# Failed our therapy dog exam AGAIN :(



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Therapy Dogs International (TDI) won't allow my boy to take the exam, because he's a service dog! Try to figure THAT out! As a service dog, he had impeccable manners, a calm, bombproof temperament, and is thoroughly trained for all situations.
The mind boggles.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

I would suggest you wait until your boy is well over 2 years old. I did not even try to certify Max until he was over 2 years old. Your dog probably just needs to get all the puppy out of him. At age 2.5 years, Max breezed through his CGC and therapy dog test. He has now been making regular therapy visits for more than 3 years.


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## Rikki (Apr 7, 2014)

Practice, practice, practice! Did he get a lot of exercise before the test? I just helped a friend practice with her young golden and they passed. She also took her to dog friendly businesses for weeks before the test to get her used to different situations( she had issues with pulling on the leash). Can you get a friend with another dog to practice the meet and greet? We got together with another friend who also was testing and they practiced everything in the test together. Trust me, I know how badly you want this for your dog. You can't allow yourself to get hung up on the failures. My golden girl passed the test at the tender age of 1 year and two weeks. She is a high drive dog and is proof that it can be done. 
Message me if you want some more suggestions.
By the way, I was told to wait until she was three but that was never and option for me.


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## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

The reason a Service Dog can't be a pet therapy dog is due to the fact that a Service Dog needs to be mindful of what is going on with the handler and not be handled by others. i.e., a guiding eyes dog is not to be pet by anyone just approaching. The handler must be asked first if their dog can be pet. If the handler will politely declines, it is not due to any reason other then their dog is "working". 

A therapy dog is a dog that might be trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas, etc., Their purpose is to be pet by individuals as they are not focused on their handicapped handler.

Therapy dogs are not assistance or service dogs and are not afforded the rights/privileges that are in place for service dogs.

I agree with one of the other posters that you may have more luck waiting for your dog to calm down a bit. Therapy Dogs International will not let a dog test that is under a year of age. Some dogs take longer to mature mentally then others.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Maybe it's time to re-evaluate your goals. If your dog doesn't want to do therapy work, all the practice in the world isn't going to make him good at it. He may pass the test, but is he ever really going to enjoy it? 
You might want to find something else that you both could enjoy.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Don't give up. I took the class with Honey and there was a woman who was a fantastic trainer and worked really well with her dogs. She was trying to pass the TDI test for the third time but her corgi could not sit quietly for three minutes without her owner. She smiled and vowed to keep trying because she also felt her dog would be a great therapy dog. She passed the fourth time. :smile2:


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

Rikki said:


> Practice, practice, practice! Did he get a lot of exercise before the test? I just helped a friend practice with her young golden and they passed. She also took her to dog friendly businesses for weeks before the test to get her used to different situations( she had issues with pulling on the leash). Can you get a friend with another dog to practice the meet and greet? We got together with another friend who also was testing and they practiced everything in the test together. Trust me, I know how badly you want this for your dog. You can't allow yourself to get hung up on the failures. My golden girl passed the test at the tender age of 1 year and two weeks. She is a high drive dog and is proof that it can be done.
> Message me if you want some more suggestions.
> By the way, I was told to wait until she was three but that was never and option for me.


Thank you. I've been practicing his recall like crazy. I put his food bowl down at every meal and make him come to me into the other room before he gets to go back to the food bowl. Also got a long line for practice outside. But he still just sits and stares at me when I call him in the exam room. Not sure why he has a block about that.

My boy is definitely super high-drive too. He's way more hyper, driven, smart, focused, devious, and needs a job than the other golden retrievers I know in the neighborhood. Thanks for your offer I"ll shoot you an email!


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

laprincessa said:


> Maybe it's time to re-evaluate your goals. If your dog doesn't want to do therapy work, all the practice in the world isn't going to make him good at it. He may pass the test, but is he ever really going to enjoy it?
> You might want to find something else that you both could enjoy.


He definitely wants to do therapy work. It's other dogs that don't want to do it, but still pass the exam because they are good on a leash, etc.

The first time we took the exam, my boy failed the walking in the crowd section because he flopped on the ground and rolled on his back because he didn't want to leave the wheelchair and walker people.


