I’m so thrilled to tell you all I passed my CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test on June 27th! I didn’t take a class or practice, Mom just said she thought I could pass and we should give it a try. Now I have my first AKC title to go with my name! If you are not familiar with CGC, it is for all dogs, not just AKC registered dogs. First your pet parent has to sign a pledge to be a good,Β responsible pet parent, and then you can take the ten part test. You have to do all ten items and pass each one on the first try to pass. The ten items are:
- 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
Bailie took a CGC class which was a big help, but only passed nine out of ten tests. Poor Bailie is such a friendly girl, she just couldn’t walk throughΒ crowd without saying hello. She is working on this item and hopes to retake the test and pass later this summer.
Both Bailie and I had an ORT (Odor Recognition Test) for nose work on July 2nd. Bailie was trying a second time to pass Birch and I was trying for Anise. I’m howling proud to tell you it was awesome and we both passed our tests!
Now I have just one odor, Clove, left to pass, and Bailie has Anise, and Clove. We don’t know when they will have another ORT, it most likely won’t be for a while, but we intend to be there when they have one. The sticky notes are our times. There is a three minute time limit on the test. We take our time as all that counts is a pass.
As always, Mom was the weakest link in the testing. She was being overly cautious and made us go through all the boxes twice before she believed us, but in the end, as you can see, we were all quite happy!
You all know me, Emma the GBGV, owner of this blog, and all the social media accounts, etc. that go along with it. Well, these days it is pretty hard for one dog to get all the work done alone. I do have a team that helps me out with various tasks. I decided it was time for me to add a new page to my site called “Emma’s Team”. If you haven’t noticed it, you should stop by to meet the team and see what their various responsibilities are.
I want to thank my friends We Live In A Flat and Earl’s World for presenting me with the “Shine On” award. I have added it to my awards page. If you haven’t seen these blogs, stop by and give them a howl.
Earl’s World also featured me on his blog the other day! You can find the story here. Earl is a cute and funny little fellow in the UK, which as you know, is where I was born.
Don’t forget to enter to win Lamb Lung Puffs or Beef Trachea Windees from Jones Natural Chews. There are only a few days left to enter to win these tasty, made in the USA treats!
Today Iβm joining the Barks and Bytes Blog Hop hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like a Dog! Join up and share in the fun, or just visit a few new blogs!
Congrats on getting your Good Citizens Award.
Thank you. It was something I never planned on, but glad to have it.
Well done there – welcome to CGC group π Mr Reilly got his when he was just a year old – he was always such a placid easy going dog and did even get phased when the examiner stood on his foot ! (by accident)
Awesome. Bailie will make it too once she learns not to bother people.
Congratulations!!
Thank you!
You guys are the best! I know Bailie will pass her good citizen test at the next try. So proud of you both!
Bailie and Mom are sick of studying so hopefully she will get it next time.
Way to go! I just saw my therapy group is hosting a CGC test next weekend that I am going to take G & G to. Unlike you Emma I do need to practice as my dogs don’t know down very good. I can get them in a down when doing therapy but staying there is another story if I walk away. When I did Norman many moons ago that was his downfall. I put him in a sit and I turned my back and there he was following me walking away. And he knew how to sit and stay for his hunt test training. Nice job on your ORT tests. You gals are doing great and mom is too. Congrats on your award!
We are real good with down. My hardest test was the other dog and ignoring it, Bailie has to learn to ignore people. Too bad we can’t do a group test and use everyone’s strengths!
Thanks so much for joining the Barks and Byte Hop! Congratulation is your ORT passes and to Emma for earning your CGC title. Bailee will get it next time!
We sure hope she passes because Mom and her and sick of working on it.
Congratulations to you on your new title and to both you and Bailie on passing your ORT’s! I have a feeling Bailie will get her CGC next time.
I love your Team page….you have quite a lot of accomplishments, Emma, it’s very impressive.
Thank you. Bailie is studying hard, so hopefully she will get her CGC soon. Ignoring people is hard, especially when she is my PR dog!
Congratulations Emma! And Bailie don’t worry you just turned one there’s plenty of time to catch big sis. Love Dolly
She has had to do lots of things Katie and I never did, but good things. She is practicing hard and hopes to retest the end of the month.
