Rambles with Remus

Welcome to the first in a series of regular guest blogs by Zoe, a Euan’s Guide Ambassador, and her assistance dog Remus. The two live in Farlie on Scotland’s West Coast and the blog will focus on Zoe’s adventures using an all terrain mobility scooter. 

Part 1: A New Adventure Begins 

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be given a Tramper scooter which belonged to a friend in my village. She was having problems getting on and off it so decided to rehome her beloved scooter. Thanks to the generosity of my friend Shona, I now have a new way to discover the countryside. The Tramper has allowed me to explore my normal dog walking routes more thoroughly. I can now explore the field beyond Farm lane in Largs, which was previously a no-go zone when I was using my powerchair. I have also enjoyed being able to explore further on the Fairlie Mound Path in Largs, a seafront path which is a regular dog walking route for myself and Remus. 

The Mound is made up of a gravel path which can be very uneven, I used to find it very painful on my back and my dislocated hip. However, with the all terrain scooter, I can explore further along the path and not be bumped about as much. The Tramper has added suspension at the back of the scooter which makes uneven ground more comfortable. 

Being able to take Remus further and on longer walks means a lot to me, as I want him to enjoy life as a normal dog as well as being my assistance dog. Being able to walk him every day also means that I can get out and about and meet other dog walkers. I don’t think I will be able to transport the scooter within my car as it’s quite bulky in size, however, I am looking forward to being able to explore more areas of my local village of Farlie and I look forward to sharing our adventures with you in other blog articles! 

My main goal at the moment is to try to get Remus more used to walking alongside my scooter and building his confidence in its movement. It has bigger all terrain wheels and could be quite frightening for him. At the moment his training is going well I try to get him to touch the sides of the scooter when it is turned off so that he can see that it is not anything scary. On my powerchair there is an attachment where I can attach Remus’ lead, I am going to try and investigate to see if I can put something similar onto the scooter. If anyone else with a dog has any suggestions, I would love to hear them! 

I hope that if you are out and about in the summer sunshine that you can find a walk that suits your accessibility needs. Don’t forget that Euan’s Guide are looking for your suggestions of ideal summer walks so keep exploring and reviewing! 

The photo below is a picture of me on the Mound seafront path in Farlie, a regular dog walk for myself and Remus, which has been made all the better by my new scooter.

More from Zoe

Part 2: Island Adventures

Part 3: Voyage in Valencia

Part 4: Valencia's old town

Part 5: Social distancing

Locations: Largs

Tags: guest blog, Ambassadors, rambles with remus