Canine Good Citizen - The Official AKC Guide E-Book

Mary R. Burch Ph.D

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 281

Beschreibung

The Canine Good Citizen program was created by the American Kennel Club to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. Written by the respected dog experts at the American Kennel Club - the very same organization that designed the test - Canine Good Citizen will help dog owners easily maneuver through the program's 10-step curriculum, stressing responsible pet ownership and basic good manners for dogs. With the valuable information found in this helpful guide, your dog will pass the Canine Good Citizen obedience test with flying colors!

Leseprobe

Canine Good Citizen, 2nd Edition

CompanionHouse Books™ is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing.

Project Team

Editorial Director: Kerry Bogert

Editor: Amy Deputato

Copy Editor: Colleen Dorsey

Design: Mary Ann Kahn

Copyright © 2021 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

American Kennel Club®, AKC®, and Canine Good Citizen® are registered trademarks of The American Kennel Club.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishing, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Print ISBN 978-1-62187-191-0eISBN: 978-1-62187-192-7

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein. The techniques and suggestions are used at the reader’s discretion and are not to be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If you suspect a medical problem, consult your veterinarian.

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction: The Need for Canine Good Citizens

CGC Test Item 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger

CGC Test Item 2: Sitting Politely for Petting

CGC Test Item 3: Appearance and Grooming

CGC Test Item 4: Out for a Walk (Walking on a Loose Leash)

CGC Test Item 5: Walking through a Crowd

CGC Test Item 6: Sit and Down on Command/Staying in Place

CGC Test Item 7: Coming When Called

CGC Test Item 8: Reaction to Another Dog

CGC Test Item 9: Reaction to Distractions

CGC Test Item 10: Supervised Separation

The CGC Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge

Finding CGC Training and Testing Near You

AKC Family Dog: Before and After CGC

Other Fun Training

Special Applications of the CGC Program

How the AKC Helps Every Dog Owner

Photo Credits

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Canine Good Citizen: Ten Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know is the definitive guide to the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program.

With more than 1 million dogs who have earned the CGC Award, the CGC Program is clearly the gold standard for basic training for dogs of all ages. No other dog training program has had this level of impact. This book provides how-to tips for teaching each of the ten skills, and all of the techniques suggested are based on sound behavioral principles. The Special Applications chapter presents exciting, never-before-seen information from unique CGC Programs that are considered national models. Additional information on the background of the CGC Program, the Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge, and what you can do with your dog before and after CGC makes this book relevant for every single person who owns a dog or cares about the well-being of the canines we love. Newer programs, such as the AKC Therapy Dog Program, AKC Trick Dog, and AKC FIT DOG, are also featured.

Mary R. Burch, PhD, is the Director of the AKC Family Dog Program. Dr. Burch is an award-winning dog writer and the author of twenty books, including Volunteering with Your Pet, The Border Collie, and How Dogs Learn. Dr. Burch has trained dogs to the advanced levels of obedience, and she is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (the human end of the leash). She is a frequent consultant on radio, on television, and in print media.

Dennis B. Sprung is the President and CEO of the American Kennel Club. He has been responsible for many other AKC books and publications, including AKC Dog Care and Training. Involved in the sport of dogs for more than fifty years, Mr. Sprung has been a dog owner, exhibitor, breeder, judge, AKC Delegate, and president of an all-breed club. Mr. Sprung has traveled to dog events worldwide, and he routinely interacts with internationally recognized experts on timely dog-related topics.

David S. Woo, photographer, is a former Multimedia Specialist for the American Kennel Club, specializing in videography and photography for AKC Communications and digitization for the AKC Library and Archives. He received his BFA in Graphic Design and Video from the Maryland Institute College of Art and his MFA in Computer Arts from School of Visual Arts. Mr. Woo is one of the country’s leading dog photographers, and he regularly travels to dog-related events nationwide.

We would like to recognize the following AKC staff members who reviewed information related to their subject-matter expertise:

Carrie DeYoung

Gina DiNardo

Doug Ljungren

Pam Manaton

Heather McManus

Caroline Murphy

Mari-Beth O’Neill

Daphna Straus

We would like to especially thank the hardworking, dedicated AKC Approved CGC Evaluators for the extraordinary work they do for all of the AKC Family Dog Programs.

Introduction

THE NEED FOR CANINE GOOD CITIZENS

With 90 million dogs living in 68 percent of American households, dogs are more popular than ever. Currently, an astounding $70 billion are spent every year on canine toys, supplies, treats, and training books, attesting to the fact that dog owners love their dogs and want what’s best for them. But despite a proliferation of information about dogs in printed and digital media, there are some problems with dog ownership in the United States. Why?

