Subscribe

First Guide Dog and Wheelchair Team in New Zealand

Post by: Genevieve McLachlan in Blog
Thanks to the Communications Team at Blind, Low Vision NZ who interviewed me for this article in the latest Outlook magazine.

Genevieve McLachlan might even be the first person in the world to use both a guide dog and a wheelchair.

She has Cerebral Palsy as well as low vision and uses a wheelchair for mobility.

"My eye condition, Optic Atrophy, means I have no distance or depth perception so suddenly having to use a wheelchair made things a whole lot different.
"I was now seeing things from the height of a child, with the brain of an adult so I was having difficulty processing everything."

She got her first guide dog Dell, a German Shepherd in 1998. This was a first for Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dogs.

"None of us knew if this would work, but we were all willing to give it a go. The first challenge was to design a harness I could use as I obviously couldn't hold a handle, needing to use my hands to propel my manual wheelchair."

Her Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Sarah Jewitt came up with a design with a body piece and a soft strap that connected to the centre of Dell's back, as it would be for someone walking.

That was just the first in a series of challenges that Genevieve and Dell had to overcome in their four years together. Dell had to slow her walking speed down, adapt to a motorised wheelchair when Genevieve developed RSI and travel in cars and on planes while Genevieve traveled for work.

After Dell, Genevieve got Hobbit, an 18-month old golden retriever in 2003.

"Hobbit was totally different, and very stubborn if he didn't want to do something, he wouldn't but he loved looking after me so took his job very seriously and we had lots of fun together."
Hobbit retired in 2012 and Genevieve got her current guide dog Pedro, who is a lab/retriever cross.

Technology and knowledge about using both guide dogs and wheelchairs had advanced and her current Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Kim Norton organised an offset harness so that Pedro is well away from Genevieve's wheels.

"Pedro and I instantly bonded. He's such a fun cheeky dog, as Hobbit was, who loves to please. We continue to have lots of adventures together and nothing fazes Pedro, whatever I want to do, he'll do it.

"Pedro also learned an exceptional skill which goes above and beyond what's expected of guide dogs—he learned the rules of social distancing during lockdowns.

"Pedro very quickly worked out that for some strange reason, we needed to move away from people.

"Pedro's had to adjust to the constant changes of COVID levels which he's done very well, sometimes better than I have. It's lovely to have him by my side and know he'll help me navigate safely around our ever-changing environment."Genevieve in power chair on Kapiti Beach with Guide Dog Pedro

5 Nov 2020
0

Comments (0)

No comments yet.

Leave a comment