Sydney woman Liz Wheeler was walking back from the shops with her guide dog Poppi a few months ago when her companion was suddenly attacked by two other dogs.

"Poppi tried to ignore them but they started nipping at her and as they kept nipping and biting, they slowly pushed us onto the road," she said.

"We could have walked right into traffic or into someone trying to park so it was quite scary."

Poppi suffered bite wounds to her stomach but luckily the injuries were not severe.

Ms Wheeler said one of her friends who also uses a guide dog was not so lucky.

"She actually had to retire her guide dog after it had a quite severe attack with an off-leash dog," she said.

"So after three years of working with this dog and getting the confidence up to head out into the community, she had to give the dog up."

Half of handlers report attacks

These experiences are not unusual according to new research carried out by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.

More than three quarters of guide dog attacks were by off-leash canines. ( Supplied: Guide Dogs NSW/ACT )

A client survey of hundreds of guide dog handlers has revealed one in two guide dog handlers in NSW and the ACT have experienced their guide dog being attacked by another dog.

More than half of those attacks happened within the past year.

According to the figures, 78 per cent of attacks were caused by an off-leash dog, and one third of the guide dogs attacked were injured.

Guide Dogs NSW/ACT chief executive officer Dale Cleaver said the number of attacks seemed to be on the rise, prompting the organisation to launch an awareness campaign.

"What we're asking everybody to do is to keep their pet dog on a leash and under control when they're out and about," he said.

"If you see a working guide dog in a harness, please give it and the handler space. Don't distract the dog while it's working."

Ms Wheeler said the threat of having another dog attack her companion is a lingering concern when she is out in the community.

Even a simple task like going out to buy milk can make her anxious when she knows there are dogs off-lead in the area, she said.

"You develop such a strong bond with your guide dog, they become your life," she said.

"The thought that she [Poppi] could be hurt or I could be hurt and that we could no longer be a team, it is really frightening and it does sit in your mind."