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

Max's Dad said:


> I would suggest you wait until your boy is well over 2 years old. I did not even try to certify Max until he was over 2 years old. Your dog probably just needs to get all the puppy out of him. At age 2.5 years, Max breezed through his CGC and therapy dog test. He has now been making regular therapy visits for more than 3 years.


Thanks. I genuinely believe that my boy is even more puppy-ish than other goldens if that's possible. He constantly gets zoomies at everything. I could write a book about his personality. This is despite the fact that I take him on long walks multiple times a day.

The day of the exam I took him on a 2 hour morning walk right before it. He was so sedate that I was worried people would think I drugged him. He did all the obedience perfectly except for dog meet and recall  So close. So his puppy-ish behavior still came out even though he was very calm.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Just my two cents -- you don't want to have to tire him out in order to barely pass the test. The skills being tested will become important when you go on visits. Perhaps it would be a good idea to wait until he matures. Many goldens make wonderful therapy dogs, but many of them are also too exuberant when young. Molly passed the CGC at 10 months old. While she is a wonderfully obedient and attentive dog when working (she KNOWS when she is working and is the most obedient dog ever), she can be kind of naughty when working time is over. I knew she would have passed the therapy dog test (CGC was more difficult than therapy dog test) but it did not mean that she would have made a good therapy dog at 10 months old. I'm not sure she would have interpreted visits as working time; she probably would have been too exuberant for the patients. So we competed in obedience and hunt tests instead, things that didn't involve frail people and little kids. She is four now and I just had her tested to become a therapy dog last weekend. She actually did not think she was "working" during the test so she wasn't on her very best "serious" behavior, but she passed and she was complimented on her level of obedience so that tells me that she truly is ready to become a therapy dog. I know how badly you want this, but don't get upset if it isn't happening on your timeline. It will happen. Don't let this frustrate you or prevent you from truly enjoying your dog.


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

I have always been a big fan of your dog. I think he just needs to be older. Some GRs take years to really mature. He's still a puppy in his heart.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

It really is disappointing not to pass the evaluation but it's in the best interest of you and your dog as well as anyone you might work with to make sure that your dog is really settled and ready. I think it's important to remember that therapy work is a team endeavor and both handler and dog have to be suitable for it and enjoy it.

I've been through the evaluation with two of my dogs and assisted a few times with the evaluation of other dogs. I've seen a few dogs who are well socialized and trained in obedience pass the test but not show the empathy and love of interacting with people that makes a really good therapy dog. I've had a few people who have been in the hospital or other therapy setting tell me they were visited by a therapy dog that just didn't seem interested in them and it was a disappointing experience.

If you feel your dog has the right temperament, I'd give him some time to settle and mature and work on socialization and obedience in a variety of settings in the mean time.


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## Debbi (Nov 1, 2012)

Where I live, they won't look at a dog's temperament until they are two for the very reasons you state! They want people to pass and young puppies are very hard to train. Good luck in the future.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Your boy is still a puppy. Be patient.


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

I just realized that I am incredibly dumb and wasn't even testing for TDI. It was a different organization. I know it sounds stupid but my dog's puppy school instructor recommended this organization and I just kept showing up without questioning it. I'm not sure what the difference between the organizations is but I read through the Therapy Dogs International exam requirements. It still sounds challenging, but not as hard as the one I have been doing. I also like how the TDI exam seems like a more comprehensive temperament assessment. I plan to sign up for Therapy Dogs International and give it a couple of shots. 

In other news, we tried the re-test again today and the examiner failed my dog during the one minute sit-stay, which was BS!!! Another dog got up and visited him during the sit stay. He didn't budge an inch! This dog literally got in his face, sniffing and licking him, and all he did was lean his face forward a little, but completely remained in sit-stay, not even shifting position. How is that a fail? I'm definitely getting disillusioned with this organization!


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## smp (Apr 27, 2016)

I'm sure you guys will pass eventually. Maybe focusing on the test so much has made the activity stale for him. Perhaps do some cross-training (agility/field, etc) in between the therapy training to keep his mind fresh. If he's a clever guy, he might need to be challenged in novel ways. Learning sticks better when it is varied and new.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I think most people do not even attempt the test until their dogs are well over two. In golden retrievers, there is a big difference even between 2 to 2 1/2. They stay puppies for such a long time.


