Therapy Dogs

Hi All!

My boy Dylan is finally going to get his TDI certification test on Nov 29th. I'm a touch worried about it because he gets so excited in new situations when there are other dogs around...

How did the tests go for you guys that have taken it?

I recently took the CGC with him and he passed although I think the judge was a little lenient. During his stay, he broke the sit and stood (the grass was wet and he doesn't like sitting in wet...), but didn't come and she still let it go. Will they be as lenient on the TDI test?

I'm nervous! He's going to be coming with me to the dog park and I will train him outside the play area before I let him play. Hopefully that will help...

When we first got Dylan, he was 5 months old and already showed promising signs for being a great therapy dog. Shortly after him passing obedience class with flying colors, I had to undergo some back surgery which basically stopped me from doing just about everything for a year and then some.
Needless to say, he's now 2 years old and still not certified although he has done a few unofficial nursing home visits. That said, I started looking for a therapy dog class or something - not that Dylan needs it, but he gets a little too excited around other dogs and I want to work with him on that before taking the test. At a recent doggy event, I met a trainer who said Dylan was a good candidate. I then told her that he was 2 years old and she immediately dismissed it. She said he was too old to be certified. Uh...wth? I didn't think there was an age limit. Just to re-enforce that I haven't lost my mind, there isn't, right?

That said, anyone know a good trainer in the Central NJ area? Or know how to find one?

Hello! I just noticed this community. Sadly, it looks rather inactive but I want to share my best friend.



This is Neko.
Neko is a 2 year-old, German Shepherd/Akita mix. He passed his CGC/TDI test in June 2010. I've been training him since he was three months old.

He's my constant companion and I wanted to share his smile with the rest of the world. We've logged over 20K miles together in the past two years (even to Canada and back with me last summer).

I love him to pieces. =)

Ok, I was reading a bit in stupidpetowners and found a link to this, lol.

I actually have two Therapy Dogs <3

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I would proudly like to announce that Seamus is offically an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen! We actually took the test last week, but this week has been hectic from work and all that jazz I haven't had the chance to spread the awesome news.

We are going to do our first nursing home visit next week. This particular nursing home doesn't have a pet therapy program in place and the activities director is really excited (as am I). So next week we are coming as kind of a trial run and if the residents really start to warm up to him after a few visits I'm going to sit down with the director and see if we can put an actual program in place! Sqee so exciting! I love spreading joy!

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I have been looking for different areas for Howie and I to get involved with the therapy dog stuff. We're not certified yet, since to get certified with TDI they have to be a year old, and he won't be a year old until May. But I pre-plan far too much, and have been looking for fun ways for us to get involved.

I remember hearing about a program called "Reading to Dogs," where illiterate children or kids who are learning to read (like ESL kids), read to the dogs instead of to people. I found this program, but have not found any in the area I live in (Detroit, MI). However, I would be very interested in starting a chapter/program.

Howie and I already go to my grandmother's nursing home, since they allow well-behaved dogs, and he is a STAR. And he LOVES children. Once he's certified, I want to start taking him to Children's Hospital in Detroit, and I know a few people who work in area hospitals, so I'm hoping to get into those hospitals. But, I think this program would be really awesome to do.

Well, I may as well start, though I'll look like an ass if no one joins!
Darcy is going in for his CGC classes/testing in April (earliest my trainer has) and I'm worried about two things. The grooming piece of it and staying alone in a room for five minutes with someone else holding him. He's a poodle mix, so he's used to being groomed, but he's never liked his front paws to be touched. I've worked with him just by touching his paws randomly in play, and he gets lots of chicken when his front legs are being groomed so he's gotten used to me touching them, but still balks at anyone else.
Not at all in an aggressive way, just kind of a "I'll have that back now, thanks so much." and daintily pull it out of your hands. I'm going to have friends and family start messing with his front feet and treat and praise while doing so, but does anyone have any other tips?
As for the being alone, he tends to bark for attention if there's someone right there and he's not getting it. Will that count against us? How can I help curb that?