We put together this series on Canine Good Citizenship because we believe CGC is a great benchmark for Dog Mommas, Dog Poppas and their dogs around the world. It is not super-strict yet focuses on good manners, and ultimately teaching your dog key skills that will enable him to join you in many life experiences.
If you are anything like me, here are some reasons you might want to pursue Canine Good Citizenship:
- having something structured to work on together, yet not too intense or time consuming
- achieving someone’s (the AKC’s) official version of “good dog” status
- understanding the requirements of the test, and contemplating how they compare to your own and others’ opinions of what it means to be a “good dog”
- having the certificate on file – God forbid you get into any compromising situation, there is a growing legal recognition of canine good citizenship
Believe it or not, for us, getting into therapy dog work is not currently on our agenda. Although, this is by far the number one guess others have had about my motivation. People seem to associate being a canine good citizen with being a therapy dog. Is that what you thought too?
Here’s what CG citizenship involves. You will be tested by a qualified tester, most likely someone you’ve never met.
- Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
- Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
- Test 3: Appearance and grooming
- Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
- Test 5: Walking through a crowd
- Test 6: Sit and down on command and staying in place
- Test 7: Coming when called
- Test 8: Reaction to another dog
- Test 9: Reaction to distraction
- Test 10: Supervised separation
For $10, you can go take the test now, if you think you’re ready! There are no prerequisites, and all breeds are welcome. You will be asked to sign a “Responsible Dog Owners Pledge”. And you will be dismissed if you fail to demonstrate some basic etiquettes such as your dog not eliminating during the test (except outside might be o.k.) and your dog not acting aggressively towards others.
Stay tuned with us, and we’ll tell you about our preparations and eventually about the test.
