Here are the new therapy dog international testing requirements for 2024.
In December 2017, my dog Zaku and I were doing the TDI test for the first time. We were in a race to get all the titles we could, and we wanted the fastest way to get the therapy dog certification and start volunteering. In retrospect, I know that we were lucky to pass. It was not too smart to speed up the process to get the certification. A young puppy is not mature enough to become a potential therapy dog. And I would like to give you some better tips today!
Zaku was a good dog and he had a sound temperament. Even with that great personality, we almost failed because of his puppy energy. The nice certified TDI evaluator recommended that we continue training and so we did. After being certified, sometimes, in a nursing home, my puppy would lose it and start pulling me with no manners in the hallways. It sounds funny, but it wasn’t. At that moment, I wish I had waited until he was ready to be at his best.
I will try to make the TDI evaluation with my new golden retriever Happy sometimes, but I promise myself that I will be more patient. Being a volunteer handler and doing therapy dog work is a responsibility, not a competition.
I found out about the new therapy dog international testing requirements so I am sharing them with you in this post so you can prepare and hopefully ace the test.
Therapy Dog International PRE- REQUIREMENTS
Your dog must be at least one year of age to fill the bill. The most important prerequisite to becoming a certified therapy dog is that your puppy must have a sound temperament. A certified TDI evaluator will make a temperament evaluation. I would also recommend that you train in basic obedience before trying to test your dog. The first step would be to pass the CGC test from AKC (American Kennel Club) at your training schools. The test is pretty similar to the TDI test and it will give you a good idea if you are ready or not. If you are new to all this, you can read more details that I mentioned in the post: How to become a therapy dog team?
Potential therapy dogs must also be healthy before and after the test. Every dog has a continually updated health record form on a TDI website and every year you have to bring the form to your veterinarian so he can sign it. The TDI employees do a great job with their follow-up. The therapy dog organization TDI is serious about health issues and they will suspend your privileges if you skip a visit to the veterinary clinic.
Testing Requirements Brochure From the TDI website
What is a Therapy Dog?
“Therapy dogs play a different helping role than service dogs and emotional support animals. They aren’t trained to live with a specific handler. Rather, these are dogs that, with their human teammate (often the dog’s owner), volunteer in clinical settings. These locations include hospitals, mental health institutions, hospices, schools, and nursing homes. These dogs provide comfort, affection, and even love in the course of their work. Therapy dogs are trained to be comfortable in new environments and to interact with different people. They should have a calm temperament, be unfazed by unfamiliar noises and movements, be comfortable being handled, and love people.” Reisen, Jan. “Service, Working, Therapy, Emotional Support Dogs: Which Is Which?” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 11 Jan. 2024.
What is Therapy Dogs International?
“Therapy Dogs International (TDI®) is a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their Therapy Dogs for visitations to institutions, facilities, and any other place where Therapy Dogs are needed.TDI is a non-profit organization. There is no charge for visitations. All funds are derived from Associate Membership dues. Donations or bequests are welcome. The primary objective of the TDI dog and handler is to provide comfort and companionship by sharing the dog with the patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions and wherever the Therapy Dog is needed. This is done in a way that increases emotional well-being, promotes healing, and improves the quality of life for the people being visited and the staff that cares for these people.” Therapy Dog International. “GeneralBrochure.Pdf.” Therapy Dog International, https://www.tdi-dog.org/. 2008 – 2024 Therapy Dogs International All Rights Reserved
The health requirements for therapy dog international
The health requirements mean that your dog needs an Annual Check-up attested to by your Veterinarian within the past year.
- Of course, your veterinarian should have given the rabies vaccine.
- Your veterinarian also needs to give an initial series of core distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus vaccinations.
- Additionally, a negative fecal exam must have been done within the past year.
- A negative Heartworm test must have been done within the past year also if the dog is not on a continuous heartworm-preventative medication. A negative Heartworm test must have been done within the past two years if the dog is on a continuous heartworm preventative medication.
What kind of dogs are allowed to pass the test?
Service dogs (such as guide dogs) cannot become therapy dogs with TDI. Finally, all TDI therapy dogs must be completely housebroken. At the TDI test, you can register any breed of dog. It does not matter if your dog has a pedigree or if it was adopted from the local shelters. You are also welcome to test your rescue dog. Part of the test will also include the evaluation of the dog’s behavior around people with the use of some type of service equipment in public places like wheelchairs, crutches, or other medical equipment in realistic situations.
How To Join TDI
To join TDI, you and your dog must first pass our TDI Evaluation given by a certified TDI Evaluator and then register with the organization.
Where do I take the test?
TDi has an evaluator in almost every state. Find the upcoming tests in your region with their search engines.
https://www.tdi-dog.org/HowToJoinUpcomingTests.aspx
TDI therapy dog programs
Here are suggestions of where you could make therapy dog visits. If an opportunity is offered to you, for example, your kid’s teacher asks if you can visit, you can always ask TDI to add the new facility. In my case, TDI was always positive to my demands.
You can visit an assisted living place. The people that are living there are independent, they just need a little help. For example, when we visited one of those facilities, we were the only dog therapy team and the receptionist would call the event on the microphone: “Attention everyone, Zaku the therapy dog is in the commons. You can come and visit” I think Zaku thought he was the King of the place!
In our 5 years of career, we visited a lot of new places. We did a couple of programs. The ones that I cherish the most are with children. Those little faces when we would get in the classroom all brightened up by my 85-pound dogs and me. It was priceless. If you like children try to participate in Children Reading to Dogs (tail waggin’ tutors) program. You will have a lot of tears in your eyes, but they will be happy tears from watching those little kids telling secrets in your dog’s ears.
Presently, we are visiting a College and a High School. Kids are what we do best. But there are a ton of other programs if you think your dog could fulfill the needs.
There is the Hospice, the children’s hospitals, general hospitals, the libraries, the nursing home, the shelters, and some more specialized programs like disaster stress relief dogs and funeral homes. And wherever else therapy dogs are needed.
Did you know?
TDI is the oldest Therapy Dog organization in the United States.
A dog handler team will be covered under TDI’s Volunteer Insurance program while in service as a volunteer with a current valid registration.
Testing Fees
Yes, there are fees for the test. The fee for a TDI evaluation of a dog/handler team should not exceed $10. However, if the test site charges a fee for the use of their location or the evaluator must travel to the location of the test, the fee may be higher.
-Testing fees are charged per dog:
1 Dog + 1 Handler = $10.00
1 Dog + 2 Handlers = $10.00
2 Dogs + 1 Handler = $20.00
2 Dogs + 2 Handlers = $20.00
There is more explanation on the TDI website
Documentation directly from the TDI website
TDI Testing Requirement Brochure
Children Reading to Dogs “Tail Waggin’ Tutors” TDI’s Reading Brochure
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