In this blog, I have often told you about Nino, my beautiful black guide dog. Nino has since turned 11, and he has been enjoying his well-earned retirement for almost five months. Meanwhile, I have successfully completed training with Vyuzu, a slightly larger yellow labrador, who will take his place from now on. Fortunately, Nino is able to stay with us during his retirement – he and Vyuzu get along well. This is the first story about Vyuzu.
Tervuren, February 2025
Yesterday I had to go to my course in Mechelen again.
A little after 16:30, I boarded the bus, together with Vyuzu, that is replacing the 44 tram during the roadworks.
I usually leave a little earlier than that to escape the rush-hour crowds, but I didn’t manage it this time. It was still quiet on the tram-bus, but when we got to the Montgomery metro station and descended the stairs to the tracks, the trouble was already beginning.
Problem on the Metro
From the barely intelligible voice coming from the speakers, I understood that there was a problem on line 5, causing delays. The platform was very crowded by then, and everyone was squashed together. Like many people with a brain injury, I don’t function optimally in such situations. I told Vyuzu to find a seat, but it was far too crowded and he couldn’t see one – he couldn’t see through all the waiting people, of course. So we just stayed put.
Finally a train arrived and we boarded it. Really, we had no choice – we were sucked there by the crowd…
Someone was kind enough to give me her seat, for which I was very grateful. Vyuzu lay down under the seat behind my legs, and the train set off.
The metro at Central Station was also very crowded. Everyone wanted to go upstairs at the same time, and it took a while for Vyuzu to find the stairs. Once at the top, it turned out not to be the stairs we usually use. Downstairs had been too crowded to be fussy, and Vyuzu had to take the first staircase up. I know all the stairs there (at least I think I do!), so it was no real problem. I just had to get my bearings and discover exactly where I was standing now.
After a few attempts, it worked, and we now followed the tunnel to the train station itself. From our ‘normal’ stairs in the metro station to the stairs down to the tracks in the train station, I no longer have to give any command. We have done it so many times by now that Vyuzu knows where we need to be and takes the initiative himself.
What a feeling!
It is hard to describe how it feels to be guided through a very crowded place by such a capable dog. Of course, you have the dog precisely because you yourself are unable to do such a thing without an aid. I have made the same journey many times with my white cane, and though I can do it, it requires so much effort that when I get to my destination, I am so tired that I can do very little.
With a guide dog, it is completely different. You feel yourself going from left to right as he continues his course among the ever-changing crowd of people who all have to get both ways through that tunnel. And all at speeds you don’t think possible. I am not the best judge of such a thing, but as far as I can tell, we are almost always the fastest through the tunnel. And all without touching anything or anyone along the way. Just awesome! What an incredible feeling!
At the bottom of the stairs, we turned left briefly, and then right to the stairs to track five, where our train would depart.
On the train
I installed myself in the train without any problems. Vyuzu was in his familiar place behind my legs and there were two free seats opposite us. The train stopped briefly at North Station, and there two girls asked if whether they could take those seats. They were clearly taken by that cute dog. It showed again how easily you can make contact with others through your dog. They turned out to be students at the VUB, returning home to Antwerp for the weekend.
As a former teacher, I have always had a lot of contact with young people. And I have missed that very much lately. So it was with a bit of reluctance that, twenty minutes later, I had to say goodbye again after a really pleasant conversation, as we had arrived in Mechelen.
Impossible instructions
The platform was strangely crowded when I got off the train. I have never known Mechelen station to be so busy. Even on the stairs to the station below, things were moving at a snail’s pace. For me, going down stairs with so many people around me is a difficult situation. It is for Vyuzu too, because he cannot see where we are supposed to go.
In the corridor under the tracks, the crowds persisted, and we all moved agonisingly slowly towards the exit at the station square. At that exit, there is currently some heavy reconstruction going on, and I thought it would have something to do with that. But that turned out not to be the case.
Suddenly, I heard a lady’s voice in front of me, saying to go to ‘that side’. I didn’t know if that was meant for me, nor who had said it.
It was repeated.
I asked ‘which side?’
‘That side over there’ came the reply. Of course, that wasn’t much use to me. If you can’t see where someone is pointing, you can’t go there.
‘Left?’ I asked, ’Right? Forward? Backwards?’
‘I’m blind’ I added helpfully after a brief pause.
‘To that side over there’ came the inevitable reply.
A saviour in need
I was now on the verge of exploding. But before I could say anything I might regret, a female voice next to me said ‘shall I take you there?’ I let her lead the way and I had Vyuzu follow closely behind. When we reached the station square, she explained that it was a police check, and that there were police cars and officers everywhere. I thanked her and thought how easily I could have said too much to that officer.
I have been on the course in Mechelen for over a year now. And I’ve been through a lot along the way my two dogs; a train strike among others! But this was by far the hardest journey there. And, through it all, Vyuzu remained calm and focused – just unflappable. How much effort and training it takes to get a dog to the point where this is possible, I cannot begin to imagine. But I will always be grateful to the staff and volunteers at Scale Dogs for it.
When I arrived at the classroom that evening, I gave Vyuzu his food first and then I got myself a coffee. Everyone is used to that by now. We started the lesson, and shortly after that we heard snoring noises coming from under my table….
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