Calls for a more blind friendly Canberra

But, frustratingly for Mr Grimley (and maybe Dudley), some Canberrans aren't switched on when it comes to letting Dudley follow his mate around.

Mr Grimley has had three Uber drivers mysteriously cancel rides on him after he's texted them to tell them about his black Labrador guide dog..

He's been told three times by Canberra Airport security staff to let go of Dudley and walk through metal detectors alone.

And often when Mr Grimley calls restaurants and tells them about Dudley, he's only offered tables outside before he politely reminds him that they can seat him inside.

"People just need to realise that people with assistance animals, especially guide dogs, have the right to go anywhere a member of the public can go," Mr Grimley said.

Mr Grimley will be Canberra's face of Guide Dog Australia's Access All Areas campaign when it launches on Wednesday for International Guide Dog day.

The group recently survey guide dog handlers across the country where it was revealed cafes and restaurants were the worst offenders when it came to refusing access, followed by taxis or rideshares.

Seventy-one per cent of respondents said they had been refused entry to restaurants and cafes; 58 per cent had been refused a taxi or rideshare.

"It can be frustrating," Mr Grimley said.

But being refused service because of Dudley wasn't the only problem, Mr Grimley still has to remind people not to pat his guide dog.

"When you do meet an assistance animal, don't pat it," Mr Grimley said.

"When you distract a guide dog, it's effectively poking somebody in the eye when they're crossing the road."

He said Canberrans just needed to educate themselves on the rules around guide dogs and pointed to the hefty fines - currently $17,000 for businesses - to refusing service or entry.

Mr Grimley was declared legally blind in 1998, then in 2010 he had a bad fall and started using a cane.

"Leading up to getting Dudley, I had a few minor head injuries," Mr Grimley said.

He's six-foot-two and would often hit low-hanging branches or signposts and even with a cane has tripped down gutters.

"Bunda Street is one of the worse spaces for me as a cane user," he said.

The lack of tactile tiles separating the road from the foot path in the pedestrian friendly zone often saw him walking into traffic.

After a few too many head injuries and falls, Mr Grimley was told by friends, "just get a guide dog, dude" and was united with Dudley in April last year.

Where once using a cane had him spending anxious mornings planning a simple trip to work - "turn left here, watch for the dog outside IGA, listen out for the McDonald's music to turn left" - Dudley made it easier with a simple "Find work, Dudley".

"There are times when you think that was just a quick easy trip and I get down and just give him a hug," Mr Grimley said.

"We're best mates, we look after each other."