‘She's my soulmate’: Visually impaired woman on the love she shares with her guide dogs
Patricia Denning and her guide dog Wish at home in Ennis: 'I have a total trust in her.' Pictures: Brian Arthur
At the age of 23, Patricia Denning began to lose her sight. In the years since, she has been aided by five guide dogs — who not only helped her to navigate the world, but also became her best friends.
After thinking she needed glasses, Patricia, who was born deaf, was told she needed to see a specialist. As she progressively lost her vision, she was diagnosed with Usher syndrome.
Three years ago, she got a new cochlear implant, which has given her “great relief” and makes her feel more at ease.
“I don't feel threatened, I can hear if there's someone behind me, I can hear somebody calling me. I can hear the birds, I can even hear the bees and flies going round my head and it's just marvellous.”
And now, she also gets to hear the barks of her best friend.
As guide dogs retire between the ages of eight and 10, Patricia became accustomed to saying goodbye to her four-legged friends. But some of them made a more lasting impression than others.
Her third guide dog, a yellow lab named Snoopy, was her favourite. When Patricia’s husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Snoopy was there for her.
“He was a great dog. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, he was given three months’ notice and the hospital let me and Snoopy stay in the room with my husband, which was nice,” she recalls.
After her husband’s passing, Patricia moved to Clare to be with her son and daughter-in-law. A short while later, Snoopy was diagnosed with cancer.
“We had to put Snoopy down, because she was ill with cancer. Snoopy was the best. She was so cuddly, friendly, a good working dog. She really was very special.”
Patricia’s fifth and current guide dog is called Wish, whom she nicknames Uisce. She looks out for Patricia on a daily basis — a task made more difficult by ongoing road works in Ennis.
“She’s doing great, she was thrown in the deep end because of the works, but we just clicked together so quickly, I have a total trust in her.”
When she first started to train with Uisce, Patricia was able to see a bit more, but her sight has been declining since.
"We keep the same route all the time. She had about four different routes that we go, I can change and change and it’s just lovely,” she says.
The black lab, who Patricia describes as calm and cuddly, is also very protective.
“We did have an incident in town. I was going into a shop and a man come calling over to me and said, ‘Lovely dog’. He was shuffling away, and Uisce didn't like it. She growled at him. He said ‘Oh, not a good guide dog’ and I said, ‘She is, she just doesn't like you, but she's very good’,” Patricia laughs.
At home, once Uisce’s harness gets taken off, she knows it’s playtime.
“She’s running around and she loves her toys. She got this teddy bear she loves, she always gives it to me and put it on my lap.”
Wherever Patricia goes, Uisce is never far.
“She also has a bed in the bedroom and when I'm asleep, she'll try and sleep on top of my bed. When she gets overexcited, she pushes the bed over to the other side of the room or near the window and I'm going in like, ‘Where's the bed?’ I need to change a wheel on the bed and put a lock on it,” she laughs.
Twice a week, the pair attend Jehovah's Witness meetings in Ennis, where Uisce curls up at her feet. Although they always have to sit a bit further away from others, as Uisce is keen to say hello to all of their friends.
With all guide dogs, it is important people ask permission before saying hello — a problem Patricia has encountered more than she can count.
“It used to be worse. Before Uisce, everyone used to touch the dog and I had to ask ‘Please don't touch the dog, they’re working’ but it improved now in Ennis, everyone seems to know me. Sometimes they’ll ask permission if I allow them to touch, so I just put the handle down.
“We go shopping into the supermarket, everybody's good and she finds her way, no problem at all.”
When Uisce is off duty, the pair’s favourite activity is to play ball in the garden. With the help of a ramp, Patricia is able to throw the “shrieky” ball — and Uisce always drops it back down to her.
“She'll catch it and drop it directly to me and let it roll down the ramp. I don't ever have to look for it, she'll roll it right towards me.
“She's just wonderful, I love her. She's my soulmate in a way.”
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