What Is Therapy Dogs International?
Have you ever visited a hospital, school, or even a nursing home only to be welcomed with a wagging tail and a four-legged friend? This is one way you would have encountered a therapy dog. Some of the most prestigious organizations responsible for placing these animals include Therapy Dogs International (TDI), a nonprofit organization that has been registering and certifying therapy dog teams for many years.
In this guide, we will look at everything you need to know about Therapy Dogs International, including what they do, how their certification process works, the differences between therapy dogs and emotional support animals, and how to register your own pet dog.
What Is Therapy Dogs International?
Therapy Dogs International is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization whose mission involves testing, registering, and insuring therapy dog and handler teams. Started in New Jersey in 1976, TDI is currently considered one of the oldest therapy dog certifying organizations in America, with numerous thousands of therapy dog teams serving in 50 states and in some parts of Canada.
While TDI therapy dog and handler teams may not visit people’s homes unexpectedly, they are carefully screened for their good temper, obedience, and good health condition and then referred to institutions requesting their presence. Notably, TDI certification differs greatly from the training of service dogs since therapy dogs and service dogs have completely different roles.
Therapy Dogs vs. Emotional Support Animals vs. Service Dogs
Although people tend to consider these definitions as synonymous, in fact, they represent completely different categories.
The therapy dog is specially trained and certified to provide comfort to several individuals in such institutions as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other community facilities. One therapy dog will probably work with tens of different people within one afternoon.
In contrast, an emotional support animal (ESA) is focused exclusively on helping one individual suffering from a diagnosed mental disorder, including anxiety, depression, or PTSD. In contrast to a therapy dog, an emotional support animal does not have to get a temperament certification; the only requirement is that the ESA has to be prescribed by a licensed mental health provider based on the ESA letter.
While service dogs are task-trained and protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to perform certain functions for the disabled individual, neither a therapy dog nor an ESA has such rights.
If you are suffering from anxiety or depression and want an ESA for yourself, ESA Clinic offers you the option to work with a licensed mental health provider and receive a valid ESA letter entirely online.
TDI Programs and Where Therapy Dogs Visit
TDI teams are placed into a wide variety of specialized programs depending on the population they serve. Common TDI programs include:
- Assisted living facility visits
- Tail Waggin’ Tutors (children reading aloud to dogs to build confidence)
- Disaster stress relief deployments
- Home visits to support independent living
- Hospice visits
- Hospital visits, including pediatric wards
- Library reading programs
- Nursing home visits
- School visits
- Visits with survivors at domestic abuse shelters
- “The Final Visit” – comfort visits in funeral homes
Each program requires slightly different preparation, but all of them rely on a calm, well-socialized dog and a handler who can read the room.
Therapy Dog Testing Requirements
However, not all friendly dogs can automatically be termed as therapy dogs. For a dog to qualify to be registered in TDI, some specific requirements must be fulfilled, which are as follows:
- Must be at least one year old
- Must have a stable and friendly temperament
- Must be completely house trained
- Must be up-to-date on its vaccines, with documentation signed off by a licensed veterinarian
- The dog also needs to pass the temperament evaluation test by a TDI evaluator.
What is more, service dogs cannot work as therapy dogs for TDI at the same time.
What Happens During the TDI Test
Temperament is of much greater importance to TDI evaluation than any sort of obedience. Evaluators test how dogs react to various elements that they are bound to face during visits – including wheelchairs, walking aids, noise, and unexpected people appearing out of nowhere.
What the evaluators look for is a confident attitude, free of both aggression and fear. A dog that enthusiastically welcomes new faces, lets its hands be touched by new people, and calmly interacts with medical tools is just what TDI expects. That does not mean, however, that handlers do not have to prove that they can control their pets at all times.
The AKC Canine Good Citizen Connection
The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification of the American Kennel Club is an award given to dogs and their handlers who show good behavior when out in public places. Although the CGC certification is not mandatory for TDI certification, most handlers choose to do it before seeking TDI certification because they have similar requirements. The least that the TDI demands from a dog is that it follows its handler’s command.
