Officious Therapy Maizy

This week we received our information packet from Therapy Dogs International making us (Maizy and I) official members!

Our info packet was very informative and gave me some good ideas about where we might like to volunteer. Now begins the (hopefully not too) difficult process of finding a place that we like and that likes us!

I will start making calls tomorrow and be sure to let you know where we end up!

(I blurred out Maizy's ID number so that no one would steal her pawdentity!)

Every time I talk about Maizy's TDI or CGC certifications, I am reminded of Sammy Davis Jr Jr, the "Officious Seeing-Eye Bitch" in the movie Everything Is Illuminated (which you should see if you haven't)!

Paging Doctor Maizy...

Today was a big day in the brown dog household! Maizy and I had plans to head out today to the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights. As a part of their big family fun fair, they were also offering testing for Therapy Dog International.

Since Maizy passed her CGC test, I have wanted to get involved in working as an emotional support therapy dog. Basically, she would be able to visit hospitals, retirement communities and spend time getting pet and giving love.

So today we showed up early so that we could go for walk, check out the area, and generally get comfortable with the surroundings. We ended up getting there really early and parked about a half mile away so that we could take a stroll. We met up with the volunteers who were setting up and decided to continue our walk. Since we had some time, I called up my grandma to chat until it was time to take the test.

Maizy's big day!

Test time came and we watched the volunteers get set up and watched one dog run through the test as a trial. Then we signed some papers, paid our money, and it was our turn first! The process of the TDI test is very similar to the CGC test, with a few different elements. The test was being held outside as part of the fair. It was full of distractions, including a mini train full of children going around the perimeter, complete with whistle and yelling kids!


Maizy did great at her test, however, and in the end, she passed! I am the proudest Brown Dog Mom on the planet. We have to go to the vet to get some paperwork signed to send in for her official registration, but then we're all set! We are welcome to come back to visit Lutheran Home or we can establish a relationship with facilities in our area to visit there. I am really looking forward to taking Maizy on these visits. On our way back to the car, we walked through the fair and Maizy was very friendly and well-behaved. She cozied up to people in wheelchairs so they could pet her and let children hug her like a giant teddy bear. I think she is going to be a GREAT therapy dog!

In the car ready to head home!