More and more people have taken on the responsibility of dog ownership, but, lacking time and understanding about their dog’s needs, some dog owners are not raising well-behaved canine companions. Problems ranging from nuisance barking to attacks against children have many communities responding with restrictive laws and deep concern. “No Dogs Allowed” signs abound in privately owned businesses and residential areas. People with poorly trained dogs, those they come in contact with, and the dogs themselves are suffering.

The American Kennel Club® (AKC ®) Canine Good Citizen® (CGC ®) Program is the answer to the pressing question of how to ensure that all dogs are well-behaved, welcome members of any community. Not just another training guide, this is the first and only book to provide a prescriptive approach and a detailed curriculum based on sound behavioral principles for obtaining the Canine Good Citizen award from the AKC.

The AKC, the nation’s leading authority on dogs in the United States for more than 135 years, developed the CGC Program as the gold standard of training for every dog in America, regardless of age or breed. All dogs—purebreds and mixed breeds alike—are welcome in the CGC Program. Whether you decide to earn the CGC certificate or not, this book will provide you with the foundation you need to be a responsible dog owner, and it will show you how to teach your dog the skills he needs to be a well-mannered pet.

Never before has there been such a critical need for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program or for a simple-to-use, informative book that prepares dogs to earn the Canine Good Citizen award. In the 1950s, families across America sat in front of their black-and-white televisions to watch Lassie, the nation’s image of the ideal dog. This wonderful, beautiful Collie would instantly come when called, jump through a window on command, and instinctively find the little boy who was lost. Viewers were impressed with the concept of a well-trained dog, and during these Leave It to Beaver years, dogs came to be thought of as family members.

However, by the 1980s, problems caused by irresponsible dog owners had dramatically changed and damaged the reputation of man’s best friend. As a result of the graphic media coverage of several maulings and deaths caused by dogs, 1980s America found itself in the midst of what the press described as “pit bull hysteria.” The coverage of pit bull attacks lent an unnecessary stigma to all larger, muscular dogs. Many emotionally charged articles and televised reports neglected to mention that these horrible incidents were not the dogs’ fault, and that any bad feelings should be targeted at the dogs’ owners. In the 1980s, an increasing number of state and local governments passed legislation that placed restrictions on dog ownership.

Fiona, a Bernese Mountain Dog, was the one-millionth dog to pass the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Test. AKC President Dennis Sprung awards a commemorative plaque to Fiona and her proud owner, Nora Pavone.

Since the year 2000, these restrictions have continued to increase in a growing number of municipalities. For example, in some places, there are limits on the number of dogs per household as well as all-out bans on dogs in certain housing and recreational areas. Specific breeds have been outlawed from entire cities and counties, and, as a result, families have been forced to find other homes for their pets, sometimes being given only days to do so.

The American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Test is an evaluation of the basic skills that every dog should know. The ten test items are:

  1. Accepting a Friendly Stranger

  2. Sitting Politely for Petting

  3. Appearance and Grooming

  4. Out for a Walk

  5. Walking through a Crowd

  6. Sit and Down on Command/Staying in Place

  7. Coming When Called

  8. Reaction to Another Dog

  9. Reaction to Distractions

10. Supervised Separation

To offset restrictive legislation and dog-related problems, the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Program is doing its part to teach dog owners to be responsible. In 2019, Fiona, a Bernese Mountain Dog owned by Nora Pavone of Brooklyn, New York, became the one-millionth dog to earn the CGC title. As more dog owners embrace the CGC Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge and provide their dogs with CGC training, we can turn communities everywhere into places where dogs are welcomed.

Long aware of the need to protect the rights of people who love their dogs, the AKC implemented the CGC Program in 1989 with the goal of promoting responsible dog ownership and recognizing dogs for good behavior both at home and in the community. Several versions of the evaluation were field-tested with hundreds of dogs before the program was implemented at the national level. In its current format, the CGC Award shows a commitment to responsible dog ownership, and passing the ten-item CGC Test means that a dog is under basic instructional control, can respond to simple verbal cues while on leash, and, most important, is reliable in the presence of people and other animals.

These are the skills that should be part of every dog’s basic education. In addition to having owners teach their dogs basic good manners, the comprehensive CGC Program also educates owners about the responsibilities of ownership so that they can enjoy their dogs to the fullest.

