same conversation over and over but still it gives me human interactions. I'm an introvert so that wasn't a positive. I don't crave lots of human interaction and especially not small talk that is so repetitive that I considered having cards made up with the only 5-10 questions that I was ever asked: my dog's name is, he is X years old...
The other part that I will mention, because of your original statement, is that these dogs love to and need to o work on a regular basis. That doesn't mean walking the exact same route every day. They need variety. You have to chose to go down streets that you normally don't so that they don't get bored and patterned.
I was someone that actually walks so much that my dogs each retired a little earlier than usual because they could no longer do my big mileage days.
Why did I go back to a cane? This is me and my experience you and your could be different. I wanted be be more independent. I like the freedom of my cane. A dog had me on a schedule. I had to feed them at certain times of the day and potty breaks etc. I had situations where I ran into a friend and we spontaneously grabbed a beer or something but I had to cut the interaction short because I didn't have dog food on me and needed to get home and feed my dog. I like having conversations about something other than my dog. Although I did meet a number of movie star/celebrity people (I was living in Los Angeles) because the folks didn't think that I would recognize them and I would treat them like someone normal not a celebrity. It is hard to walk with my wife with my guide dog. I enjoy my time with my wife and our walks together.

There are pros and cons. I hope that you can find what is best for you!

I'm not visually impaired so I can't offer any advice except to do a lot of research and do what feels right for you.

I have a question though. You say you are looking to gain more security and independence. While I think a guide dog would provide you with security, wouldn't you be more limited in the places you could go and things you could do if you had a guide dog? I've noticed how difficult it is for people with guide dogs to get an uber/lyft/taxi and even getting entry to places/events. I don't want to discourage you either way, I really do think you should do what's best for yourself and your lifestyle while also taking a potential dog's life and needs into consideration. Would the benefits outweigh the setbacks for you personally?

The white cane can provide independence if you have adequate orientation and mobility training. Is there a reason why you don’t like the white cane? What are you expecting the guide dog to do that a cane cannot?

I agree very much eith the good O&M skills part. Without those you really wouldn‘t be able to make good use of a guide dog.

Regarding the sctive lifestyle part, I would say yes and no. You definitely need a couple of routes you regularly walk thst you could do with a guide dog. This can be commute to work, to shops, places ehere you sprnd your spare time… It doesn‘t matter. Personally, I‘m a student and only have to go to uni one day per week this semester. Because I do less everyday life things with my dog I kind of have to invent stuff to make sure she gets her exercise. So, I go for more walks in the forest and have her guide me there (the route is great to exercise many important guiding things). I wouldn‘t think of doing so many walks otherwise, but it‘s great because she brings me outside and it happens often that conversations with other people walking in the forest develop.

Only you know if a guide dog is the right thing for you. It takes a lot of work until you‘re a good team, especislly if you have to work on some skills first for yourself. If you have that motivation and patience, a guide dog can be a great addition to your life. Be very honest with yourself how well a guide dog will fit into your life, how you will use him or her (also in winter, when it‘s freaking cold and you otherwise maybe wouldn‘t necessarily have to leave the house).