Canine Good Citizen is something we’ve been working towards the past 3 months and y’all, I freakin’ passed it! Along the way, I picked up a lot of good skills that allow my mom to trust me loose in the wild and I’m going to get to go with her on so many adventures thanks to my excellent manners!!
For those of you wondering, mom picked CGC as a baseline obedience thing to focus on as we got to know each other. It’s not technically a requirement to become a therapy dog. In fact, each therapy dog organization has their own rules and requirements. I would also say that the CGC is not based on how dogs naturally communicate (body language) with its emphasis on verbal commands. It also does not translate very well to real life. For example, I know mom’s gonna call me when she puts me in a stay and walks 10 feet away. But will I also know to come to her when there’s a Squirrel taunting me in an open field?! (Matter of fact, I do come, cuz I’m the best!) CGC did give us some good structure and groundwork so that I know what’s expected of me. Look at me go, you guys, one milestone down.
Girl with the Bernese 