The CGC Program is a noncompetitive program open to all dogs, purebreds and mixed breeds alike. The heart of the CGC Program is the CGC Test, which assesses the ability of a dog to be a well-behaved member of the community. The CGC certificate or title that is earned by passing the test proves the owner’s commitment to having a well-mannered dog.

There are an increasing number of benefits for those who have earned the CGC award. For example, in some locations, CGC dogs gain access to dog parks and hiking trails, and certain apartment buildings and condominiums require that dogs have their CGC certificates before their owners are permitted to move in with them. Several of this country’s largest service and therapy dog organizations require dogs to pass the CGC Test as a prerequisite for therapy dog work. In addition to therapy dog work, CGC provides the perfect foundation for many other AKC programs, including AKC FIT DOG, AKC Trick Dog, agility, obedience, Rally, and more.

Many 4-H groups have added CGC as the curriculum for beginning dog training. And as of 2019, 48 states and the United States Senate have passed Canine Good Citizen resolutions, showing that our nation’s legislators support the CGC Program as a means of increasing responsible dog ownership and ensuring that well-mannered dogs remain welcome in our communities.

This book will help you teach your dog the skills for each of the ten CGC Test Items. You’ll learn the exercises, how to teach them, how to practice at home, and special considerations for teaching each skill. Scenarios are given to illustrate the importance of each of the CGC Test Items, and behavioral concepts are explained so that you understand the reasoning behind the recommendations.

There are many training philosophies and effective methods for training dogs. In this book, we describe an approach based on positive reinforcement. In the Finding CGC Training and Testing Near You chapter on 140, you’ll learn how to find the trainer who best meets the needs of you and your dog. The sections at the beginning of each chapter explain the actual test items as described in the Canine Good Citizen Evaluator Guide.

The Canine Good Citizen title proves an owner’s commitment to training.

CGC Test Item 1

ACCEPTING A FRIENDLY STRANGER

This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach him and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation.

The test begins with the dog seated at the handler’s side. The Evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The Evaluator and handler exchange pleasantries (e.g., “Hello, it’s good to see you again”). In this test, the Evaluator does not interact with the dog. The Evaluator and handler stand close enough to do a pretend handshake.

The dog must show no sign of resentment, aggression, or shyness.

The dog may not jump on or rush to the Evaluator to initiate contact. The dog may not lunge forward to greet the Evaluator.

The dog should be under control throughout the exercise. If the handler must use excessive corrections (e.g., trying to hold the dog to prevent jumping) to control the dog, the dog should not pass the exercise.

We’ve all met them when we’re out in public—those happy, friendly, exuberant dogs who jump on us to say hello. We approach to greet the owner of such a dog, and, within seconds, we’re being pounced on and receiving a heartfelt, slurpy, wet kiss from a spirited, furry bundle of joy. For those of us who love dogs, there are times when delightful canine kisses are welcome and we’re happy to receive them. But sometimes, such as when we’re enjoying a quiet walk or wearing business clothes, being jumped on by a frisky dog without an invitation may not be a good thing.

But never mind the business clothes. Some people are flat-out afraid of dogs. When an overzealous 60-pound canine-greeting-committee-of-one lunges and appears to be out of control, these individuals find themselves feeling fearful and uncomfortable even though the dog is offering a well-intended, convivial greeting. Dogs who give greetings that are so enthusiastic that a person can be knocked down or scratched are not suitable as canine “therapists” in nursing homes and other therapy settings until they receive further training.

Is it ever acceptable for a dog to jump up on a person to say hello, jump into someone’s lap, or rush up to someone in excitement? It might be, but the key here is whether the dog has been invited to initiate physical contact with the “friendly stranger.” Remember that being a responsible dog owner means that your dog never infringes on the rights of another person. Even a friendly dog should not jump up on a person you meet on the street or into someone’s lap without an invitation.

Since changes related to COVID-19 in 2020, the “handshake” in CGC is a pretend handshake or a head nod.

When you and your dog meet someone in public, being overly excited to see the person is not the only problematic thing that a dog can do. Some dogs are at the opposite end of affability. These are the extremely shy dogs that may hide behind their owners when a stranger approaches, pull away from an unfamiliar person, or, in some cases, urinate inappropriately.

Meeting a friendly stranger in a calm, collected manner is a skill that every dog needs in order to be well regarded by people other than his owner. Meeting new people falls into the category of socialization. Socialization means learning to interact with others in a manner that is acceptable. Dogs need to be socialized to deal with people outside of their families as well as with other dogs. Socializing your dog is one of the most important things you can do as a responsible owner. Socialization activities can begin when the dog is a puppy and should continue throughout his life.

