This course is a 3-week course where we meet each Saturday at 8am each week. The class duration is 45 minutes long.
What can I expect to learn in this class?
In the Canine Good Citizen Prep School you and your dog will learn everything you need to get ready in preparation to taking the 10 phase canine good citizen test. Each week we will cover 3-4 test sections and assign homework for you to work on outside of the training center.
- 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
- Encouragement
Just like any other challenge, it always helps to have a bit of praise and encouragement to get you, and your pup, through. Verbal praise, and pets between skills, are totally allowed, but treats, squeaky toys, etc. can’t be used as motivation. We understand that food and toys are valuable tools during training, but during the test, you and your pup need to be treat and toy-free.
All Canine Good Citizens know you can’t go to the bathroom inside the house, so any dog that has an accident during testing must be marked failed. The only exception to this rule is that potty breaks are allowed on test Item 10 (Supervised Separation), but only when test Item 10 is held outdoors.
Any dog that growls, snaps, bites, attacks, or attempts to attack a person or another dog is not a good citizen and must be dismissed from the test.