Scarlettsmom - What TDI does, in a way, is a certification as you are testing under a TDI tester, meeting their requirements to become a member of their organization. Their test was established around the same time as the CGC and uses many of the same points for obedience with a few additional ones, such as passing food dropped on the floor and having to be positioned around medical equipment such as a wheelchair or crutches.
Just like the CGC has people authorized to offer the test, TDI has people authorized to offer their test, usually for a fee. In many places, there are people who can administer both the CGC and TDI and will test them in the same day or even at the same time.
How the test is done really depends on the individual tester. I have taken one where everyone was in the room at the same time, so passing another dog and walking in a crowd were basically everyone who was testing walking and passing each other with their dogs. Other testers will test each dog/handler team individually.
After you pass the test with TDI, you have to become a member in order to be covered under their insurance. They will not let you become a member if you already belong to another Therapy Dog group or organization. (I believe this is due to a conflict in insurance? I am not 100% on that, though.)
Their insurance covers you any time you visit with your dog as a VOLUNTEER. Visits count if they are to any facility or any individual. I have a friend with TDI dogs and she visits in a hospice program where they go to terminally ill patients' homes and visit with them individually.
Another place to visit you may consider if you like working with children is libraries. TDI actually has a program called "Tail Waggin' Tutors" that's all about kids reading to dogs at libraries, schools, after-school programs, etc.
We've also visited with soldiers on base, too.
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Malinois Ronja - fastest K-9 in VT
=^^= Finn, Ratchet & Ollie
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10-04-2011, 09:47 PM