How to Register Your Dog with TDI
Should your dog have the potential to be a therapy dog, here is how it will generally go:
- Get in touch with TDI or a local certified evaluator for a testing date.
- Pass the temperamental evaluation and also a health evaluation to ensure the dog has had vaccinations and is healthy overall.
- Make payment for membership and register.
- Receive the welcome packet, which usually contains a training manual, handling material, and facilities looking for a visit within the locality.
Should there be no local certified evaluator, the organization does have a limited registration process. This normally involves proof of obedience training, a recommendation letter from the vet, invitation letters from the desired facilities, and a record of health and vaccinations.
Therapy Dogs International vs. Alliance of Therapy Dogs
Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) is yet another nonprofit organization that tests and insures therapy dog teams throughout the country. Similar to TDI, ATD tests the temperaments and good health of the dogs before placing them in facilities.
The only real difference is between testing methods, training tools available, and additional advantages provided to handlers. For instance, Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) permits individuals without a dog to apply as supporting members who, in exchange for their donations, receive a book and newsletters. Both organizations share similar objectives; therefore, the “better” one depends on location.
Best Dog Breeds for Therapy Work
Registration at TDI is not limited to any specific breeds; even mixed-breed dogs are eligible for the same as purebreds, provided that they pass the temperament test. However, some particular breeds have been found very commonly in therapy dog teams because of their naturally calm and people-friendly nature:
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- Labradoodle
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Greyhound
- Australian Shepherd
- Border Terrier
- Lurcher
Many of the best therapy dogs actually start as shelter dogs. If you’re considering adopting a future therapy dog, talk to shelter staff about temperament – calm, confident, people-friendly dogs often make excellent candidates regardless of breed or background.
4 Things to Know Before You Join
- There is a price to pay for joining. The price of TDI membership is normally around $45 for the first year and about $30 annually thereafter, with discounted rates for multiple dogs.
- A dog can be both an ESA and a therapy dog. Though a service dog is not permitted to also be a therapy dog, an ESA is eligible to do both. If you are an ESA owner who feels the urge to contribute to the community, it would be great for your emotional support animal to qualify as a therapy dog as well. But first, you need a genuine ESA letter, which ESA Clinic makes easy for you to get.
- Dogs with disabilities are welcome too. There are special provisions made for blind, deaf, and mobility-impaired dogs at TDI.
- The insurance is provided. Liability insurance coverage comes with TDI membership.
Final Thoughts
T-Dogs play an important part in comforting those who are in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and shelters around the nation. However, should your need be a dog who helps you deal with personal issues such as anxiety, depression, or other mental disorders, you might want to look into getting yourself an emotional support animal, rather than a therapy dog. ESA Clinic will provide you with a licensed mental health professional to assess whether you are qualified for a legitimate ESA letter.
FAQs
Is Therapy Dogs International the same as a service dog registry?
No. TDI certifies therapy dogs that comfort multiple people in community settings, while service dogs are individually trained to perform tasks for one person with a disability under the ADA.
Can any breed become a TDI-certified therapy dog?
Yes, TDI accepts all breeds and mixed breeds, as long as the dog is at least one year old, healthy, and passes the temperament evaluation.
Do therapy dogs have the same legal rights as service dogs?
No. Therapy dogs and emotional support animals do not have the same federal public-access rights as ADA-recognized service dogs.
Can my emotional support animal also become a therapy dog?
Indeed, provided your ESA possesses a well-behaved and pleasant demeanor and succeeds in the evaluation conducted by TDI. But before all else, you will require an ESA letter that is legitimate, and you can acquire one from ESA Clinic.
How much does it cost to register a dog with TDI?
The price for joining varies, generally being $45 per year at the beginning, and after renewal, $30 per year. Plus, there is reduced pricing for more than one dog per household.
How long does it take to become a certified therapy dog?
It usually takes a different amount of time depending on the specific dog, as some need prior training in obedience, and then scheduling and passing the TDI temperament test.
