Your dog will probably pass the test if he:

Out For a Walk

Walks with you on a loose lead

Stops when you stop

Does not inhibit your ability to walk and turn normally

Also keep in mind that:

Your dog may walk on either side

Your dog is not required to sit when you stop

Your dog will need additional training in this area before he can pass this test if he:

Pulls on the leash excessively while walking

Jumps up and nudges, bites or mouthes the handler or is otherwise on the verge of being out of control

I am not going to fail a dog for nudging the handler once or twice; however, it is completely inappropriate for a dog to "herd" the handler through the entire section of the test. Technically, the leash would be loose, but in my opinion the dog is not under the handler's control and is not quite ready to do pet therapy.

Sniffs the ground excessively, thereby inhibiting the handler's freedom of movement and showing that the dog is not truly under the handler's control.

As with all other portions of the test, I try to be fair. The dog that pops his nose to the ground for a second to catch a whiff of something isn't going to fail this test, so long as he responds to the handler's verbal command and goes ahead and walks willingly with the handler. I have seen dogs that put their head on the ground and keep it there the whole way through this exercise, despite the handler's verbal commands to stop. I think this type of dog needs more socialization before doing pet therapy so that his surroundings aren't so distracting to him. Hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities can also be very dangerous places for animals because there are so many things (like pills) that could have been dropped and rolled into hiding places. It is essential that the dog respond to the handler's command to leave something alone, no matter how good it may smell.

Otherwise fails to move with the handler in a normal fashion.

In other words, I have seen cases where the dog's leash was not tight only because the handler was moving with the dog rather than the dog moving with the handler. That dog, in my opinion, needs additional training before doing pet therapy.

Common errors made by the handler, causing the team to fail this exercise:

Giving harsh, overly loud verbal commands or yelling at the dog
Snatching / jerking on the leash, hitting, or using other physical corrections
Physically pushing the dog into a siting position when the handler stops or jerking up on the collar to make the dog sit
Jerking on the lead while walking, even though the dog was not pulling on the leash

So what is this test like and what should you expect?

I will tell you where to set your dog up and ask you if you are ready

This portion of the TDI test is very much like the novice heel-on-lead exercise in that I will "call" you through a pattern

My commands to you (and not necessarily in this order) will be:

"Forward" - meaning start walking forward

"Left Turn" - meaning turn 90 degrees to your left

"Right Turn" - meaning turn 90 degrees to your right

"About Turn" - meaning turn 180 degrees to your right (basically turn around and go in the opposite direction)

"Halt" - meaning stop

"Exercise Finished" - signaling the end of the exercise

Have other questions? E-mail me for answers!