In my time on this earth, I’ve walked a lot of dogs. Even before I began training professionally, I walked dogs for my neighbors, grandparents, and of course my own. Not all of those walks were fun; I was unable to walk a few because twelve-year-old me wasn’t strong enough to prevent them from pulling me off my feet.
When I started working with professional trainers, I learned what the Canine Good Citizen program was. I observed them working with pet dogs just like the ones I used to walk to meet the standards under the program. Not only did they learn to walk nicely on leash, but they learned to sit, allowed strangers to pet them and touch their paws, and were calm around a variety of distractions. These are all skills that your dog can learn in a regular obedience class at your local kennel club.
But there’s more to it than that.
For the sake of context, let’s take a brief step back. The Canine Good Citizen program (CGC, for short) is a program created in 1989 and sponsored by the American Kennel Club. It was created around the idea that there should be some way to test dogs on basic manners that would qualify them as “good citizens” in public. While training basic behaviors such as ‘sit’ and ‘down’ are a part of it, the program also stresses proper pet ownership. Dogs are judged by evaluators on their appearance; if they appear dirty, matted, or neglected, that dog will not pass the test. Dogs who exhibit any aggression or fear won’t pass, either, meaning that only dogs who are emotionally stable receive certification.
The program has had resounding success. Many trainers incorporate these standards into their private lessons and group class structure, allowing their students to pass the test at the same time. It is now common practice for owners to use the CGC as a springboard for further training for professional competitions such as obedience and agility or continuing in the CGC program by achieving AKC Urban CGC certification, an advanced level of CGC.
Even if an owner chose not to continue training their dog in more advanced skills, achieving the certification is an achievement in and of itself. It shows others that the owner has spent the time and energy to teach their dog good manners and that they have the correct temperament to be able to handle daily life in public. Best of all, you’ll be the envy of your friend group when your dog can calmly sit by the table by dinner and theirs can’t.
So if you find yourself unsure where to begin your dog’s training journey, start here! Not only will you and your dog have fun, but you’ll be training your dog to behave to a standard that we should require all of our pet dogs to achieve.
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