I think people dont know how difficult navigating the world with a wheelchair and a service dog is. I am very wide. Not very much is set up for the both of us to fit places. We get stuck a lot. There's very few leash options that dont either get stuck in my wheels and therefore risk occasionally choking her or are capable of allowing her to tuck behind me and navigate around my chair for ease of access - and that arent very expensive.
On the topic of leashes, there are basically 0 long lines designed for wheelchairs. My dog is allowed a 50ft long line on trails. The closest we can get is a flexi leash strapped to my frame but that maybe gives us 20ft and is nowhere near the same.
Have i mentioned we get stuck a lot? Because we do. Aisles, doorways, curbs, bathrooms, everything. Try and wheelie with a whole extra living creature attatched 4 feet from you and if you move wrong you might wrench their neck and tell me how it goes. It isnt fun. I cant fit basically anywhere when were together. IKEA was a shocking surprise in how much room we had to navigate.
I love my dog and I rely on my chair more and more w my paresis getting worse but so much isnt designed for these to go together and that isnt cool. I shouldn't have to decide between them just to access necessities or places everyone else gets to go. That isnt fair. That isnt safe for me.
