CGC Test

As Dave mentioned in the previous post, we have been negligent in updating The Puppy Files. I am going to add to Dave’s updates…

On June 16th we will start Advanced Training Class. In the Advanced Class we will continue to enforce sit politely for petting, advanced loose leash walking and heeling, add increased distractions to sit, down, stay etc and learn specialized games to build reliability. At the end of the class Bella will take her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. This is a big step, it is the precursor to her Therapy dog career.

The CGC test has 10 test items, all of which are required to pass. If Bella doesn’t complete one item, she will fail the test. That is a lot of pressure.

Here are the CGC test items and if she can currently pass them:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger—FAIL

2. Sitting politely for petting—FAIL but we are getting better

3. Appearance and grooming—PASS but not always

4. Loose Leash walking—PASS as long as the ez walk harness is allowed

5. Walking through a crowd—FAIL

6. Sit and Down and Stay (20 ft)—PASS at 10-15 ft. We need to work on 20 ft

7. Come (10 ft away)—PASS

8. Reaction to another dog—FAIL

9. Reaction to distraction—PASS

10. Supervised separation (3 mins)—FAIL

As it stands now…it is 5 Fails and 5 Passes. So we still have a lot of work to do. And one of the most difficult items will not be on the test, it will be the immediate fail if she “eliminates” during the test. And as you know if you are a faithful reader, she has a tendency to pee in class.

Bella is still very young and we thought she would have an easier time with the test items if she was a little more mature. We will have 7 weeks between the end of the Intermediate and Advanced Class and the advance class is 6 weeks long. This means Bella will be just over 10 months old. And Dave and I think she will be ready for the test then.

Wish us luck!