Our dog Parfé has been helping his visually impaired owner for years and regularly meets with his puppy raiser. This year they spent two weeks on vacation together. We asked Márta Vucseta to write an article about how she raised our guide dog and to tell us about their vacations together.

The bond lives on

Parfé has been with me since Tuesday. I have great respect for his owner, Attila, because he said Parfé had a lot of work recently and deserves a little vacation. Whenever he spends his time off in Pécs, we always visit the places he used to go as a puppy. He loved the Mecsek walks and hikes, and even now we wander those routes just as freely as before.

Every year, he spends at least two one- to two-week stays in Pécs. Right now, Parfé is on vacation with me for two weeks, which makes me very happy. According to his owner, he’s worked hard and deserves some rest. I stay in constant contact with Attila, so even if they come to Pécs during this time, I still have the chance to meet them.

The puppy has arrived

On January 3, 2020, a little miracle came into our lives. At the time, I didn’t realize that day would mark the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life.

This little miracle was full of love, sniffing curiously around the yard, and when we went inside the house, he followed us. This 8-week-old ball of fluff didn’t cry for his mother or siblings—he was perfectly content with everything. This was Parfé, who even as a puppy was always patient, attentive, and adaptable. He loved walks in the Mecsek, loved the training sessions, and learned eagerly, always happy to do what we asked. After a month with us, it rained nonstop for two days. We managed only short walks and some play, which wasn’t enough for him, so that’s when I started training him. His favorite games were object recognition and retrieval, and of course the “find the treat” game.

At first, we only trained a few minutes several times a day, but later I stopped checking the clock. We always ended when he decided it was enough. Those ten months we spent together were unforgettable—until the day came to say goodbye, November 23. I remember every moment vividly. When the car drove away with him, it almost physically hurt; Parfé kept looking at me until he was completely out of sight. At that moment, I felt as though we would never see each other again.

Parfé is still as attentive and calm

I had spoken with a fellow puppy raiser who had raised several dogs already, and both she and Marcsi (Parfé’s trainer) assured me that I would see him again—and that I’d be proud of him and of raising him. They were right: before the year ended, Parfé came back to stay with us for two weeks, and later for several long weekends.

Since getting to know Bodnár Attila, his owner, I’ve truly felt proud that I raised such a wonderful dog. I’m proud of him and of myself. There couldn’t be a better owner than Attila—they’re fantastic together. To me, Parfé is still a miracle: just as attentive, patient, calm, and intelligent as ever.

A brilliant solution

The other day, we were heading home along a forest trail when I suddenly heard a noise behind us. I turned around and saw a cyclist approaching very fast and very close. Parfé was about a meter away from me, and I was too surprised to say anything. We were walking off-leash on this rarely used bike path, so all I could do was hope he would stop in time.

But I didn’t need to worry—when I looked at him, it was as if he understood what I wanted. He simply stepped aside, let the cyclist pass, and then calmly returned to the trail and resumed sniffing. He surprises me regularly, even though I know he always comes up with brilliant solutions.

They accepted Attila’s diploma together

Congratulations to Bodnár Attila, who recently earned his degree as a certified sports economist—an incredible achievement considering he did it while juggling a PhD program, two jobs, and a lot of commuting. Attila’s guide dog, Parfé, was steadfastly by his side at every exam, lecture, and train ride:
“First and foremost, I owe thanks to my dear partner and to the wonderful, big-hearted Parfé—he’s already a certified guide dog. Almost every week, he traveled with me between Veszprém and Debrecen. And on top of that, he also made the Veszprém–Budapest trip multiple times a week for work.”

Our heartfelt congratulations to Attila! And once again, Parfé has proven that a well-trained guide dog is the best companion in every aspect of life: learning, working, and relaxing.