Teddy came to live with us on January 27th at the tender age of 9 weeks. He’s a black Labrador-Retriever cross and is currently training to become a Guide Dog. Yep, there’s the twist!
We’re only going to have Teddy for around 12 – 14 months; after this period he’ll go off for the final stages of Guide Dog training and then will hopefully be guiding someone through life. It’s a little heart-breaking to know that one day he’ll be leaving us but it’s also rather amazing to know that he may be a huge asset to someone one day.
As he’s training to be a Guide Dog we have to be quite strict with him. He’s allowed playtime and to just be a puppy but at the end of the day he’s a working dog and things have to unfortunately be a little tough for him. Throwing a ball for him is a big no no and he has to do certain things like doing his business on command and walking on the correct side of you. It's all very random.
It’s a little weird due to the fact I keep thinking of him as just a little puppy so I have to be hard on myself and ensure I don’t do anything to mess up his chances at becoming a Guide Dog. Can you say pressure?!
There is a possibility that he might not make it as a Guide Dog but if that does happen there are plenty of options for Teddy. He’s definitely a quick learner (although he doesn’t quite understand it when I tell him not to headbutt my bum when I’m trying to give him food) so I’m sure he’s going to be suitable for something whether it’s being a Guide Dog, a Dog for the Disabled or any of the other things he tries out for.
Needless to say I think we’re all going to be rather sad the day Teddy leaves us but at the end of the day, this was the deal and we’ll hopefully play a role in making the life of a blind person a little bit easier. I’m just going to enjoy Teddy’s small head and waggy tail until that day comes.
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