The “friendly stranger” in the CGC Test is someone who simulates a person you might meet when you and your dog are out for a walk. In this test item, when the Evaluator approaches, you will say hello, do a pretend handshake or elbow bump, and have a brief interaction. The friendly stranger in a CGC Test is a person who does not live in the dog’s household, is not an instructor who has been handling the dog every week in class, and is not a canine professional or a relative who knows the dog very well.

In this segment of the test, the point of the exercise is for the dog to behave acceptably when his owner meets and interacts briefly with a stranger. The stranger does not talk to or pet the dog; this will happen in subsequent exercises.

In CGC Test Item 1, Accepting a Friendly Stranger, the Evaluator interacts with the handler. Interacting with the dog comes in later exercises. The handshake is pictured to show the distance at which the Evaluator meets the dog and handler; there is no longer a handshake in the CGC Test.

Why Socialization Is Important

Adequate socialization is the key to owning a dog that is happy, well adjusted, and eager to meet new people. Dogs that are well socialized are friendly and biddable (easily managed). They create the impression to others that they are safe animals with reliable, predictable behavior. Dogs that are good citizens demonstrate impeccable canine manners. These are dogs that accept friendly strangers and are welcome members of the community.

In addition to being well mannered and well liked, there is another important reason for every dog to have CGC skills. These days, dog owners in general are losing their rights because some owners are not responsible. Breed-specific legislation (BSL) has been proposed or passed in a number of states. BSL is legislation that targets certain breeds. When a law is proposed that says no more dogs of a specific breed can live in a particular city, this is an example of BSL. BSL targets a breed as a whole, with no regard for the good behavior or advanced training of individual dogs within the breed. This type of legislation restricts the rights of dog owners and, in most cases, targets specific medium to large breeds. Because many people perceive that large dogs are dangerous, it is critical that dog owners teach their dogs to meet people in a controlled manner. It is the deed that matters, not the breed.

DID YOU KNOW?

Small dogs benefit from Canine Good Citizen training. Without socialization, small dogs can develop a fear of new people and situations.

Small dogs also need socialization. Socializing small dogs teaches them useful skills, such as how to walk on leash and how to interact with people and other animals. The adequate socialization of toy breeds results in dogs that are confident and unafraid of the world around them.

Understanding Socialization

Socialization means interacting with (or socializing with) others. Socialization is also a broader concept that involves exposing dogs to people, places, situations, sounds, other dogs, and other species that may be in the dog’s life, such as cats, birds, or horses. Properly socializing your dog means providing continuing exposure to the world so that your dog becomes self-assured and unafraid of new experiences.

In a newborn litter, the very first socialization a puppy will receive will be from his dam (mother) and littermates. As a matter of fact, there is actually a period of time when the puppy is still with his litter that is referred to as the socialization period.

A well-socialized dog is happy to meet new friends and will behave calmly while doing so.

These AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy graduates are off to a great start for future success in the CGC Program.

In the first two weeks of life, puppies spend about 90 percent of their time sleeping. In these early days, before they even open their eyes, sweet little neonatal puppies will turn to Mom and littermates to keep warm. In a normal litter, the third week of life is marked by the puppies’ opening their eyes, tottering around on legs that are unsteady, and beginning to interact with their littermates by chewing on their ears and crawling over them.

When the puppies are three to twelve weeks old, the socialization period is taking place. This is when puppies begin to develop social relationships with the people and other dogs (their dam and littermates) in their lives. When puppies have no exposure to human contact during the socialization period, it will be difficult for them to adjust to people as they get older. They become dogs that may have a difficult time bonding with humans and may be difficult to train. It is absolutely possible to train dogs that had a bad start in life, but there may be some additional challenges along the way.

Similarly, if puppies are for some reason separated from the litter at a very young age, it may be hard for them when they get older to develop appropriate relationships with other dogs. These puppies may grow up to be either extremely fearful of other dogs or pushy and dominant because they’ve never been taught to relate to members of their own species.

One of the most important lessons a puppy learns from his dam and siblings is bite inhibition. Bite inhibition is when a dog intentionally controls the intensity of a bite. In the litter, when a puppy is nursing, if he bites the dam too hard, she will nip him or stand up and walk away, teaching a valuable lesson by leaving—and taking breakfast with her. The puppy soon learns that he needs to control himself and that biting hard is not OK.

