Thank you for visiting Teddy’s page
Teddy has been named by the Jewish News in loving memory of Martin Segal MBE z”l, our wonderful Executive Director, who passed away in January.
Teddy was born on 29th April 2024. He is part of the ‘noon’ litter. Teddy is a yellow labrador. He was born to Mum Fonda and Dad Gus.
What’s next for Teddy?
When Teddy is eight weeks old, he will be fostered by a volunteer puppy raiser. Teddy’s volunteer puppy raiser will teach him the basics and prepare him to bond with their future human partners.
A Puppy Manager will visit Teddy once a month during the critical first year of their life to evaluate his performance on the street, crossing a road or in a busy shop. They will also offer guidance, give Teddy’s puppy raiser new instructions and follow up throughout the training and partnership process.
Boisterous, playful, and lively
According to Teddy’s ‘grandmother’, Rena, who volunteers in the puppy house and is Fonda’s foster mother, Teddy is very boisterous, playful, and lively.
We will be updating this page with Teddy’s progress so please come back to visit.
Teddy has now turned 4!
Teddy is now living with his puppy raiser, a law graduate who recently completed her studies.
He is learning the basics – toilet training, commands such as ‘sit’, ‘lie down’ and ‘stay’, and settling down quietly while at home – using positive reinforcement with plenty of food and praise to ensure a positive experience. Little by little, he is taking longer walks and being exposed to the busy and potentially overwhelming outdoor environment. Before going on a walk, Teddy is learning to relieve himself in a specific location with the command “busy”.
As a guide dog, Teddy will have to be focused on leading his human, so he cannot be distracted while walking. He hasn’t fully mastered this yet, but he’s off to a good start. And, of course, there is lots of playtime, both at home and outdoors. The puppy manager comes once a month for individual training and supervision. He says that Teddy is making great progress.
Good job puppy!
Teddy is now 6 months old!
Now that Teddy is 6 months old, he can be left alone at home for a couple of hours, without chewing on shoes, socks, or furniture etc. He is becoming more independent and his physical changes and growth are slowing somewhat. Teddy often lies quietly playing with his own toys for hours and also enjoys games of tug of war with his toys. He has been trained not to jump on beds, couches or chairs, nor is begging at the table allowed!
Teddy has now fully mastered the ‘busy’ command to relieve himself in a designated area before going for a walk. His puppy raiser is now working with him on ignoring distractions such as other dogs and cats. They also often take public transport so that Teddy can learn how to behave properly on buses, trains etc.
To reinforce good social behaviour, Teddy goes with his puppy raiser to work, to run errands, to cafes and restaurants. On weekends, they love to go with friends to the park and visit family.
Being a guide dog puppy sure is a busy life!
Please support Teddy by making a one-off or monthly donation by clicking on the below. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
Photos by Eli Ben Boher