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Citizen Canine
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), Citizen Canine will help dog owner 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 test with flying colors and qualify for a certificate of
- GenresDogsReferenceNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 18, 2017
I read this official training publication of the American Kennel Club over several months. While you could easily read this book in a weekend, you could also opt to read a chapter here and there. Since the chapters are organized by each of the ten tasks a dog must demonstrate to earn the title Canine Good Citizen, you could also read these chapters in any order.
Reading the ebook frustrated me a bit because I would have preferred to keep all of my notes and ideas about training in a physical copy of the book. Lesson learned. I've bought a few more dog training books since this one. All physical copies, which also means I can lend them out.
The introduction struck a few chords with me. I knew the pet industry was huge, but $43 billion was a dollar amount I would not have guessed. Additionally, dogs are incredibly popular with 73 million living in 69 million American households, but not every dog parent is raising a well-behaved pup.
“Remember that being a responsible dog owner means that your dog never infringes on the rights of another person.”
Since some people choose not to train their dog properly, problems have ensued. Dogs running loose may lead to dog bites. Some cities like Caraway City, Arkansas have passed ordinances banning certain breeds of dogs they deem nuisances or dangerous. In the 2004 Caraway City ordinance, the city banned Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers giving owners of these dogs just ten days to find new homes.
Last year Arizona enacted a statewide ban on any laws that restrict specific breeds of dogs. While many other states have also passed legislation banning any laws that try to regulate dog breeds, those pieces of legislation can be changed with a new crop of elected officials.
The AKC developed the CGC Program to answer the need for well-behaved dogs who can be welcomed into any community. The user-friendly format of this training curriculum focuses on the ten tasks a dog must perform in order to earn the title Canine Good Citizen:
1. Accepting a friendly stranger
2. Sitting politely for petting
3. Appearance and grooming
4. Out for a walk (walking on a loose leash)
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
Each chapter clearly defines what your dog must do to demonstrate the skill required. The philosophy behind each task is explained. The majority of each chapter is dedicated to providing training exercises for dogs at different stages of training.
For instance, if your dog gets anxious every time you leave your home, this program advises starting a systematic training process where you dedicate a block of time to practicing you leaving the house. You leave the house. You're allowed to exit with a goodbye phrase if you practice that routine regularly. Once outside you close the door, immediately open the door back up, and enter your home. You gradually increase the amount of time you spend outside. The curriculum expands into a few other "What if my dog..." scenarios.
I appreciated how much this program stresses socialization.
“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.”
If you're familiar with the CGC Program and Test, then there aren't really any surprises within this book. Depending on how many other dog obedience classes you've been to, and even how many other dog training books you've read, the information here is solid, but not earth-shattering.
While I found many good exercises in this book, most of the ones I was truly interested in would require me to train with a few other people and their dogs. Now the entire time I was reading this book, I was thinking about Bernie. The notes I took all pertain to how I would use the curriculum with him.
While I may use many of the same exercises and techniques with our other dog Lizzie, if I truly want to be through, I will need to read the book again to take notes specific to her. I just don't see me doing that. I have four other dog books on the to-be-read pile, three of which deal specifically with training techniques.
Plus, I am fortunate to live near trainers who offer CGC Classes that I can afford. Bernie is already signed up for a CGC Class in 2018 and until then, we're attending a drop-in weekend class at least once or twice a month. I like having the interaction with a person. Our trainer can watch me and Bernie and help me correct what I'm doing to help Bernie understand what I want him to do. A book can't do that.
Was this book a waste of time?
Not at all. I'm a new dog mom, so I like reading about different techniques, watching video tutorials, and attending dog obedience classes. I especially like practicing different exercises one-on-one with my dogs. However, if I were a more experienced dog mom, I think this book would be too elementary in its content for me.
Besides new dog parents, I think aspiring dog parents could benefit from reading this book. If someone wants a well-behaved dog, they should at the very least scan this book to get a sense of what's involved in training a dog, especially the life-long commitment to keeping that training fresh in your dog's mind.
Reading the ebook frustrated me a bit because I would have preferred to keep all of my notes and ideas about training in a physical copy of the book. Lesson learned. I've bought a few more dog training books since this one. All physical copies, which also means I can lend them out.
The introduction struck a few chords with me. I knew the pet industry was huge, but $43 billion was a dollar amount I would not have guessed. Additionally, dogs are incredibly popular with 73 million living in 69 million American households, but not every dog parent is raising a well-behaved pup.
“Remember that being a responsible dog owner means that your dog never infringes on the rights of another person.”
Since some people choose not to train their dog properly, problems have ensued. Dogs running loose may lead to dog bites. Some cities like Caraway City, Arkansas have passed ordinances banning certain breeds of dogs they deem nuisances or dangerous. In the 2004 Caraway City ordinance, the city banned Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers giving owners of these dogs just ten days to find new homes.