Congratulations Emma, that is awesome! =D
I’m very proud and so is my mom.
Congratulations on all your achievements!
Thank you, I’m really happy about them!
Congratulations! Barley got her CGC in May 2012. We had to work very hard on some things–like the reaction to another dog–and I’m still not sure how we passed supervised separation, which was the longest 3 minutes of my life! Our trainer hasn’t been able to work on scheduling a ORT in our area yet, so we’re still just “studying” but it looks like they occasionally have them near my parents’ house and near my aunt’s house, so if there’s ever one when I have a break from school, we might do a little traveling π
The more practice the better before an ORT. If you do sign up for one, go to the post office and get 12 identical boxes to use to practice with, and mark one for odor. Funny how every dog struggles with one of the 10 CGC tasks! Separation is no big deal for us at all.
We have been making good use of the flat rate boxes π
π Good for you, we have too!
Congrats on all the good news! I agree, it’s tough not to say hi to everyone when you’re a cute pup. And glad to see you’ve officially set up a blog team, business is booming.
If Bailie was mean and ugly it might be a bit easier. She and Mom are practicing and hope to test again the end of the month.
Congratulations and High Paws, Emma on getting your CGC! I knew you could pass with flying colors! I did not notice your new page…I better go check out “the team”! Have a great Thursday!
Oz
I figure the new page would be something only new friends would notice, which is why I decided to mention it. I replaced my former family page with the team.
Yay for passing tests and getting letters after your name!
I am pretty excited about it!
Congrats on all of the success! That’s really awesome you were able to pass CGC without practicing. Atka is training for CGC as a stepping stone for therapy work. He’s not even 9 months so he has a bit of maturing to do before we get that far π
Mom just thought I could probably do it as I am seven and pretty mellow and it worked great. Bailie is working hard on learning to ignore people, but it is very hard for her.
Atka has the same problem as Bailie. It’s hard being a social butterfly! π
Emma, just pawsome you passed your CGC!! In addition you passed your 2nd scent test. Now I must check out “Emma’s Team.” Then the good CGC PBGV that I am I need to take care of my mommy. as her face is swollen and sore from her dental work yesterday. I need to give her neck a massage too. I love my mommy. XOXO Sparkle the PBGV
I heard about the dental work on fb yesterday. Be extra nice to her. Maybe a frozen kong for her to chew on would help? I’m really happy to be in the CGC club and to have only one more odor test to go!
I love my kongs! I will not share. π Sparkle the PBGV
Woohoo Arooooo and congrats!!!!
α¦ husky hugz α¦ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thank you!
Congratulations, y’all are doing some amazing things!
We are trying our best π
Congrats to CGC and ORT and to your award! Think that screams for a party, huh? I just visited your Team-site… hahaha the accomplishments of you cat-siblings are great… I would hire both immediately :o)
Cats are pretty worthless, but necessary at times for photos.
Congratulations! I knew you could do it!!
Thank you. I’m pretty happy.
Congratulations! Though it comes as no surprise to us π
Awww, that is nice of you to say!
Congrats on passing all those tests. You ares such a smart girl.
Millie & Walter
Thank you!
Wow Emma, what awesome news!! Good for you and Good for Bailie. I don’t think either one of my guys would pass that CGC test, Sampson is too friendly and Delilah can be snarky. π
I’m happy to see that the Joy behind your blog is getting into things more, but I’m not exactly sure I would call her the weakest link. π
Thanks so much for joining the blog hop!!
Believe me, Mom has a lot to learn about stuff, LOL!
For sure you are going to pass. Golden CONGRATS to you π Pawsome accomplishment. Golden Woofs
Thanks,Sugar. Bailie is working hard to learn to ignore people, but it is really hard for her.
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Concats on getting your first TITLE Emma!! THat’s way coolio, but we think the ORT test is the BEST!
For me the ORT was much more of a challenge, but I love having a title.
Congrats on passing your scent tests and the CGC test! You’ve really be accomplishing a lot lately!
Mom seems to have us on some plan to accomplish things. It is fun, adds variety to our lives too.
Congrats on passing your CGC, that’s awesome!
Thank you. I’m pretty proud of myself.