PUPPY GAMES

Sample puppy playtime games (for dogs and people of all ages):

• Sit on the floor and cuddle or hug your dog.

• Give your dog a massage.

• Play games with your dog, using his favorite toys.

• Touch your dog’s feet and ears in between petsand massage.

• Throw a toy and encourage your dog to retrieve(“Get it!”).

When puppies in a litter are playing their rough-and-tumble games, sometimes a puppy will get carried away and bite a sibling just a little too hard. The sibling might jump up and yelp. He may leave the game or may growl, snap, or bark as if to say, “Don’t do that! That hurts!” The puppy learns that if he wants the fun game with his littermate to continue, he cannot bite too hard.

Responsible breeders start providing socialization activities for puppies as young as two weeks old. Breeders will hold and massage puppies and provide other gentle stimulation, such as playing music and introducing new sounds. As the pups get a little older, friends are invited to visit and hold the puppies so that, from the time they are very young, the puppies are accustomed to meeting people. By the time a puppy comes to your home, a responsible breeder will have taken that puppy for rides in the car and on trips to the veterinarian’s office. The puppy will have been exposed to a crate, and a house-training schedule will have been implemented.

Socialization at Home

So you’ve adopted a puppy or an older dog, and you’ve brought him home. Now what? If you got a rescue dog, a dog from a shelter, or a dog that had a rough start in life, your dog needs socialization at home and in the community. Even if he came from a responsible breeder who did everything right until the day you took the dog home, your dog still needs socialization at home and in the community. Socialization is not something that should be addressed for a short time and then stopped. If you are a responsible owner, socializing your dog will be an ongoing activity that occurs as a natural part of everyday living.

To make sure that your dog continues to have good relationships with people and other animals, the first step you should take is to build a bond with your new companion through play and activities. Daily puppy playtime for dogs of all ages has tremendous value. In puppy playtime, you continue the activities of the litter. Structured daily play will be an activity that your dog will look forward to throughout his life.

A Well-Socialized Dog

Some dogs are mellow. Their behavior and temperament are such that from the time they were puppies, they were calm when meeting new people. Some owners who attend CGC classes are lucky in that, on the very first night, before any instruction at all, their dogs can naturally pass the Accepting a Friendly Stranger CGC Test Item. If you happen to be an owner with an extremely mellow dog that meets new people in a cool, collected way, you can focus on teaching other new skills. Remember, though, that socialization should be an ongoing part of every dog’s education, and your courteous canine will always benefit from a chance to meet new people.

When dogs have a problem with meeting new people, it usually involves one of two situations: either the dog is overly exuberant or the dog is extremely shy. Both of these problems can be addressed with training and exposure to new people. Before starting CGC training, you can check to see if your dog needs training to accept a stranger. Take your dog (or puppy) for a walk in your neighborhood or at a local park. When someone approaches, allow the person to come over and pet the dog.

A socialized dog is a polite companion out in public.

What does your dog do when an unfamiliar person approaches and speaks to you? If your dog stands calmly and is under control while being petted, you’re one step ahead of the game. Does the dog try to jump on the stranger, pull away, hide behind you, or lunge at the stranger in excitement? If you see any of these behaviors, you’ll need to do some training. Accepting a friendly stranger will allow your dog and you to confidently meet anyone in public and have a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

Different Personalities

Exuberant Dogs

The exuberant dog is one that has a very high activity level. This is the extremely energetic, high-spirited dog. This type of buoyant, effervescent dog is a joy to own after he has learned some manners. Before learning CGC manners, he may bounce and spin, pulling his owner toward any unfamiliar person who is approaching. Exuberant dogs can be easily overstimulated; however, one trick to working with these dogs is to very systematically expose them to new people, situations, and other animals.

For the CGC Test, you’re going to teach your dog to sit (see Test Item 2) while the “friendly stranger” approaches. For dogs that need work on socialization, in addition to teaching skills such as sit at home or in a class, you’ll want to take your dog on regular “field trips” in the community. These outings will give you and your dog plenty of opportunities to meet new people.

Shy Dogs

When it comes to accepting a friendly stranger, shy dogs may need some training and experience in order to pass this CGC Test Item. As with dogs that are exuberant, shaping behaviors slowly works well with shy dogs. Shy dogs can be gradually desensitized to new people who approach and greet their owners. When working with a dog that is shy or fearful, it is important that you don’t give the dog a lot of attention for being shy. While some reassurance to build confidence is OK, if you coddle and give a great deal of attention to the trembling dog each time an unfamiliar person approaches to say hello, you’ll soon have a dog that is fearful with everyone. A better response than coddling a shy dog is to teach your dog to meet new people in a confident manner. The shy dog can benefit from behavioral exercises designed to teach the dog that good things come from meeting new people.