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## SueD (Dec 7, 2016)

I know I am very late on this thread! Never give up on your dreams even when you are discouraged or people discourage you! You guys can do it!!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I don't know if the OP still visits the forum, but I do know they have passed the TDI test!


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

I did Paws Across Texas for several years with my golden, she was a rescue so don't really know her age but guessing about 5. We were not perfect but very calm so they let us in. We still had lots to learn but loved the experience.
Several years later my girl had died, I had rescued a Dalmatian... possibly lab mix. He was actually better with people than the golden and absolutely LOVED kids. My golden would get up and move when she had enough. The Dal would roll over and ask for tummy rubs, he was wonderful and what kid doesn't love Dalmatians. This was when the 101 Dalmatians came out and even the youngest kids knew what a Dal was.

Well we went back to Paws and all the ladies on the board of exams loved him. He was quiet, gentle & obedient. There was a lady there with a dog that whined through the entire thing, poor dog was so anxious. But the lady had been with the group for many years with another dog so she passed, even though the dog didn't do anything correct in the obedience portion. Turns out the lady that runs the group didn't like Dalmatians. Seems they had one in the group previously and it didn't go well and guess all she saw was a insurance claim waiting to happen. Everyone but the leader voted us in but it was an uphill battle from there. Because the leader of the group disliked Dal's so much we were not allowed to do any locations with children. Seeing kids was his strong point! I had volunteered to do the Special Needs event as my grand children were going to compete. I called this lady several times to confirm our participation and the day before the event she said we could not go and would not be allowed around kids for 3 yrs., we were on probation. She really didn't want us in the group and after all, it was her group. Well I was heartbroken and resigned from the group. 

So I went on my own to Ronald McDonald House, The Warm Place (place for abused kids) and the Fort Worth ISD let us do the special needs classes. Just had to meet with someone in charge, provide all vet records and a recommendation from the vet as to temperament.
We also went to day cares to give classes on how to treat your pets and show kids how to teach their pets to sit & down. Not being part of the group kept us out of the children's hospital but that was ok, I didn't really want to work with this lady anyway. 

You just never know how some of these groups work. Don't take it personally, just keep working at it and give your guy time to mellow. Might see if there is another therapy group in the area. Here is a pic of my Dal that she felt was unsafe around kids.


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## SueD (Dec 7, 2016)

Wonderful!! Love the determination she had!!



hotel4dogs said:


> I don't know if the OP still visits the forum, but I do know they have passed the TDI test!


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

Oh, hello! Thank you for checking up on me and supporting us! Yes, we passed the TDI exam which to be honest was so easy compared to the one I had been failing repeatedly. He aced everything easily and the examiner took me aside and whispered that he's the best. I think the previous organization I had been testing with is kind of weird, not because we failed it, but because they have strange rules and also some of the dogs that passed were really reactive, so I feel like they don't emphasize temperament enough. 

We already did some therapy visits at a college near my hometown and it is so cool. I'm SO excited to do more!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Congratulations, thanks for the great update. 
Wonderful to hear you're enjoying the Therapy visits.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

That's awesome, congratulations! I'm so happy you found a different group. Enjoy the experience, sometimes sad but always heartwarming. Good for you :smile2:


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

I have 4 Goldens, one of whom was a rescue at 8 weeks old from backyard breeder who went to prison for making and selling meth. To say this dog had received poor socialization from the backyard breeder and the dam (she was 6 years and on her 10th litter) would be an understatement. I tried and tried to train this one on my own and simply could not. It became a bit of a power struggle between us and I was too emotionally invested. I took him to a board and train facility for two weeks of intense training. This helped tremendously. They were able to help him over his mental hump. Today, of my 4 Goldens, he is the most reliable on and off leash. The training situation had simply reached a point where we needed a break and the help of someone not emotionally invested in the outcome. It sounds like your pup is almost there. Maybe a week with an outside trainer might be just the thing to get him over his final mental hurdle?


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## TanyaS (Oct 27, 2016)

Max's Dad said:


> I would suggest you wait until your boy is well over 2 years old. I did not even try to certify Max until he was over 2 years old. Your dog probably just needs to get all the puppy out of him. At age 2.5 years, Max breezed through his CGC and therapy dog test. He has now been making regular therapy visits for more than 3 years.