Congrats to you and your sister! It’s OK that Bailee missed one of the items on her CGC test. A lot of dogs do not pass on the first (or second) try. Emma, you are such a well-behaved girl I just assumed you had already taken the CGC test years ago.
Ace took the CGC test when he was about 1 year old and easily passed, but we did take a class to help us prepare. Honestly, we may need a little work if we were to pass that test again today, 7 years later. He’s just so much more outgoing now than he was then!
We haven’t done any formal scent training, but that would be fun to try.
I would have failed earlier, but I have mellowed with my seven years and it made the test easy. I was more like Bailie at her age too. The CGC has only been around for a few years and we have only known about it for a year or two. Mom never thought I could pass until she started looking into it. Bailie is working on ignoring people. We will see if she can do it next time. That’s awesome Ace passed. Luckily the title doesn’t have to be renewed!
Way to go! I’d probably fail on da reacting to other dogs part.
That was worrisome for Mom in my test, but it didn’t phase me a bit.
so proud of you – we passed our CGC without classes or practicing and did it, too. Wags of congrats!
Thank you! I’ve been really making Mom proud lately, and we know Bailie will get it. She is just young and a lover of life, especially people. She isn’t jumping all over, but wants to get attention and can’t handle just ignoring. Mom is working on it with her.
Congrats Emma…I’m not sure Jack or Maggie could pass all ten of those tests…
I blew right through, but Bailie is tough. She will get it, it just takes practice. I’m sure Maggie and Jack could do it if they worked on it.
Yay! Condogulations to both of you Emma! That is awesome that you passed the CGC without any special preparations for it.
Thank you! Lots of happiness at our house right now.
Congratulations to you and Bailie!!!! We will be taking obedience lessons soon with new puppy.
Thank you. Although Mom doesn’t really enjoy obedience classes, she says it is good as a refresher and it reminds her to practice with us dogs that are a bit older.
It’s been 8 yrs since we had a puppy (Mica was so good and Lexie trained her) and my puppy skills are a bit Rusty. It’s also good for Aspen to socialize, so a few Obedience classes can’t hurt.
Mom never thought they were necessary, but with me I went to two and it was a good thing. Bailie has done a bit more with “formal schooling” and Mom says that although she isn’t thrilled about going to the classes, it has been very worth it for Bailie. Since most obedience classes don’t allow for student interaction, Bailie also goes to a half day of day care one day a week to learn to socialize and to be without her sisters with other dogs. So far the plan is working really well.
We always went to our local dog club. The puppy’s get to play till everyone arrives. Then they have a meet and greet for dogs. After classes they can play outside on leash if there is someone they was to play with (short play). So there is quite a bit of socializing and after the 6 weeks they all know each other.
I like that. Here there is no interaction allowed which I didn’t like but it is what it is.
Pawsoooooooooome! Congrats to you guys! Good luck on any other future tests that you may take. I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors. You’re so smart Emma π
xoxo Simba
Thank you. I try my best.
Congratulations! I’m a CGC, too and so is KΓΌster. Flattery will take the test one day, but she still has some things to work on before she’s ready. It sounds like you have a lot of notches in your collar right now!
Bunny
My collar is pretty heavy, but it is a good heavy. Bailie hopes to retake her test later this month. She is such a people dog it is hard for her to ignore them walking through a crowd.
Congratulations – I just found your blog all the way from Sydney, Australia. I love your fun and fresh approach to health and happiness with dogs – am a new fan π
Hi there! That is awesome that you found me way over here! We have serious subjects at times, but we try to always have fun and bring out smiles and laughter. Thank you for being a new fan!
Congratulations! You two are so smart!
Mom says we have beauty and brains – LOL!
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Congratulations Emma!!! You’ll get it next time, Bailie. That not being able to say hi is a tuffie.
It is very difficult with Bailie being such a friendly people dog, but she is practicing.
Well done you and Bailie, I think you need cake to celebrate!! BOL
We got some nice treats π and tons of lovin’.
Sounds the appropriate way to celebrate :0)
Awesome!! I wanted to register Donna for the test but was told we had to pay for the class anyway… so Donna still hasn’t got her CGC π
That stinks. Around here most places offer the test for $12.