AKC Canine Good Citizen Test

[MagnoliaFly]

Well I just started taking a 4 week course to get us ready for the CGC test. Bernie did well practicing the first three exercises (approached by stranger, petted by stranger, ears, feet examined). I've really been working hard with her on that though since she hasn't liked her feet being touched despite my handling of them since she was a puppy.

I am still worried she will jump on the examiner when we get tested since she likes to do that with people. I will be working hard on her "stay" and going to a few public places to have people practice with me since my hubby is of little use in the training department (men!).

Anyone else take the test and have any good pointers or things for me to watch out for? I don't necessarily want to take a therapy dog test since I think she's got a personality more for agility and/or herding. I'd just like her to have a CGC under her belt for good manners (and a cool first acronym).

[Chip's Mom]

I worried about Chip doing the same thing because I can never keep him on four feet when he meets somebody and all through the class, he would jump when people approached him so the evening of the CGC test, I prayed and low and behold Chip stayed all four feet on the floor and got his CGC.

[Michael Romanos]

Good Citizens training and graduation is just been announced as a national activity in New Zealand and will be taken up and promoted by the NZ Kennel Club. The dog training club in Upper Hutt (where I live) is gong to coach the programme which seems very much in line with the programme in the USA. The Good Citizens programme is for dogs over 12 months old as the pups can be part of the puppy training programmes we have already in place.

My Pem would not have qualified if he went through the programme or aliternatively, lost some of his 'value' because I never discouraged him from greeting people as he sees fit and he uses this choice thing for his work in the public arena vis retirement villages/hospitals and at schools etc. Mind you his greetings have become more subdued and more measured since his puppy/junior days.

[Cheetah]

Many dogs who pass the CGC also do therapy work here.

[Michael Romanos]

Yes. That would make sense for dogs who are part of an organised programme. But Taylor and I do 'therapy' on our own bat and I have followed a principle of allowing Taylor to be himself so that the residents/patients/school kids get to meet and touch a Corgi who though is not hyper, over vigorous and over powering, is enthusuastic and active and very much a Corgi and able to give what almost every person he meets wants big time.
Can you relate to that?

[fogebotom]

Being an evaluator and also having put a CGC on all but four of my dogs(two old rescues and two youngsters in the house) and had 4 of my dogs pass their TDI, my biggest and best suggestion is to take a deep breath, exhale and smile. It's a very simple test that if your dog can go out and behave in public should be able to pass. Practice in the park, the grocery store parking lot, etc. Good places with distractions so when you get to the test, they think it's a piece of cake.

Jumping on people-the evaluator will ask you to approach and should not acknowledge the dog yet. He will greet you, shake hands, exchange pleasantries-best thing for the handler to do is when approaching, stop, ask your dog to sit and firm stay. When the evaluator goes to greet your dog, reinforce the stay command. If you feel during training, that the dog will jump, before the evaluator goes to pet your dog, quietly put a finger or two in the collar so that you can reinforce the sit/stay. Don't hold, don't force and don't pet your dog. Just a little extra hold on the collar to interrupt any ideas the dog might have. Anytime in the future, never let the dog run up and jump on someone, especially while on leash. Always take on leash time as training time and use it!

That being said my dogs all jump up-heck, short corgis, and my bad back mean that I can't always bend down. But they also know what off and sit mean. I do not use the word down when asking them not to jump-down means lay down. Off means get off-the couch, the bed, me, etc. Many times when they get excited and start bouncing and jumping, I just go back to the old "sit" and get them to settle before they get petted. All my dogs and puppies learn sit and down early on, even the show dogs! For the show dogs I feel it is even more important to have manners and all know basic obedience by the time they walk in the ring-sit, down, stay, come and all important for them-stand.

I love testing and working with people to get ready for the CGC. In all my years, I have only failed one dog-a beagle. This last test we passed several goldens, a cardigan, a border collie and a whippet!

Good luck! and let me know if you have more questions we can help with!

Cindy, the Foggy Bottom Crew + the new 6 pack

[Chip's Mom]

Cindy:

I had to chuckle when I read your post - it reminds me of my Chip. However, I did make the mistake of teaching him down when he jumped on people so during obedience class "lay down" meant just that and down meant do not jump on people or get off them. I have since had to teach Dale the same way because he is always with Chip. You gave great advice and I enjoyed your post.

[MagnoliaFly]

Cindy:

Thanks for your reply!

I have been working with her, unfortunately family and friends can be more unhelpful than anything else since when I tell her "no jump" and tell her to sit, they always say "Oh its ok! I don't mind!" and then invite her to jump up some more.

I must seem rude to hold her leash and make her sit or down right beside me but its the only way I can get them to stop undermining my training, even after I've explained that she's taking the CGC in a few weeks. My in-laws are the worst about it - even suggesting I let her come over so they can try Cesar's technique on her.

Great suggestions Cindy! I hope we pass, or if we have a hard time with one part they'll let me try it again. I'm really going to wear her out before the test so she doesn't have a bunch of pent up energy and might focus more on me since she'll be a bit tired.

Thankfully my evaluator loved Bernie in another class

[fogebotom]

Good idea to wear her out before the test. And you know, my mother is the worst also about the whole dog jumping thing. But I do find if I practice the real thing in a very patterned method, the dogs really do know the difference between play and the test.

Oh the Ceasar way--goodness, disconnect their cable. Some of his stuff is okay if you understand the method behind the madness but in many situations it will cause more harm then good. Like the Monk's and the alpha roll. I heard they actually thought after the fact that they should have left that part out of the book as it get taken the wrong way by many and over used and abused.

You have three chances at each activity in the test so don't get too flustered. Stay seems to be the most important thing to have under your belt, that and focus.

Deep breath, exhale and smile-waiting for the post where we can go HURRAY!

Cindy, the Foggy Bottom Crew and the ever growing 6 pack

[Clogs]

Best of luck for the test.

I know just what you mean about the jumping up encouragement, too. Friends and rellies are the worst, closely followed by corgi-loving total strangers.

[MagnoliaFly]

Originally Posted by fogebotom

Good idea to wear her out before the test. And you know, my mother is the worst also about the whole dog jumping thing. But I do find if I practice the real thing in a very patterned method, the dogs really do know the difference between play and the test.

Oh the Ceasar way--goodness, disconnect their cable. Some of his stuff is okay if you understand the method behind the madness but in many situations it will cause more harm then good. Like the Monk's and the alpha roll. I heard they actually thought after the fact that they should have left that part out of the book as it get taken the wrong way by many and over used and abused.

You have three chances at each activity in the test so don't get too flustered. Stay seems to be the most important thing to have under your belt, that and focus.

Deep breath, exhale and smile-waiting for the post where we can go HURRAY!

I get three chances? My instructor didn't tell me that! I'll have to ask Good to know.

Funny thing is, Bernie is great on Stay. The whole Sit/Down/Stay exercise she was perfect at. I guess because its one of the things we practice alot at home. I was worried she wouldn't do well in a room full of other distracting dogs but she focused on me. I think she enjoyed running full speed at me

I'll be glad to post a "Yay I got a CGC!" so I'll be practicing all this week. Going to my parents house for a few days so we'll have strangers to practice with!

[nrhareiner]

I am taking my Golden sept 2 for her CGC test and also Nov A obediance. With her is has been really easy to train her but I have been consintrating in Libbys Comforation work and not really doing much in ways for getting her ready for the CGC test. She is good at many parts of the test but like yours like to or needs to jump up to get petted. When we go to the nursing home the only way the poeple can reach her is if she jumps up on their chair so how do you teach them not to jump for the test when they need to to get loved on?

Heidi