Lovely, Dark and Deep

Tango went on Saturday to take his Therapy Dogs International (TDI) test. TDI is a certification issued to dogs that pass a sort of temperament/obedience test, which gives them access to nursing homes and hospitals for therapy visits.  Most homes and hospitals in my experience do not require that dogs are certified by TDI to come in and visit with patients, and I’m not a fan of the organization, but I need Tango to pass his TDI as a part of his requirement for his Honor Scout badge with Dogs Scouts of America, which IS an organization of which I am a big fan!  (for info on Dog Scouts, go to http://www.dogscouts.org/ ).  So, I loaded the gang in the car and we drove to Columbus for Tango’s test.

T

Tango the Wonder Dog,
after passing his TDI.

ango passed (yea Tango!), and while I was there, I asked about possible future certification for Lottie Moon.  I had just heard an ugly rumor that TDI will not certify deaf dogs.  Turns out, the ugly rumor is true.  One more reason to dislike the TDI organization.  As I said, a therapy dog does not really need a TDI certification, or any certification, to go and do therapy work, but I would have liked to get the title for Lottie, because it is a recognized achievement in the dog world, and I want to showcase the abilities of deaf and blind dogs like Lottie.  There are many other organizations, it turns out, that will certify deaf dogs for therapy work, so we will have to pursue another route.  Maybe one day Lottie will be able to get TDI to rethink their prejudice against the handicapped!

  So after the test, I stopped at the park to let the dogs run.  A party in Tango’s honor.  It was Lottie’s first time at Daree Fields, which is one of our favorite park walks.The woods there are lovely, and a couple of trips around the path and boardwalks deliver tired pups back to the car.  The only problem for Lottie, however, is that the woods are not fenced, so she must stay on leash.  I know the poor girl was frustrated, with four of her best friends tearing around off leash, darting here and there like squirrels in a rush, all the while she was confined to walking at my pace.  But she did seem to enjoy the excitement, and the wonderful smells of spring dampness, fresh greens and new flowers, and old and new wood mixing with the sun and the dewy ground.