Small Dogs

There’s an unfortunate trend for some dog owners to carry toy breeds everywhere they go. Some might even dress their dogs in clothes that match their own outfits. Toy breeds (along with other small breeds and small mixed-breed dogs) aren’t fashion accessories. Toy breeds aren’t babies. Toy breeds don’t benefit from lives in which their feet are never permitted to touch the ground. All dogs, including those who are pint-sized, deserve to have the training and socialization provided by the CGC Program.

If you meet or see a toy-breed dog that appears to quiver and shake when a new person approaches, chances are you’re looking at a dog that has not been trained or adequately socialized. Signs of distress in a small dog will include a submissive lifting of the paw, trembling, or attempting to pull away from the person who is greeting his owner. If you’ve ever seen this happen, and this is your impression of small dogs, don’t let them fool you.

Toy breeds may be small in size, but when well trained and properly socialized, they are confident dogs with huge personalities. All you have to do is attend AKC events to see well-socialized small dogs in action, succeeding at obedience, excelling in agility, and doing a great job in the fun sport of Rally. Every weekend, in CGC Tests across the country, small dogs pass fair and square, holding their own among the larger breeds that are typically known to do well in training activities.

Despite their portable size, small dogs are not accessories. They need to be socialized and trained like any other dog.

And don’t forget the wonderful socialization opportunities provided to small dogs that participate in conformation. Conformation shows are bustling, crowded events. While toy breeds entered in conformation may be carried by their handlers to the ring to keep their coats clean for showing, these are dogs that will confidently strut on a leash (just watch them in the ring) in the very distracting setting of a dog show. They accept many friendly strangers in the form of judges.

What about small dogs that come from shelters or rescues? Small dogs and puppies are the most likely dogs to be adopted. Shelters and rescue groups may be particularly selective about toy-breed and small-dog adoptions, choosing homes that will provide training and socialization opportunities for these remarkable little dogs.

Using Desensitization to Teach New Behaviors

The behavioral procedure in which you systematically expose a dog to new situations is called desensitization. Desensitization involves using a hierarchy that ranges from the least to the most problematic situations. For example, if your dog is afraid of wheelchairs, you could bring him into a room in which a wheelchair is sitting in the corner. Eventually, you could move the dog closer to the wheelchair. Then, you could have the dog walk close to the unmoving wheelchair and, finally, have the chair wheeled toward your dog.

To use desensitization to teach acceptance of a friendly stranger, you can manipulate several of the behavior’s components (including the distance your dog is from the new person, meeting a familiar versus an unfamiliar person, the length of time a person interacts with you, and meeting a person who is low-key versus one who is very animated). In all CGC exercises and training, the dog is on a leash.

Desensitization can be used to teach shy dogs to accept new people and objects.

The Accepting a Friendly Stranger exercise lays the foundation for a dog’s good manners when in social situations.

Above and Beyond Accepting a Friendly Stranger

When your dog can perform all of the exercises mentioned on 8 (meaning that he sits calmly while you are greeted by an unfamiliar person), you can practice exercises that are more difficult. CGC Test Items 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 expand on the Accepting a Friendly Stranger exercise by having the dog tolerate petting and handling, walking on a leash and through a crowd of people, and reacting appropriately in the presence of other dogs and distractions. Once your dog has mastered Accepting a Friendly Stranger, you’re on your way to earning the CGC award.

Training Your Dog to Accept a Friendly Stranger

1. Take your dog for a walk in a local park, at a pet-supply store, or somewhere else where you will encounter other people. Have your dog sit at your left side as a person walks by, about 15 feet (4.5m) away. Can your dog do this without becoming overly excited?

2. If the dog will sit at your side while someone passes 15 feet (4.5m) away from you, have the dog sit at your side while someone passes 10 feet (3m) away. If the dog is excitable and jumps out of the sit position or attempts to pull you toward the person, increase the distance. You can also practice sitting by giving your dog reminders, such as “Sit…sit, good dog,” and rewarding with food if you are using food rewards.

3. When the dog will sit at your side as someone passes 10 feet (3m) away, you’re ready to repeat these steps with someone 5 feet (1.5m) away.

4.