Abbot, from Jarrow, was highly commended as part of the prestigious Guide Dog of the Year Awards 2008.

Owner David Lucas, who has had Abbot for six and a half years, said: "Thanks to Abbot I have got my life back.

"I'm really pleased he has been highly commended. I'm very proud of him."

The 42-year-old has four different eye conditions, which saw him registered as partially sighted in 2001, but by 2003 he was registered blind.

He added: "It had got to the point that I wasn't going out, but I do anything I want now. Abbot has radically changed my life.

"I never thought when I started to lose my sight I could change things around."

Mr Lucas runs his own business, The Road Ahead, helping firms with disability equality training, and assessing premises for disabled users.

He has also written a book called Running All My Life, about his experiences with Abbot, and made a film called The Road Ahead, which is where he got the name for his business.

Eight year-old black labrador Abbot was nominated for the life changing category of the awards due to the huge difference made to his owner's life.

The person who nominated Abbot for the award said: "Abbot is an exceptional dog with an exceptional character who has completely changed David's life. He's loving and a real personality."

The awards recognise the amazing work of the UK's 4,600 guide dogs, who provide valuable independence and life-changing freedom to their blind or partially-sighted owners.

Vicky Bell, from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, which ran the awards, said: "Although all our guide dogs are extraordinary in their own right, the Guide Dog of the Year Awards recognise some of those dogs that are truly outstanding, having completely changed the life of their owner, shown outstanding work or gone above and beyond the call of duty in their amazing work."