Burch - Canine Good Citizen: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know

Canine Good Citizen, 2nd Edition

CompanionHouse Books is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing.

Project Team

Editorial Director: Kerry Bogert

Editor: Amy Deputato

Copy Editor: Colleen Dorsey

Design: Mary Ann Kahn

Copyright 2021 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

American Kennel Club, AKC, and Canine Good Citizen are registered trademarks of The American Kennel Club.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishing, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Print ISBN 978-1-62187-191-0
eISBN: 978-1-62187-192-7

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein. The techniques and suggestions are used at the readers discretion and are not to be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If you suspect a medical problem, consult your veterinarian.

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Canine Good Citizen: Ten Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know is the definitive guide to the American Kennel Clubs Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program.

With more than 1 million dogs who have earned the CGC Award, the CGC Program is clearly the gold standard for basic training for dogs of all ages. No other dog training program has had this level of impact. This book provides how-to tips for teaching each of the ten skills, and all of the techniques suggested are based on sound behavioral principles. The Special Applications chapter presents exciting, never-before-seen information from unique CGC Programs that are considered national models. Additional information on the background of the CGC Program, the Responsible Dog Owners Pledge, and what you can do with your dog before and after CGC makes this book relevant for every single person who owns a dog or cares about the well-being of the canines we love. Newer programs, such as the AKC Therapy Dog Program, AKC Trick Dog, and AKC FIT DOG, are also featured.

Mary R. Burch, PhD, is the Director of the AKC Family Dog Program. Dr. Burch is an award-winning dog writer and the author of twenty books, including Volunteering with Your Pet, The Border Collie, and How Dogs Learn. Dr. Burch has trained dogs to the advanced levels of obedience, and she is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (the human end of the leash). She is a frequent consultant on radio, on television, and in print media.

Dennis B. Sprung is the President and CEO of the American Kennel Club. He has been responsible for many other AKC books and publications, including AKC Dog Care and Training. Involved in the sport of dogs for more than fifty years, Mr. Sprung has been a dog owner, exhibitor, breeder, judge, AKC Delegate, and president of an all-breed club. Mr. Sprung has traveled to dog events worldwide, and he routinely interacts with internationally recognized experts on timely dog-related topics.

David S. Woo, photographer, is a former Multimedia Specialist for the American Kennel Club, specializing in videography and photography for AKC Communications and digitization for the AKC Library and Archives. He received his BFA in Graphic Design and Video from the Maryland Institute College of Art and his MFA in Computer Arts from School of Visual Arts. Mr. Woo is one of the countrys leading dog photographers, and he regularly travels to dog-related events nationwide.

We would like to recognize the following AKC staff members who reviewed information related to their subject-matter expertise:

Carrie DeYoung

Gina DiNardo

Doug Ljungren

Pam Manaton

Heather McManus

Caroline Murphy

Mari-Beth ONeill

Daphna Straus

We would like to especially thank the hardworking, dedicated AKC Approved CGC Evaluators for the extraordinary work they do for all of the AKC Family Dog Programs.

With 90 million dogs living in 68 percent of American households, dogs are more popular than ever. Currently, an astounding $70 billion are spent every year on canine toys, supplies, treats, and training books, attesting to the fact that dog owners love their dogs and want whats best for them. But despite a proliferation of information about dogs in printed and digital media, there are some problems with dog ownership in the United States. Why?

More and more people have taken on the responsibility of dog ownership, but, lacking time and understanding about their dogs needs, some dog owners are not raising well-behaved canine companions. Problems ranging from nuisance barking to attacks against children have many communities responding with restrictive laws and deep concern. No Dogs Allowed signs abound in privately owned businesses and residential areas. People with poorly trained dogs, those they come in contact with, and the dogs themselves are suffering.

The American Kennel Club (AKC ) Canine Good Citizen (CGC ) Program is the answer to the pressing question of how to ensure that all dogs are well-behaved, welcome members of any community. Not just another training guide, this is the first and only book to provide a prescriptive approach and a detailed curriculum based on sound behavioral principles for obtaining the Canine Good Citizen award from the AKC.