Aiden’s TDI Test

This evening Jack and Aiden tested to be a Therapy Dog International team. The TDI test is divided into two phases and has 13 individual testing exercises. The Test is designed to simulate visitations at a facility with a therapy dog. This test reflects situations that should be helpful in evaluating the potential therapy dog.

Here Aiden is being handled by a stranger while Jack is out of sight. (I was hiding behind a partition to be able to take this picture!)

These exercises simulate walking in a corridor toward the patients’ rooms with various people standing around. Jack and Aiden must demonstrate that they can withstand the approach of several people at the same time and Aiden is willing to visit and to walk around a group of people.

In this exercise Aiden had to show a willingness to visit a person and demonstrate that he can be made readily accessible for petting 

A volunteer with a demo dog approached Jack and Aiden, stopped and asked a question. After a brief conversation, the two handlers part.

To simulate entering a door to the facility Jack put Aiden in a sit then entered the room before releasing Aiden to enter the room also.

Jack and Aiden passed the test. The next step is a veterinarian certificate certifying that Aiden is in good health and current on his inoculations and then Jack and Aiden will be a certified Therapy Dog team.

 U-Ch., SG Alta-Tollhaus Aiden BN, RA, TDI, CGC