I just wanted to say, this advice has a lot of wisdom! I don't have any experience with training a service dog, but I just remember my Luke was so much better behaved at everything after the age of 2. Actually, let me make that 3! He calmed down and listened so much better when as he got older. It was almost hard to remember his active, "ADHD" puppy years after he calmed down and grew into a sophisticated, well-mannered young man-dog! I bet he could have passed an exam like that when he was 4 or 5, but definitely not when he was under the age of 2. He was still so much a puppy at that age.


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## Jud (Aug 10, 2015)

I agree. Skye will make a great therapy dog but at 15 months she has her bursts of energy that I know will abate by about 2. Then I am going for it.

Cara-Mia - My Heart Golden 7/3-7/15
Skye - Gotcha-Day 11/13/15


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## fishergal (Nov 18, 2012)

I didn't have Molly tested as a Therapy dog until she was 3 1/2 yrs old. Probably could have done it earlier, but was working full time then. I'm very lucky though because from the time we brought her home at 8 weeks old she has always been VERY MELLOW and lives for human attention. Molly knows when her scarf comes out it's time to visit. She does play VERY HARD with her Yellow Lab sister Sophie. I'm getting Sophie tested in April, but I know she won't pass. She's TOO ENERGETIC, loves people - but doesn't crave human attention like Molly. Most Golden's do well in this line of work, for some it'll just take a little time. After all Golden's do remain in that puppy mentality for a while. Good luck to all members that are thinking about becoming a Therapy Dog team. It's very rewarding :laugh:


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

Hello! Just to post an update, a month ago we began doing therapy visits at a hospital, which is more challenging than the college. The first time we walked in, one of the nurses began sobbing as she petted my dog. She was having a really rough day and all her emotions came out. She then started laughing as my dog wagged his tail and leaned on her. It was just what she needed. The same thing happened with a patient, who teared up as she petted my dog. I felt teary myself, seeing these people going through hard times, and I was glad that he was able to brighten their day.

We also visit regularly at a senior living community. Can't help but brag a little, but apparently people have been specifically requesting my dog over the other therapy dog teams. Apparently he is more interactive and animated than some of the other therapy dogs, haha. They like that he is genuinely really happy to greet them. 

Anyway, just wanted to share. I'm so thrilled with how well he is doing as a therapy dog! He is very calm on his visits, often laying at people's feet, and I never worry about him jumping up on people. I'm really proud of my pup!

(...Now if only I can figure out how to dial back his maniacal energy and single-minded determination on our walks at the park...so weird how he is bipolar like that!)


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I was walking the Mag Mile yesterday and hoping to bump into you guys


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Huge congratulations on seeing the results of all your time and effort with training your boy paying off  Bless you for the volunteer work you do, what an incredible gift to so many people. I don't want to think of what it must be like to be a dog person who is confined to a retirement home or nursing home and face the remainder of life without a dog. What kind of quality of life would that be. Your visits must be a gift for those people. 

So glad that you stuck with it


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Thanks for sharing your journey. I would like Rukie to become a therapy dog. He loves crowds of people and when someone finishes petting him, he seems to be looking for the next person. I have walked him on our college campus and it is so heart warming to see how he brightens someone's day. I can only imagine going to a nursing home or hospital is even more special. You're post is an encouragement to press on through the process.


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## goldenenthusiast (Jul 28, 2014)

hotel4dogs said:


> I was walking the Mag Mile yesterday and hoping to bump into you guys


Oh cool! We live close to there and walk there frequently! Next time let me know if you are visiting!


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## Oldreid (Aug 16, 2019)

Hi, did your doggie had become a therapy dog now?
I know the therapy dog needs to be very sociable because it needs to meet many different patients and adjust the different environments.
As you said, seems your canine hadn't prepared to become a therapy dog, but I don't think you should so worried about it, just relax.
I can recommend you some basic tips if you still need:
1. Firstly teach your doggie to be kind and friendly to others(obedience training and build trust with different people)
2. Simple command training
"Sit''
"Heal"
"Stay"
3. Sociability Training
As much as you can to bring them to meet more people and taking a walk in different spaces.


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