Last year Arizona enacted a statewide ban on any laws that restrict specific breeds of dogs. While many other states have also passed legislation banning any laws that try to regulate dog breeds, those pieces of legislation can be changed with a new crop of elected officials.
The AKC developed the CGC Program to answer the need for well-behaved dogs who can be welcomed into any community. The user-friendly format of this training curriculum focuses on the ten tasks a dog must perform in order to earn the title Canine Good Citizen:
1. Accepting a friendly stranger
2. Sitting politely for petting
3. Appearance and grooming
4. Out for a walk (walking on a loose leash)
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
Each chapter clearly defines what your dog must do to demonstrate the skill required. The philosophy behind each task is explained. The majority of each chapter is dedicated to providing training exercises for dogs at different stages of training.
For instance, if your dog gets anxious every time you leave your home, this program advises starting a systematic training process where you dedicate a block of time to practicing you leaving the house. You leave the house. You're allowed to exit with a goodbye phrase if you practice that routine regularly. Once outside you close the door, immediately open the door back up, and enter your home. You gradually increase the amount of time you spend outside. The curriculum expands into a few other "What if my dog..." scenarios.
I appreciated how much this program stresses socialization.
“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.”
If you're familiar with the CGC Program and Test, then there aren't really any surprises within this book. Depending on how many other dog obedience classes you've been to, and even how many other dog training books you've read, the information here is solid, but not earth-shattering.
While I found many good exercises in this book, most of the ones I was truly interested in would require me to train with a few other people and their dogs. Now the entire time I was reading this book, I was thinking about Bernie. The notes I took all pertain to how I would use the curriculum with him.
While I may use many of the same exercises and techniques with our other dog Lizzie, if I truly want to be through, I will need to read the book again to take notes specific to her. I just don't see me doing that. I have four other dog books on the to-be-read pile, three of which deal specifically with training techniques.
Plus, I am fortunate to live near trainers who offer CGC Classes that I can afford. Bernie is already signed up for a CGC Class in 2018 and until then, we're attending a drop-in weekend class at least once or twice a month. I like having the interaction with a person. Our trainer can watch me and Bernie and help me correct what I'm doing to help Bernie understand what I want him to do. A book can't do that.
Was this book a waste of time?
Not at all. I'm a new dog mom, so I like reading about different techniques, watching video tutorials, and attending dog obedience classes. I especially like practicing different exercises one-on-one with my dogs. However, if I were a more experienced dog mom, I think this book would be too elementary in its content for me.
Besides new dog parents, I think aspiring dog parents could benefit from reading this book. If someone wants a well-behaved dog, they should at the very least scan this book to get a sense of what's involved in training a dog, especially the life-long commitment to keeping that training fresh in your dog's mind.
May 23, 2020
I discovered after reading Citizen Canine that Finn and I have hours of training ahead of us. The S.T.A.R. Puppy Program, in which my furry friend earned the coveted medal, gave us a good start to a well-mannered pet. Our training journey together has “only just begun”. My new aspiration is for Finn to become a Canine Good Citizen graduate! It won’t be easy. He has to pass ten essential skills. Although, some tests have been partially mastered already. Maybe one day Finn and his handler will be spotted in the big ring competing with other dogs. Perhaps, this is just an unattainable dream. However, I did learn after reading this book well-mannered pets are a welcome addition to both the community and a loving home.
July 25, 2021
How fitting that I should finish this book today, the eleventh birthday of Shadow, my retired guide dog.
The book provides clear and encouraging step-by-step instructions for anyone either wishing to train for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test, or anyone who simply has a dog who might need a touch-up on their manners.
I am considering having my current guide take the CGC test, but she's still got a few things to work on beforehand. (She's very excited about meeting new people, and very curious about potential playmates in other dogs she encounters. She's getting better, but after the long solitary season imposed on us by COVID-19, I'm giving me and her plenty of time to increase our exposure as we return to a more public and populous work life.)
The book provides clear and encouraging step-by-step instructions for anyone either wishing to train for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test, or anyone who simply has a dog who might need a touch-up on their manners.
I am considering having my current guide take the CGC test, but she's still got a few things to work on beforehand. (She's very excited about meeting new people, and very curious about potential playmates in other dogs she encounters. She's getting better, but after the long solitary season imposed on us by COVID-19, I'm giving me and her plenty of time to increase our exposure as we return to a more public and populous work life.)
July 3, 2017
I was glad to find this on Hoopla via Chesapeake Public Library
August 25, 2016
Informative book about the AKC Canine Good Citizen program, including information on the 10 skills dogs are tested on and how to train for these skills. A history of the program and uses for the title are also included.
Read
June 28, 2011Concise, informative and thorough without being dull and boring. Very pleased.
July 27, 2012
A heck of a lot more informative than dog class, which has priorities besides the Canine Good Citizen test. I see myself referring back to this book frequently. Vets should sell this book at cost!
November 18, 2013
It took me a while to read this as life and other books kept creeping onto my bed stand. This is a great book to teach you how to train your dog.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews