A two-hour therapy dog lecture/seminar will be presented prior to the first therapy dog class at Positively Best Friends in Edgecomb on June 1. The lecture, which begins at 1 p.m., is open to the public.

Therapy Dogs International (TDI) is a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their Therapy Dogs for visitations to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, hospice care facilities and any other place where Therapy Dogs are needed.  

The primary objective of the TDI dog and handler is to provide comfort and companionship by sharing the dog with the patients.  This is done in a way that increases emotional well-being, promotes healing, and improves the quality of life for the people being visited and the staff that cares for these people.  TDI is a non-profit organization. There is no charge for visitations.

In order to be certified by TDI, dog and handler teams must complete a thorough evaluation of the skills necessary for safe and successful therapy dog work.  Those skills include; calm and friendly behavior with distractions in different situations; acceptance of different sounds, smells and equipment;  excellent greeting and handling behaviors; and the ability to work in close proximity to other handlers and dogs.  

The Positively Best Friends "I'm Certifiable II" class, now identified as a therapy dog evaluation preparation class, will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Dog and handler teams interested in the “I’m Certifiable II!” TDI Preparation Course and evaluation must already have their CGC certificate or must demonstrate mastery of the CGC skills.  The course will end with official TDI testing.   

For more information about the CGC and TDI courses, call 207-882-7297.