Canine Good Citizen Tips for Test 6

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Our Guest's View
 as She Arrived Today

We're back again with the Weekly Wag, still working on our CGC preparation tips. This week's test discussion is one that can't wait until the last minute to be addressed. The only way to make it is by practicing these skills since your earliest days of training to assure success.


Test 6 requires your dog to respond to a Sit and Down command. Following this you will be  asked to require a Stay in either position that you, the handler, may choose. The test evaluator will watch as your dog remains in place, and will tell you when you may release your pup from his required position.


Is there a short cut or a sure-thing to make this test go smoothly? Not on your life! Fido will have to remain focused on you to avoid being distracted by other classmates, owners, testing assistants and anyone else that is around, including wildlife. If you're taking your test inside a pet superstore (I have, and believe me, it's distracting!) your pup will need a terrific power of concentration on the task at hand.


If your dog has a thing for critters, birds or anything that moves, you better hope this test is offered indoors. An outdoor test could sink you. On the other hand, an outdoor test may be less claustrophobic, which could be a good thing for some dogs. Crowds, as we discussed last week, are not always enjoyed by all dogs. It takes practice and adjustment. Getting to know your dog's strengths and weaknesses will help you select a test location that is best for your dog's temperament.


I found that holding a stay was best managed with the "Watch Me" command having been practiced and become a habit. Once your dog learns to keep his eyes on you when you are working together, you'll find that most every behavior is easier to learn and smoother in action.


Never used the "Watch Me" command? It's simple. With a treat pouch at your hip, hold up a high value treat (trainers often suggest cheese or hotdogs; we choose organic to avoid the garbage in a typical grocer's frankfurter) in front of your nose and command "Watch Me"! When your dog looks at the food, he's looking at you also. Praise him and offer the food immediately, repeating often and using this technique regularly until he habitually watches you while working with you. Now you're ready to perform.


Obviously, Fido must learn the Sit and Down command as well. These were taught back in basic training, so I won't bore you with those steps now. I will, however, suggest you practice these skills in places where people and dogs are present. Try the dog park, dog-friendly areas, outdoor dining spots and the patio of your Starbucks. Anywhere you can find people and/or dogs will work, and the more you practice the better Fido will get.


Join us next week for some straight talk on the most important command you can teach your dog. Anybody know what that is? See you next week!


Catch up on the earlier parts of this series here:
Introductory Tips to Getting the Canine Citizen Certification
CGC Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger
CGC Test 2: Sit Politely for Petting
CGC Test 3: Appearance and Grooming
CGC Test 4: Walking on a Loose Leash
CGC Test 5: Walking Your Dog Through a Crowd

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping! 

Walk Your Dog Through a Crowd: Canine Good Citizen Test #5

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Good Practice, but
This Won't Help You in a Crowd

Here we are again, back in social opportunity territory. This part of the Canine Good Citizen exam is easier for those dogs who are less social, yet at the same time can be intimidating if your pup finds crowds to be a bit overwhelming. Gradually helping your dog become accepting of larger groups takes time and effort, but will pay off greatly in terms of the multitude of places you will be able to take him over the years.


Your goal is to reach a point where your dog will see a group of people as a pleasant experience without the exuberance that might end in a jumping exhibition or over-excitement. It's a fine line between accepting the group and not pushing to greet each person in it gregariously.


Whether your dog is on the shy or aloof end of the sociability scale or the extremely friendly end, you'll still want to start preparing for this part of the test with the same steps:

• Master greeting individuals with a calm, yet friendly demeanor. When your dog is handling this well, he is ready to move on to small groups.
• Start with groups of only a couple of people. In the test, you'll be required to weave through a room full people without fear, aggression or excitement. Your dog will be required to leave the humans alone at your direction. 
• I found that teaching the "Leave it" command to Tanner was a big help with this part of the exam. He understood the meaning of this command and immediately was able to 'get' my request. I'm not saying it was easy for him, but he did understand. Honestly, his outgoing nature was telling him to run to each person and give them a very personal kiss, so that's where my challenges were. Oliver was much the same way, but caught on a bit faster, thank goodness. 
• One particularly astute trainer assisted me when working on this command by walking behind my dog and offering backup commands such as "Leave It", while encouraging me to simply call Tanner back when his attention diverted to the humans, using the "Watch Me" command and a treat. This confused and redirected Tanner to me, working quite well to break his ultra-social habit.
• Note that some trainers will include dogs in the groups, so this should be part of your preparation in training.
• As your pup gets better and better, continue to add to the groupings, visiting pet superstores on a Saturday when lots of people and pets are around. When your dog can navigate a superstore without dragging you off to every meet-and-greet he sees, you can finally consider him ready for this part of the exam.
• One caveat to all of this is that you don't want your dog to lose his friendliness with humans. I believe it is important to maintain a regular socialization experience that is intertwined with these other training episodes. While you're visiting the pet superstore, this is a great time to practice greetings. Bring a chair and camp out at the entrance, staying on top of your dog's interest in each owner and dog that arrives at the store. This is a great way to send the message that there is a time and a place for greetings.
• Don't forget the training treats. Associating positive behavior and praise with high-value food will help to bring the desired behavior around sooner.

It's time to start a list of the previous CGC prep posts, for those of you may want to catch up:

1. Introductory Tips to Getting the Canine Citizen Certification
2. CGC Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger
3. CGC Test 2: Sit Politely for Petting
4. CGC Test 3: Appearance and Grooming
5. CGC Test 4: Walking on a Loose Leash

And finally, always remember and never forget the reason for taking this exam is to push yourself to help your dog be a better behaved, more enjoyable family companion. There is no greater reason than that to follow through with this testing. Happy tails!

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!